Plan Commission Meeting

The Plan Commission met at City Hall in the City of Black River Falls on September 24, 2025 at 5:30 P.M. Mayor Jay Eddy and Commissioners Mike Rave, Randy Eddy, Jared Smith, Anneliese Eddy, Dennis Guenther, and Marc McDowell were present. Mayor Jay Eddy presided. 1. Mayor Eddy called the meeting to order at 5:30 P.M. 2. Commissioners reviewed the petition from the State of WI Department of Military Affairs to rezone Parcel 206-2577.0010 from R-1 to B-3. Commissioner M. Rave expressed concerns with a B-3 District designation as that is established for low traffic retail and customer service establishments. The armory would be classified as a government building and that does meet B-3 requirements, although the uses of the armory would ultimately be vehicle parking, some small armaments storage, interior storage for the troops that are there, and assuming parts and inventory for vehicle maintenance. DMA confirmed there would be awash bay on site, but there would be no fuel storage on site. Commissioner M. Rave acknowledged B-3 could work for this use but felt I-1 Light Industrial would be more appropriate for the zoning application. DMA confirmed the only thing that will be stored outside would be vehicles. Commissioner M. Rave ultimately intended to ensure the Commission was not recommending zoning that would result in a non-conforming use. He also wanted to ensure the Commission would be zoning would be the most conducive and appropriate to maintaining what the DMA needs to do on site. The City attorney did confirm B-3 would work. Using I-1 would need to be reviewed by the city attorney. Commissioner M. Rave is not opposed to rezoning to B-3 and believes I-1 is the more appropriate choice, but he would ultimately vote in favor of B-3 realizing B-3 is workable. 3. It was moved by Mayor J. Eddy, seconded by Commissioner J. Smith to recommend the Common Council approve the petition from the State of Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs to rezone Parcel 206-2577.0010 from R-1 to B-3 Highway Business District. Motion carried. 4. The City Administrator presented the City’s current sign ordinance and distributed a guidebook for sign ordinance best practices from the WI Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and the guidebook’s accompanying model sign ordinance template. The Commission has briefly discussed the possible need for a re-write of the City’s sign ordinance. Understanding this task would be difficult to accomplish with all eight commissioners work through the process and come up with individual proposals to start with, Mayor J. Eddy advised he will form an ad hoc sign ordinance committee to work through the lengthy guidebook and come up with a draft ordinance for the Plan Commission to work with to come up with a final draft to recommend to the Common Council. 5. It was moved by Commissioner J. Smith, seconded by Commissioner M. Rave to adjourn. Motion carried at 6:11 P.M. A. Brad Chown City Administrator Page 1 of 1