Cannery Park headed toward final approvals
Jun. 5—EAU CLAIRE — Plans for the city's newest park are nearing their final approvals this month.
A site plan and rezoning request for Cannery Park is going to the Eau Claire Plan Commission tonight(Monday) before the City Council will take a final vote on June 14.
"We're really excited for it, especially with some of the unique features," said Steve Plaza, the city's parks, forestry, cemetery, building and grounds maintenance manager.
A playground with slides and equipment built onto a natural hillside, pathways and canoe launches along the Chippewa River, and an all-season skating area are included in the park's designs.
Budgeted at $3.4 million, Cannery Park is slated for about 6 acres of riverfront land in Eau Claire's Cannery District, a once-industrial area that is being redeveloped into a mix of residential and commercial uses. The district is along the west bank of the Chippewa River, north of the Madison Street bridge.
The new park to be built around an existing recreational trail will replace nearby Kessler Park — a neighborhood park that takes up a block the city wants redeveloped for new housing.
Confluence, a firm the city hired to help design the park, estimated that feedback from about 2,500 people was provided through meetings and online comments during fall and winter was taken into consideration when coming up with Cannery Park's features.
"With all of our community input, we feel we're pretty confident it's what people are looking for," Plaza said.
One of the features unique to Eau Claire is the skating area that can be used year-round. A paved loop is intended for all kinds of wheeled recreation such as skateboards, bikes, in-line skates and scooters. Inside of that loop, the ground will be a few inches lower so it can be flooded in winter and freeze into a rink for ice skating.
The park designs also include half-court basketball, an open field for playing games, a shelter building with restrooms, and spots for placing sculptures.
Final chances for the public to provide feedback on the designs are tonight's(Monday) Plan Commission meeting and a June 13 public hearing in front of the City Council.
Should the layout and design of the park gain approval this month, the plans will be worked on further to add details needed to put the project out for contractors to bid on.
The city hopes to get the project bid this fall, which would lead to much of the construction taking place in 2023, according to Plaza.
Small auto dealership plans expansion
A small independent used car dealership located on Eau Claire's north side anticipates expanding into neighboring vacant land, according to plans filed with the city.
Northtrail Auto Sales, 3101 N. Hastings Way, intends to buy about 1.2 acres of vacant land directly north of its current site to grow its vehicle lot and eventually add an auto repair shop.
Located on a frontage road on the east side of Business 53, the dealership is just north of a Dairy Queen and Family Dollar store.
To allow the expansion, the dealership is seeking the city's approval to rezone the land. The Plan Commission will make its recommendation on that request tonight(Monday), but the City Council will have the final vote on rezoning the property on June 14.
Other business
Also on tonight's agenda:
—The owner of a home on Eau Claire's west side is seeking a permit to allow the residence to be used as a short-term rental property. Sean Davidson's application states 1832 11th St. would be used as an Airbnb on a part-time basis, leaving it available for visiting family and friends at other times.
—C&M Properties is seeking approval of a final plat for a new twin home subdivision it is planning on Eau Claire's north side. The company is looking to create 17 twin homes — 34 dwellings — on 7.8 acres of land on the west side of Jeffers Road, just south of the municipal brush site and community gardens.
—Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, 1221 Whipple St., is planning to slightly shift its main entrance canopy and drop-off area, and repave its parking lot this year. Currently on the north side of the building, the canopy will shift to a northwest location to better separate the drop-off area from traffic in the main parking lot. The lot repaving will include a change to angled parking stalls and the addition of walkways, both intended to make it safer and easier for patients using the lot.
