De Pere · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in De Pere, WI public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
South Front Street right-of-way discontinuance
Part of Front Street would be vacated for the Lockside plaza, raising questions about fire apparatus access and traffic. Staff said the plaza will be redesigned to accommodate emergency vehicles and the vacation ends at the old bridge approach on George Street.
One Barrel Brewing retail license
One Barrel Brewing Company at 303 Reid Street received approval for a full-service retail sales license, supporting its downtown taproom operations.
Hyperscale data center moratorium
The proposed 12-month moratorium wasn't ready in time — it will land on the September Plan Commission agenda.
Business Improvement District 2027 operating plan
The plan sets how downtown properties are assessed ($2 per $1,000, $3,000 cap) and how roughly $166,000 is spent on downtown promotions, events, and visitor tracking. The budget is up about 7% from 2025.
Youth recreation project planning (skate park, ice rink, and other concepts)
The Signature Project subcommittee is discussing a possible skate park and ice rink, and Parks Department staff plan to visit a future meeting to hear teen ideas — including foot golf and a kickball tournament.
Youth volunteer opportunities at community events
The commission was tracking volunteer needs, including the December 10 Holiday Lights event at Voyageur Park, which needs six youth volunteers.
Downtown walking tour expansion
A joint project with Downtown De Pere to refresh the historic downtown walking tour on their website. Work is just getting underway now that summer business activity is slowing down.
CLG subgrant for 405 S Wisconsin St
The commission wants to designate up to six local properties on state/federal historic registries, but funding was unavailable until July 2027, making the process competitive. Three property owners got letters of interest in August and none has responded, so outreach may need a second try.
Workforce Housing Near Humana
Two WHEDA applications — a 42-unit senior housing project near Chicago Street and cottage-style workforce housing on North Ashland — advanced with comp plan amendments, though neighbors raised concerns about density and property values.
Downtown housing growth goal
Rezoning to RM-2 clears the way for an 82-84 unit apartment building near Southbridge Road.
BID board vacancies and term limits
Two members are resigning and one seat was already open, leaving three openings on the seven-member board. The board also plans to add term limits to its bylaws in 2027.
Federal Section 106 regulation rewrite
Commissioner Hackbarth warned that the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation advanced a proposal to rewrite Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, which he said would weaken protections and public participation. He urged members to contact legislators and the governor.
Annexation of Rockland Parcels
A 29-acre petition by Big Valley Farms would annex land including the home of an objecting disabled veteran, raising questions about the state's one-half approval annexation process, tenant signatures, and future utility assessment costs.
Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map Amendments
Two proposed map changes would re-designate land for multi-family residential — one on Chicago Street and one on North Ashland Avenue — signaling where housing could be built.
Refurbishing Wisconsin Historical Society markers
The new historic/information kiosk sign for the De Pere Lock and Dam Historic District is now installed on the Riverwalk. It was approved by the DNR and the Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway and matches the look of the city's other historic district signs.
Bellmark Plant 7 expansion zoning
Belmark, which took over a warehouse site originally planned for Bedford Paper, keeps expanding. The amendment extends its original deal — roughly $1.1 million in pay-go and land assistance over about 14 years — against an estimated $8.8 million increase in building value.
De Pere Parking Garage final payment
New parking rules for the rebuilt Williams Street and Wisconsin Avenue area — three-hour parking, a hotel loading zone, and restrictions in the Bungalows subdivision — plus a new stop sign at Preserve Court and Employers Boulevard.
2535 Lawrence Drive land acquisition
The Redevelopment Authority is moving to buy the GG Rebuilders property at 2535 Lawrence Drive, tied to a condemnation process, for up to $440,000. The Common Council still has to give final approval before the deal closes.
Street tree requirements in new subdivisions
New subdivisions will have to include street trees, with a fee letting the city plant them so the urban canopy is even and healthy instead of patchy. Alderperson Hansen has pushed this for years.
Main Avenue slope design
The city had to pick how to fix the weedy, unmowable slope by the railroad bridge on Main Avenue as part of the upcoming DOT project. Prairie plantings won out over half-a-million-dollar concrete — cheaper, prettier, and what most nearby residents wanted.
Downtown shipping container conditional use
A downtown developer wants to use a shipping container as a food-and-beer venue behind Pasquale's and the future Nicolet Aleworks. Commissioners are wary of bare containers but intrigued enough to have staff draft design rules for a future vote.
NFL Alumni Youth Football Camp at VFW Park
A Packers-affiliated youth football camp for kids ages 6-14 will use VFW Park's field and shelter in June 2027 after losing its St. Norbert College site. The city earns a share of registration fees and the camp still needs a legal agreement and council approval.
Recreation scholarship donation
The Pink Flamingo Classic donated another $250 to the recreation scholarship fund, which helps local families afford city recreation programs. Staff are looking at loosening guidelines to help more families.
Wilson Park improvement project donation
The council accepted a $2,500 tree donation from the Packers and Green Bay Packaging, plus $2,500 from WI United FC Soccer for soccer field treatment at Southwest Park.
2027 Employee Benefit Renewal
City employees' health insurance rates rise 6% in 2027 — below market trend of 8.5–12% — thanks to prior plan changes like Garner Health, which saved an estimated $320,000. Dental rates stay flat and orthodontic coverage extends to age 26 at no extra cost.
Stormwater recognition and Wisconsin Stormwater Week
Stormwater Week runs September 19-27 with social media pushes and a mayoral proclamation. Commissioners want to do more — email campaigns to Adopt-a-Drain participants, yard signs, and possibly billboards — to grow the program.
2025 Tax Increment District performance and the 12% cap
The city's total tax increment hit 11.2% of equalized value, closing in on the state's 12% cap — at which point De Pere couldn't create any new TIDs. Several districts are projected to close with millions in surplus, but TID 7 is projected $2 million in the red.
Green Tier progress with the DNR
The city is in phase two of its green energy scorecards, tracking energy use and electric vehicles, with submission expected in December. Members also discussed leveraging the Green Tier program to get local businesses on board with sustainability.
Sale of Business Park land to Robinson Inc.
Robinson Inc. wants to buy 5.86 acres of city business park land for a parking lot and access road to support 500–600 new employees. The deal also creates a second access to the WPS substation and a multi-party stormwater easement with Brown County, WPS, and American Transmission Company.
Native gardens and planned natural landscapes in city parks
The commission reviewed proposed pollinator garden locations at four city parks and praised the native grasses and flowering plants going into city roundabouts. Emily Castellanos continues working with the Conservation Corps on planting projects.
Future of plastic film recycling in De Pere
The city's plastic bag drop-off program has outgrown its outlets — Festival Foods stopped taking the city's collected film and there's no storage space during the service center renovation. Staff wants to end collection and point residents to nine local stores, but commissioners want a recycling partnership explored first.
City Government Restructuring
A commissioner proposed the city create a dedicated sustainability coordinator position, noting much of the workload falls on staff whose jobs it isn't. It would have to wait for the 2028 budget cycle, with a case statement and peer-city research from Green Bay to support it.
Compost reimbursement program sustainability
The city's composting reimbursement program has grown to about 24 active properties, with nearly all participants requesting their reimbursements. Members think more promotion could grow it further.
Sanitary Lateral Replacement Program Changes
The city is scaling back its generous lateral replacement program: instead of paying 100% for pipe bursting during street projects, residents will get a 50% match for work beyond the right-of-way. The city will also cover risers tied to deep sewer mains, and plans outreach to encourage participation.
Pedestrian Safety at Flicker and Red Wing
A resident asked for a stop sign near a popular new playground, but traffic counts were too low to warrant it. The board asked staff to take another look at a yield sign or crosswalk solution.
MSC Expansion Cost Growth
Bids for the MSC expansion were so favorable the city expects to bond $6-7 million less than anticipated. The board recommended the award to SMA Construction Services.
Broadway/Cook Intersection Safety
The crash-prone Broadway and Cook intersection may finally get help: a state grant would replace the old signals and add left-turn arrows to clear the sight-line problem causing accidents. The city pays only 10%.
Carney Park playground surfacing replacement
Volunteer Park gets turf surfacing, Carney Park will be rebid after a lone expensive tile bid was rejected — part of the city's ongoing playground safety upgrades.
Nicolet Ale Works premises expansion
The downtown brewery can now serve alcohol on its mezzanine, second floor, and balcony, adding seating and event space.
Business park development agreement with NSN Real Estate
Two new development agreements — Jim Cornell Plumbing and Bliffert De Pere Holdings — advance business park growth and the local tax base.
South Bridge Connector project agreements
The city reworked its cost-sharing deal with Brown County so TID funds cover segments 15 and 16 while the county absorbs segment 18, which had no funding besides borrowing. The city's total corridor share has dropped sharply, easing pressure on general borrowing and taxpayers.
Comprehensive plan update shifting southeast area to housing
The city is finishing its comprehensive plan update, with the southeast area shifting from business park to mixed-use to help address housing needs. A new SmithGroup contract adds public engagement money, and the Lawrence Drive land use change is part of that picture.
Sister Cities youth leadership opportunities
De Pere Sister Cities wants to expand teen participation, including starting a club at West De Pere High School to match East's, plus opportunities like the 2027 Youth Leadership Summit and a global art and writing competition.
Youth mental health trends and resources
The Health Department presented on youth mental health trends and challenges and asked commissioners for input on belonging and social connectedness initiatives in De Pere. Commissioners pitched ideas for events and programs to help teens feel more included and connected.
Voyageur Dock replacement
The council awarded two park contracts — a $231,139 Wilson Park project and a $221,577 Voyageur dock replacement — partially funded from unassigned reserves. A new Nelson family pledge of up to $25,000 will reduce the reserve hit for Wilson Park.
Volunteer Park recognition sign and project progress
The new Waterview Heights park is named 'Volunteer Park' after the De Pere-area Civil War volunteers of Company F, the 14th Wisconsin Regiment's 'De Pere Rifles.' A plaque will explain the history, and a Lee Recreation playground is coming.
Former Irwin School redevelopment
The vacant Irwin School building has sat empty since around 2014, and every attempt to save it has failed. A new developer wants to demolish it and build three more townhome buildings, bringing the site to 24 units — but that requires about $2.75 million in assistance, more than the TID can fully cover.
2027 Budget Under Levy Limit Pressure
The state levy cap is 2.29% this year — below inflation and below what city operations actually cost. Staff still expects a balanced budget without cutting service quality, but the squeeze tightens every year. Budget study session is October 14.
Grant Street railroad crossing disrepair
Residents have complained about the rough railroad crossing on Grant Street. CN Railroad hasn't responded to repair requests since February; if the railroad keeps ignoring the city, the council could refer the matter to the state Office of the Commissioner of Railroads, which can force action.
TIF district boundary amendments (Districts 9, 15, 17)
The council approved boundary amendments to three tax incremental financing districts, adjusting where the city can use TIF tools to support development.