Dunn County Facilities Committee recommends sale of county land
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — The Dunn County Facilities Committee is recommending the sale of eight acres of county land east of the Oak Leaf Clinic in Menomonie for a proposed development that would include housing for the elderly.
Dunn County would only be selling the land, and the development itself would be in conjunction with the City of Menomonie in a Tax Increment Finance District, said Dan Dunbar, assistant county manager, at the February 26 meeting of the Dunn County Facilities Committee.
Mike Kappers of Work Horse Land Development told the committee he had been playing pickle ball in Woodbury, Minnesota, recently and had met Menomonie Mayor Randy Knaack, who is an avid pickled ball player.
Mayor Knaack had said he would like a pickle ball court included with the development, and all of the Work Horse developments coordinate with the communities to find out what the community wants, Kappers said.
Planned development
The plan is for commercial or retail space on the bottom floor with the two top floors devoted to “senior living” apartments, Kappers said.
The development would include a separate daycare building, because daycare has been expressed as a need in Menomonie, and a third building would be developed as a cafe or a drive-through coffee shop, Kappers said.
Work Horse Land Development listens to what communities want and then develops those projects, Kappers reiterated.
The proposed development would include a 16,000 square foot daycare building, a 4,800 square foot coffee shop or cafe building, with the main building being 36,000 square feet of commercial retail on the first floor and 75,000 square feet of senior living apartments the top two floors, he said.
The idea is that the commercial retail would provide some services for the apartments, Kappers said.
Larry Bjork, county board supervisor from the Town of Spring Brook and a member of the facilities committee, asked if the living space would duplicate the care that is available at The Neighbors of Dunn County.
The concept is that the apartments would be independent living apartments for people who are aged 55 or older, Dunbar said.
Affordable
Bjork also asked if the apartments would be affordable housing.
The development could be done either way, as affordable housing or as market-rate housing, Kappers said.
Dunn County has been “flooded” with calls for low income housing and senior housing, Bjork said.
People say they “work all the time,” and yet, “they can’t afford a place to live,” he said.
Would the plan involve senior citizens moving out of their homes into the apartments and making their houses available for younger people who are looking to own their first home? Bjork asked.
“Yes, that’s the concept,” Dunbar said, noting that the concept would address both elderly housing and workforce housing.
Right now, older people still are in their homes because there is nowhere else for them to live. The location close to the Oak Leaf Clinic and the Mayo Clinic with retail available would be a good location for that population, Dunbar said.
Bjork said he was “against selling county property” but that he could support the concept being presented.
Retail
Ann Vogl, county board supervisor from Menomonie and chair of the facilities committee, asked about a needs assessment for the retail portion of the project.
The property is zoned local commercial/mixed use and is close to the highway, making it a prime location for retail. There also is a need for housing, so the proposal by Work Horse Land Development is an option for the property, Dunbar said.
What about a grocery store? Vogl asked.
Part of the conversation will be what retail can be the most useful for the people living in that space, Dunbar said.
Senior housing is a need everywhere as the Baby Boomers age, Kappers said.
Vogl asked about the price point for the apartments.
It is too early in the process to determine a price point, Kappers said.
The apartments would include 80 units on two floors, he said.
Green space
Bjork asked about a park or some green space.
There is green space just north that is a wetland, Dunbar said.
Bjork said he was thinking of a place that people living in the apartments could walk their dogs.
Expanding the bicycle trail to connect with the walkway has been discussed, Dunbar said.
The City of Menomonie has green space requirements for new development, noted Barbara Lyon, county board supervisor from Menomonie and a member of the facilities committee.
Just as there is an option for a pickle ball court there can be an option for a dog run, Kappers said.
Timeline
Ron Score, county board supervisor from Boyceville and a member of the facilities committee, asked about the timeline.
The purchase agreement for the land would have be executed, and then plans would have to be finalized. If everything went quickly enough, construction could start this fall, or if the paperwork finishes up too close to winter, construction could start next spring, Kappers said.
This would be a preliminary purchase agreement with the county, and other details would have to be worked out, Dunbar said.
Work Horse Land Development would like a purchase agreement so the company is not wasting time on a development that could not take place because the land would not be available, he said.
Dunbar said he could propose a resolution to move forward with the purchase agreement to bring to the Dunn County Board at the March meeting.
The Menomonie City Council also must approve the development. Dunn County can sell the land, but the development is in the city’s TIF district, Lyon said.
The city would need a developer’s agreement with Work Horse Land Development for the project to be built in the TIF district, Dunbar said.
The ball “is in the city’s court,” he said.
Purchase agreement
The purchase agreement would be contingent on meeting the requirements of the future development based on the concept presented, Dunbar said.
The offered purchase price is higher than the appraised value of the land, and Dunn County will pay the closing costs, he said.
The question is — does the facilities committee want to recommend selling the land and then move the issue on to the Dunn County Board to approve the sale, Vogl said.
Bjork asked about property taxes that would be generated by the development.
The development will add to the county’s net new construction, although the development would be in a TIF district so the property taxes would go to the TIF district for 20 years, Dunbar said.
Bjork said he still “was not crazy about selling” but that selling the land would offer an opportunity for more housing
The Dunn County Facilities Committee unanimously approved moving forward with a purchase agreement with Work Horse Land Development that would be presented to the Dunn County Board for consideration and possible approval.
