City council could decide future of old La Crosse fire station and deregulate off-street parking

The future of a former La Crosse fire station could depend on a vote Thursday night by the city council.

An offer to buy the old Monitor Street fire house by a the Property Logic company was turned down by a council committee last week.

Two competing offers to put businesses on the property were presented to the Finance and Personnel Committee, which decided to send the matter to the full council without a recommendation.

Also on the agenda, rules for off-street parking lots could be changed or eliminated.

On Tuesday, people spoke at a public hearing about the parking space that’s needed in certain areas of La Crosse.

Critics of the current parking regulations suggest that some of the off-street lots could be better used for new housing.

The deregulation would allow developers who own the land to decide for themselves how much parking space they want. Current rules require one parking space per bedroom.