RIVER FALLS — A heavily debated 92-lot subdivision development had its preliminary plat and General Development Plan approved at the Nov. 11 River Falls City Council meeting after slight revisions from weeks ago. Wildflower Meadows, the approved development, would be located on the north side of Powell Avenue near North Winter Street with a proposed 60 single family homes and 32 twin homes.

Assistant Director for Community Development Emily Shively presented changes to the development since the Oct. 28 council meeting when the proposal was sent back for revisions. Park and open space was increased from 6,964 square feet to 13,214 square feet, trail alignment in the northwest corner was shifted north and the entrance to the northwest park was narrowed to address a previously mentioned concern over lack of open space. To expand the park, one single family unit was removed from the proposal to land at 92 units.

For lot sizes, all perimeter lots are 60 feet or wider and the perimeter lots all exceed minimum lot area. Six single family lots remain the 50-foot lot width exactly, with the remainder being wider to varying degrees. Eleven other lots are between 61-68 feet in width.

Over 200 people signed a petition against the development, with neither the Plan Commission nor the Park Board recommending the project. Public comments against the project played a role in no recommendation coming to council from the Park Board or Plan Commission. Weeks ago, council opted to return to the item at the Nov. 11 meeting with modifications to address small lot sizes and a lack of green space that varied from city codes. While some variances are still in the proposal, council deemed the changes large enough for approval.

Cheryl Hoffman, an East Woodridge Drive resident that is part of the Woodridge Neighborhood Association, returned to the council once again to speak about the 90-plus unit housing development. The developers asked for variances to city code for lot width to decrease from 75 to 50 feet, setbacks to be measured to the foundation rather than the eave and decreased corner setbacks for a handful of the twin homes due to roadway configuration.

“Since our last meeting, the builder was again asked to revise plans, and once again, the proposal still does not meet the city zoning code,” Hoffman said. “The developer only removed one house, which shows little effort to comply in good faith.”

Hoffman said the original plan was for 74 homes, which has now increased to 92, with lot sizes still deviating from requirements.

“When I asked about this, the city plan commissioner told me that the developer needs to make money, but financial gain is not a valid reason to ignore our city’s zoning laws,” Hoffman said.

Recent Plan Commission and City Council meetings have brought in hours’ worth of public comment, many of whom were opposed to the variations in some way.

Leroy Lane resident Cheryl Johnson said people already speed down nearby roads, and adding more density could make things worse. Another resident talking point is that the area should not have been zoned R-2 medium density in the first place given the surrounding properties, so adding exemptions on top of the zoning requirements felt like a stretch. Shively said the property was zoned during annexation, using future land use designations to come to the conclusion of R-2.

“From what I can tell, this current proposal does meet the city’s Comprehensive Plan and other major plans,” Alderperson Sean Downing said.

Downing asked if the code deviations were supported by the Comprehensive Plan and if the proposal supports the zero fatalities for safe streets. Shively said allowing parking on both sides of the street would be a positive factor for safe streets, slowing down speeding traffic.

The changes were enough for the council vote to swing to approval.

2026 Budget

The council approved the second reading of the 2026 city budget of about $66 million as well as an $8.48 million tax levy. Changes from the original presentation ahead of the 2025-26 biennial budget include $856,000 more budgeted for the general fund. Finance Director Josh Solinger said that change is because the city is in a position to do some cash financing for the Fire Station Project, funding that would have otherwise been borrowed.

There is $2.4 million more expected to come into the special revenues fund than the originally proposed budget. That change stems primarily from the Library Foundation-funded building improvements, Solinger said.

The proposed unassigned fund balance is proposed to sit above the 50% target of the upcoming year’s general fund budget. From the original biennial budget to the second reading of the 2026 budget, the tax levy saw an increase of 1.4% from $8.36 million to $8.48 million.

“It is $91,000 less than what was originally contemplated in our long-range Fiscal Plan,” Solinger said.

The mill rate will be 4.34, a significant difference from the 2024-28 Fiscal Plan’s 5.82. Solinger cited no new general obligation borrowings in 2025 as a leading cause.

“While folks’ properties have gone up in value because of the reevaluation, a lower mill rate is being multiplied into that number,” Solinger said.

Overall, Solinger said the average River Falls homeowner will see virtually no change in the city portion of their property tax bill.

Other business

• Heard the first reading of a resolution to decrease the speed limit from 35 to 25 miles per hour on Cascade Avenue from Sixth Street to State Highway 29/35/65 and 40 to 35 miles per hour on Powell Avenue from Apollo Road to the Powell Avenue Bridge.
• Approved a contract extension with Accurate Appraisal for 2026-27 assessment services.
• Approved implementation and participation in the Wisconsin Service Award Program.
• Referred an annexation petition to the Plan Commission.