Downtown parking scheme highlights Common Council meeting Wednesday Sept. 8, 2009 Antigo’s downtown core—including its businesses and parking—will be the focus of the Antigo Common Council Wednesday.
Aldermen will convene for the regular September session at 6 p.m. in the chambers at City Hall for what promises to be a busy evening of discussion and action.
Leading the agenda will be discussion and possible action on a redesigned parking configuration that will be put into place following the construction of the Highway 64 bypass.
The item was moved to the council following a decision by the Springbrook and Downtown Revitalization Steering Committee in August to recommend a redesign that incorporated parallel parking with a center median through the downtown area.
That decision, which came on a split vote, raised the ire of some downtown business owners who said more parking is necessary to foster an improved retailing climate. They preferred an angled parking design.
The issue was also the focus of a council committee of the whole meeting on Aug. 26, but no changes in the recommendation were made.
Although the road machinery won’t arrive for years, the issue has some urgency. The state of Wisconsin is anticipating construction of the Highway 64 bypass of downtown Antigo in 2011 and the city must have a concept of how it wants the downtown to look—for many decades to come—when the actual design process gets underway.
As part of the bypass work, the state will fund 80 percent of the repairs and changes to Fifth Avenue through downtown and then turn over the completed road to local control.
The council will act on two resolutions regarding the issue. The first would accept the recommendation of the downtown steering committee and direct the city consultants to redesign the Fifth Avenue downtown area following the parallel parking with median concept.
The second would hire Schreiber Anderson and Associates, which has assisted with the preliminary design, to help with the overall design at a cost not to exceed $10,000.
In another downtown issue, aldermen will be asked to approve a beer and liquor license for 802 Fifth Ave., the former Thelma’s apparel store.
Sheila Davis is seeking to open a tavern, which she plans to call Night Moves, at the longtime retail location. The bar would be located on the main level.
A new maintenance building for Elmwood Cemetery will be the focus of two resolutions. The city plans to hire Duffek Sand and Gravel, the low bidder, to provide the concrete slab at a cost of $7,995. Walters Building was the low bidder for the actual construction of the structure for $30,200.
In other matters, aldermen will be asked to:
—reallocate funds set aside to resurface the Mendlik Park basketball court to purchase electronic locks for park shelter facilities.
—approve mayoral appointments of Jim Darling, John Warner, Lynn Schimmels, Dumaine Turney, Joe Jopek and Helen Wanca to the Historic Preservation Committee.
—reconsider two requests for dog kennel licenses for 419 Watson St. and 1331 Seventh Ave. that were denied by the City Plan Commission.
—hire a consultant to perform a flood plain analysis of the Powell’s Gravel Pit, which it would like to fill in as part of its wellhead protection plan. The city has already begun filling in the pit but Langlade County intervened and said the work could not be completed because it is part of a flood plain. The Department of Natural Resources said there is not enough technical information to make a decision, requiring the study.
—approve the rough-in for future in-floor heat in the Peaceful Valley Park restroom/warming house at a cost of $3,605.
—reduce the dump station fee at the Lake Park campground from $20 to $10.
—and approve payment of $2,500 to the Antigo Baseball Association for construction of a new press box, concession stand and storage room at Little League ball field.
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