Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in De Pere, WI public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
6 issues in development with high priority
South Front Street right-of-way discontinuance
Part of Front Street would be vacated for the Lockside plaza, raising questions about fire apparatus access and traffic. Staff said the plaza will be redesigned to accommodate emergency vehicles and the vacation ends at the old bridge approach on George Street.
Annexation of Rockland Parcels
A 29-acre petition by Big Valley Farms would annex land including the home of an objecting disabled veteran, raising questions about the state's one-half approval annexation process, tenant signatures, and future utility assessment costs.
Former Irwin School redevelopment
The vacant Irwin School building has sat empty since around 2014, and every attempt to save it has failed. A new developer wants to demolish it and build three more townhome buildings, bringing the site to 24 units — but that requires about $2.75 million in assistance, more than the TID can fully cover.
Lockside riverfront redevelopment (100 S. Broadway block)
New Land Enterprises proposes ~200 apartments, condos and townhomes plus ~12,000 sq ft of retail on the vacant riverfront block, with a public plaza, public art, George Street extension and partial Front Street vacation. The Council approved the deal terms using TID 18 financing; the full agreement returns in June. Residents weighed in on height, traffic, parking and emergency access.
Rock Ridge Estates subdivision plat
A 44-lot subdivision in the Town of Lawrence — mostly single-family homes plus four duplex lots and a stormwater outlot — is now approved and moving toward construction.
Riverfront Development Approval
De Pere’s Common Council has approved a $70 million development along the Fox River, setting up major changes for the riverfront. The source doesn’t detail what’s being built, who’s paying for what, or how the city will manage impacts—so the big takeaway is that a large, high-dollar project is now moving forward.