Common Council approves resolutions
By Steve Van Kooten
The Prairie du Chien Common Council convened on June 18 to address multiple on-going matters, including the Second Fort Crawford District design standards passed by the Design and Preservation Commission at their May 6 meeting.
In attendance were alderpersons Andy Ringgold, Kayla Ingham, Mark Bowar, Bob Granzow, Vicki Waller, Nick Crary, Pam Kiesau and Jaaren Riebe. Also in attendance were David Hemmer, mayor; Nate Gilberts, city planner; Chad Abram, city administrator; and Nick Gilberts, street superintendent.
Two weeks ago, the council pushed back making a decision on the design standards after Nate Gilberts could not confirm whether the residents within the Second Fort Crawford District had been informed of the proposed changes.
Chad Fradette, the chair of the Design and Preservation Commission, said, “This is similar to what we did on Blackhawk Avenue, except this differs because it has more components. Blackhawk is an architectural district where this district is cultural, archaeological and view shed.”
The design standards set restrictions on the types of new construction that can be done within the district. The standards also establish criteria for repair and renovation work on significant buildings and limits construction of new structures from impeding the view shed of the river from historical structures.
Fradette said there were contributing structures in the district, which include historical buildings like the Fort Crawford Hotel and Lawler Fort Stable, and non-contributing structures, which include buildings like Lawler Lofts and the residential properties in the area.
Regarding the residential and other non-contributing structures, Fradette said, “The rules don’t really apply to those structures because they are not really historic.”
He added that non-contributing structures could be repaired and renovated without the design standards’ restrictions.
All properties in the district would have to consider archaeological elements that may be present, including uncataloged burials and building foundations.
“In this district, there are so many things on the ground we would like to see investigated,” said Fradette.
Riebe confirmed the city sent notification letters to affected residents between the June 4 and June 18 meetings.
The council approved the design standards during the meeting.
Resolutions
The common council approved two resolutions during the June 18 meeting, both of which involved the city’s civil engineering firm, Vierbicher Associates.“
This is a resolution that if we award the CBDG grant and move forward with the Illinois Street project, we will be responsible for a portion of that, and that’s just showing that we will pay for that if we proceed with the project,” Abram said.
The Illinois Street project includes gutter and sewer updates and repairs, grading and curb work and water main updates, among several other utility needs.
“This is part of the Safe Drinking Water loan process, so if you are awarded the CBDG grant… part of that is you have some interim financing that you are going to take in advance of receiving those funds,” Andy Kurtz, engineer with Vierbicher, said.
Any money awarded to the city from the CBDG grant is not expected to be released until April 2025. The city expects to start the project later in 2024. According to the resolution, the city does not expect money expended this way to exceed $879,013.
Kurtz said the grant recipients will be announced on July 26, so the city will know by the end of July whether they have the money to pursue the Illinois Street project.
The second resolution requested approval of a public participation plan for the city’s 20-year comprehensive plan.
The PPP is one of the state’s requirements for the comprehensive plan.
“The citizen participation plan, much like what you have to do for the CBDG program, really assures that you are keeping your citizens informed about the planning activities of the city,” said Kurtz.
Nate Gilberts confirmed the city will offer a survey to the public both electronically and in physical copies to gather input for the comprehensive plan. Later, the city will also provide public access to drafts of the plan and information meetings for citizen engagement.
Other business
• The Public Safety Building Center Commission met last week to look over internal systems, such as the HVAC and electrical systems for the building. Abram hoped to have renderings available for the council and the public in July.
• Work on Dousman Street is expected to commence in the next two weeks. Further information can be accessed via the city’s social media and new website, cityofpdc.com.
• Abram expects the city’s 2023 audit to be completed within the next month.
• approved opening the city’s compost site on Sundays to meet demand for public access and to forbid the disposal of any brush in the compost site. Also approved is adding a larger brush to the applicable items accepted at the brush site, which will now be open on the first Wednesday of each month to meet public use needs.