Have an opinion and want to share it? You could have a chance soon. Listed in the Plan Commission meeting packet for March 2 and thus something to keep an eye out for on future Council agendas, are several items pertinent to City of River Falls residents. Among them is PC Resolution 2021-01, which designates “proposed boundaries” along with approval of a project plant for Tax Incremental District (TID) No. 17 in the City of River Falls. Also up for discussion at Tuesday’s Plan Commission meeting were a concept review and discussion in regards to 641 S. Main, with a report from the Director and an annual report from the Community Development Department.

A workshop also took place after adjournment on a “special use permit ordinance discussion,” though no official action was taken in Council terms. The next bi-weekly Council meeting is March 9. That said, what of the Plan Commission?

In TID No. 17, two vacant and developable lots adjacent to the site of the former Shopko in north River Fall along Paulson Road would be developed into Fairview Health Services and 1777 Paulson Road LLC respectively. Preliminary data from January 1, 2019 has the 4.27 acre Fairview Health Services lot assessed at $248,500, while the 7.5 acre 1777 Paulson Road LLC lot was appraised in 2019 for $722,200, with actual base certification for the TID district to be created would be based on property values as of January 1, 2020, a year after the current assessed value and Shopko’s declaration of bankruptcy.

As to the proposed TID, an Economic Feasibility study has found that “the City anticipates that the District will generate sufficient tax increment to pay all Project Costs within 25 of its allowable 27 years.” Whereas Tax Increment Finance (TIF) districts create the funds necessary to undertake development of an area, Tax Increment Districts (TID) use the money from TIF districts to spur development. Additionally, in order to be created for development the value of TID No. 17 and other existing TID districts together cannot exceed more than 12% of equalized property value in the City, which in River Falls comes out to just over 150 million. The proposed TID No. 17 would add $2.4711 million to the sum total of nine other TIDs valued collectively at $85.7994 million, meaning that the proposal passes the 12 percent equalized value test and aligns with the relevant Wisconsin state statute, or in this case 66.105(4)(gm)4.c.

The next stop after the Plan Commission is the City Council for formal approval and enactment. Stay tuned then and keep eyes on Plan Commission and City Council packets for the future.

As to a concept review and discussion of 641 S. Main, meanwhile, this refers to a proposed four-story multifamily housing development with surrounding green space on three lots at 641 S. Main and 121 Cascade Court. The proposed multifamily housing would consist of 15 one-bedroom and 15 two-bedroom apartment. No specific action is requested in a report from city staff, with developer Gordon Awsumb soliciting Plan Commission feedback on the proposed development. Awsumb previously sought feedback for a similar plan in 2019.

Last but not least is the Community Development report for February 2021, with several takeaways.

Among them is that the staff is working 75 percent remotely and 25 percent in the office during COVID, even as February saw a general development plan for Dawes Place and the Sterling Ponds 3rd Addition final plat Now past as to the second reading is the Breweries, distillery, winery and brewpub ordinance.

Also included in the February report is the news that Community Development staff have attended online meetings for the Innovation Center Management Committee and River Falls Economic Development Corporation, and a “house demo” is listed at 716 N. Main. With road projects also on the agenda coming up, bidding is out for State Highway 29 between County Highway FF and Cemetery Road, with bidding on a second project to reconstruct Cemetery Road planned to get underway this July.

The next Plan Commission meeting, meanwhile, is billed for April.