City hopes to annex 37 more acres on south side

By Sarah Nigbor

RIVER FALLS – If the River Falls City Council approves zoning map and future land use map amendments recommended by the Plan Commission, a new 10,800 squarefoot building for the Renaissance Academy could be built at Wasson Lane and Cemetery Road.

At the Aug. 2 River Falls Plan Commission meeting, Planner Sam Burns presented the rezoning petition for 1.57 acres of land requested by Joe Fischer of River City Round about LLC. The company is working with the School District of River Falls to build an alternative school on the property, located at the southeast corner of Cemetery and Wasson. The building would eventually come under the school district’s ownership, similar to a lease to own agreement.

The property is currently zoned R3 multi-family residential and would be rezoned to a school zone. The area is surrounded by residential housing, a mobile home park, a storage unit facility, Kwik Trip, UW-River Falls and River Falls High School. The Renaissance Academy, which this year will be housed at the former police station on Elm Street, set up shop last year at UW-River Falls Hagestad Hall (262 E. Cascade Ave.) The “Ren” as it’s affectionately called, is a charter school that offers programs centered on individualized learning with social and emotional support. The school is for students who are more hands-on learners or who flourish in a smaller environment.

The plan commission voted to recommend the amendments to the city council, which will take them up at its Aug. 23 meeting, after The Journal’s press deadline.

Wells-Meyer property Planner Kendra Ellner presented an annexation request to the plan commission for 37 acres south of Maple Street and west of Apollo Road. The request, put forth by Twin Cities Land Development on behalf of Mary Kay Johnson and Kelly M. Gutierrez, trustees for the Marlene W. Wells Revocable Trust, and Charles B. and Patricia Meyer, is for two parcels totaling approximately 37 acres in the town of River Falls. The city received the unanimous re quest June 6.

When considering an annexation petition, the city looks at these criteria: Is the location contiguous to city limits?

Is the present or proposed use compatible with the uses in the city adjacent to the property?

The city’s 2005 comprehensive plan land use map designated the parcels as future residential medium density development. Currently, the Wells property has one residence along with agricultural use; the Meyer property has one residence.

See RF ACADEMY, Page 7 RF academy

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Ellner said the city has received no official development applications, but a prospective developer has provided a preliminary concept for 70 single-family homes and 48 twin homes on the southernmost property.

According to a 2018 housing study, the number of housing units needing to be built to fulfill area demand between 2018 and 2030 is 2,087. Since 2018, the city has permitted 672 units, leaving 1,415 more units needed, Ellner said.

The city council will hear a first reading of the annexation request and application for R-2 multiple family medium density residential zoning classification at its Aug. 23 meeting, recommended by the plan commission. A second reading is scheduled for Sept. 13.

River City Roundabout LLC is proposing to build a 10,800 square-foot building for the Renaissance Academy at Cemetery Road and South Wasson Lane. Map courtesy of City of River Falls

The city has received an annexation request for two properties totaling 37 acres south of Maple Street and west of Apollo Road. Map courtesy of City of River Falls