Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in La Crosse public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
18 issues with high priority
Homelessness prevention funding
St. Clare Health Mission received $30,183.05 in leftover public service funds for its TNT program, which the director said is the main prevention arm keeping people from becoming homeless — housing 10-14 people in a typical month.
CDBG housing rehabilitation program partnership
The city is handing its long-running home repair program — around since 1981, with over 1,300 homes renovated — to a nonprofit partner to run with $250,000 a year in federal CDBG funds. Low-income homeowners get health and safety repairs like roofs, furnaces, and accessibility ramps.
Third and Fourth Street corridor redesign
WisDOT is planning major changes to Highway 16 through La Crosse — a lower speed limit, narrower lanes, new paths, and intersection reworkings. The choices made now will shape safety for walkers and bikers for decades, with construction not starting until 2031.
Northside Floodplain Redevelopment
Final Letter of Map Revision work will get Lot 10 out of the floodplain, splitting up to $15,000 in Authority costs with War Eagle LSE — a step that clears the way for development there.
River Point District development momentum
Staff reported that five or six projects — including Cowboy Jack's, 18 War Eagle condos, the Unwind 42 townhomes, and a roughly $80 million senior housing development — could break ground next spring. Developers who finished this year leased up their buildings in about a month and praised the city's process.
Ott House local landmark designation, 1512 Winnebago Street
One of La Crosse's 10 oldest surviving homes could become a local historic landmark. The owner-nominators spent hours in archives tracing the house's history, including its move from downtown around 1911-12. A public hearing and final decision come October 22.
TID 11 amendment and Public Market predevelopment
The Authority is spending $45,000 of a $600,000 city contribution to update the 2018 public market studies and gauge whether the project — and public interest — still justifies moving forward.
Municipal Harbor campground and sauna concepts
The west harbor property could get a city-run campground with eight seasonal sites and a group site, plus a wood-fired sauna and cold plunge business in the off-season. Details and pricing still need to come back for approval.
Loggers lease extension at Copeland Park
The city locked in the Loggers and Steam at Copeland Park through 2043 with flat $25,000 annual rent instead of per-game revenue. The Loggers now handle stadium scheduling, saving parks staff time.
King Street Greenway funding
The council told WisDOT it prefers a new 'hybrid' alternative: bike lanes on Third and Fourth Streets from Vine to La Crosse Street using existing extra lane space, keeping on-street parking south of Vine and losing only about 6-7 stalls near the old Tribune site. A roundabout is planned regardless of this choice.
Regional Safety Action Plan
Committee members want pedestrians to get a head start at crossings, but the city's five-section signal heads make that impossible without confusing left-turning drivers. Andrew Sherman said intersections are where he's come closest to being hit.
Losey Boulevard safety improvements
The board approved payments for property the city needs along Losey Boulevard, which keeps the road project moving forward.
PFAS contamination at French Island wells
La Crosse's new state discharge permit took effect October 1 with stricter limits, including PFAS monitoring mentioned 105 times in the permit. The plant's biosolids tested at 0.0843 parts per billion against a 20 ppb limit — well under, unlike some neighboring communities.
$65 Million Wastewater Plant Upgrade and Phosphorus Compliance
La Crosse's new state discharge permit took effect October 1 with stricter limits, including PFAS monitoring mentioned 105 times in the permit. The plant's biosolids tested at 0.0843 parts per billion against a 20 ppb limit — well under, unlike some neighboring communities.
Army Corps Flood Risk Management Study Agreement
The city is officially partnering with the Army Corps on a $3 million, three-year study of the North Side levee system — the first at this scale since 1975. It's the gateway to federal funding for actual flood protection projects later.
Non-Compliant Utility Service Separations
State PSC rules require every unit in a multi-unit building to have its own shutoff, and shared sewer lines between duplexes must be separated — hitting property owners with $6,000-$10,000 bills, sometimes decades after the fact. Council members are frustrated; staff are testing a right-of-way assessment pilot and pricey remote-shutoff meters ($700 vs $150) as relief options.
2027 Sewer Rate CPI Adjustment
Sewer bills are going up 4%, likely starting December 1 or January 1. The board also ordered a full rate study, with results back in 2027, to figure out longer-term sewer pricing.
Council Vote on Rezoning and Appointments
The La Crosse Common Council voted to rezone the North Side Library property and change some city department leadership. If you’re on the North Side or use city services, this could shift what happens at that site and how departments are run.