Local News
Zoning and neighborhood needs are top priorities for new development in La Crosse, for city plan commission
City leaders are looking at new ideas for zoning in La Crosse and ways to better develop neighborhoods.
The City Plan Commission heard a report Monday from consultants about the best uses for certain sections of La Crosse — whether they’re mostly business or residential.
Consultant Mike Lamb said recent rezonings may have opened the way for many more housing units to be built.
“Between those rezonings in the last six months, you’re looking at somewhere between 195 to 204 new housing units in the city,” Lamb told the commission. “The notion is that units are continuing to be added, and that’s a positive thing for the city, for sure.”
The study included a survey period, where 700 households responded to questions about how the community should be developed
Lamb said actively pursuing development at certain sites might work better than waiting for buyers to show an interest in those areas.
He referred to the old Kmart block on State Road, where the box store that closed years ago has been considered for new housing.
“Some of the things,” Lamb said, “we’ve talked about with staff is, well, do we just wait and see when a development comes in and we kind of try and negotiate that, or are we a little more proactive with our zoning, our zoning map, and our regulation tools and to suggest what we do want?”
Surveys and focus groups have identified parking, noise and building heights to be among the top concerns for people living in La Crosse.
In other business, the plan commission approved a downsized project for a new neighborhood bakery on Market Street, south of the UW-La Crosse campus.
That proposal had been for a two-story building with a business on the ground floor and a residence on the second floor.
The person applying for a permit, though, changed the plan because of increasing building costs. The second story housing unit is being eliminated, but the one-story building will still house a bakery and cafe.
nick
July 1, 2025 at 11:44 am
Copper Rocks should be abandoned. The continual addition of apartments is not going to help bring families to LaCrosse. Vicki Markesson in her bid for mayor stated that families are heading to Holmen for housing.
You need to build side by side single family units with a garage two garages in the middle. You may need to look at construction methods as well.
The city needs to look outside the box.
I, for one, have lived all over the country at various times and have seen what works and what does not.
I am automatically excluded from any conversation due to that reason.
Bring people together who have lived here from the beginning and stagnate.