Wausau plan commission approves rezoning for 7-story senior housing at 731 N. 1st St.

The Wausau Plan Commission on Feb. 18 approved a rezoning that would allow Beacon Resources to build a seven-story, 70-unit senior apartment building at 731 North 1st Street.

Tom Renz, representing Beacon Resources, described the project as a "70 unit, 55-plus apartment complex with underground parking" and said the development would require changing the parcel's zoning designation from DPMU to DRMU and a conditional use permit because the building would exceed 37 dwelling units. "This is gonna attract active seniors that wanna be connected with the YMCA, with the downtown," Renz said.

Planning staff recommended approval, saying the map change shifts the high-rise district boundary north by about one block to even out the periphery buffer between taller and lower-intensity zones. Staff noted the periphery district would remain around the new high-rise zone to provide a buffer with adjacent, smaller-scale neighborhoods.

Commissioner Brueggemann moved to approve the rezoning and Commissioner Balkan seconded. The commission adopted the change by voice vote; the chair declared the motion passed.

The conditional-use permit needed for a building of this size will be considered by the plan commission at a subsequent meeting after the city council acts on the rezoning. Staff told the commission the conditional-use review is contingent on council approval of the zoning change.

Beacon Resources said a future assisted-living or memory-care facility is planned north of the site, but that proposal was not part of this rezoning. The plan commission scheduled further review of the project's site plan and the conditional-use request for the next commission meeting on March 17.

No public speakers addressed the rezoning at the hearing and no roll-call vote was recorded; the action taken was a voice vote in favor of the rezoning.