ELLSWORTH — The Ellsworth Village Board held a brief meeting Monday night, March 3, approving a pair of items regarding the C&E Wurzer development at the Old Junior High, an increase to waste hauler rates and discussed the selection of a village engineer.

The village put out a request for proposals for engineering services to the village. They received responses from Ayres Associates, CBS Squared, Short Elliot Hendrickson, MSA Professional Services, ISG, Davy Engineering and Cedar Corporation.

In the past, the village has worked with multiple engineering consultants, but this process would allow Ellsworth to have one firm to go to for all engineering needs.

Village Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer Brad Roy and Director of Public Works Brad Vick plan to narrow the options down to three or four before a special board meeting with interviews from each of the finalists and a potential selection.

First up on the Wurzer development motions was the rezoning of the site. Both 12-unit apartment buildings will be zoned multi-family R-3 and the two twin homes R-2. A Conditional Use Permit for a setback between the apartment buildings was also approved. As the buildings are in separate lots, without the permit they would violate the ordinance requiring 20 feet of separation between the lot line and the building. Plans are for 33 feet between the buildings, marking fewer than 20 feet between each building and the lot line. Without the permit, the requirement would have been 40 feet between the buildings at the minimum.

The board unanimously approved a request from GFL to increase waste hauler rates by 2.9% based on 2024 inflation. GFL’s new rate will kick in April 1 with the bills coming around during June.

There was an approval to amend zoning ordinances regarding residential and agricultural uses. The two amendments are as follows:

“Commercial Event Venues as a Conditionally Permitted Use in the Agriculture Zoning District.”

“Amending the number of allowable dwelling units, minimum lot sizes, accessory dwelling units, and setbacks in the Residential R-1, Residential R-2, and the Multiple Family R-3 districts; and the minimum lot size in the Residential Mobile Home RM district.”

Other Business

• The board approved a trio of site plan proposals that all made their way through the Plan Commission during a February meeting. These plans were a new Loberg Law Office building at Crossing Meadows, a Judicial Center addition at the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and a commercial kitchen/grocery store at 191 E Main St.
• Approved a 5% retainage ($35,482) payment for the Grant, Piety, Woodworth and Strickland utility project.
• Filled a spot on the Community Development Authority as member Paul Bauer moved outside of the community. The board unanimously approved Ryan Johnson to take on the role.
• Approved a temporary Class B retailer’s license, a street use permit and a dance license for the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Cheese Curd Festival. The board also approved a Class B retailer’s license for the St. Francis School Gala and street use, dance and temporary Class B premise extension permits for Broz Bar for an anniversary event in July.
• Approved a site plan from Jeremiah Nelson to split a 30-acre lot into a 3.5-acre lot and a 26.5-acre lot.