Marshfield Common Council Approves First Reading of Two Ordinances

Monday, June 2nd, 2025 -- 10:01 AM

The Marshfield Common Council had the first reading of a couple ordinances at their meeting on Tuesday of last week.

Ordinance 1530 updates the conditional use permit process to align with state law, requiring a Class 2 public hearing notice placed in the official city newspaper twice.

Ordinance 1531 clarifies subdivision improvement responsibilities and allows for City participation under development agreements. The ordinance amendment focuses on subdivision improvements that developers must adhere to, ensuring clarity and accountability regarding associated costs.

A key point of the ordinance is to specify that the City can financially participate in required infrastructure improvements if a development agreement permits it, offering flexibility to the Council regarding budget allocations for street, sewer, and water projects.

The Council also approved a proposed amendment to the weed ordinance aims to permanently establish the 'No More May' initiative, streamlining the regulations so that the board no longer needs to revisit it annually for reminder resolutions.

Previous practices required residents to register to avoid citations, but it has been clarified that registration was never mandatory for compliance under this initiative.

During the public comments portion of the meeting, Cori Latourell, General Manager of Hotel Marshfield and a board member of Visit Marshfield, addressed the Council in support of the City's tourism entity.

During the Mayor’s comments, Mayor Lois TeStrake issued a proclamation honoring Brooks Hinson, a Marshfield High School basketball player, for his leadership and athletic accomplishments. Hinson, the school’s all-time leading scorer, earned a full athletic scholarship to Northern Michigan University.

Mayor TeStrake provided thanks to the Chamber of Commerce (MACCI) for stepping up, the popular Festival Foods farmers market, previously at risk of closure due to state regulations, has found a new temporary steward.

MACCI (Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry) will manage the market for the 2025 season, while a permanent leadership structure is explored.

Finally, Marshfield Utilities General Manager Nick Kumm's presentation focused on various key collaborations within the community, such as coordinating projects on water primary replacements during road construction, which minimizes disruptions to residents.

Kumm also spoke about the various communication channels for customer interactions, including text messaging and a chat feature on their website, to ensure that customers receive timely updates about services.

He also elaborated that the municipal-based electric utility model offers a significant cost-saving advantage over investor-owned utilities (IOUs) and cooperatives, resulting in lower operating margins.

Kumm also noted that our water resources in the Marshfield area are less abundant and more difficult to access than in some other communities. Looking ahead, the Utility aims to enhance street lighting with an LED program, continue hydrant painting to aid fire response, and expedite lead service replacements, signaling a commitment to infrastructure improvement and resident safety.

The Council also had a special meeting on Thursday of last week. A joint meeting was held on Thursday, May 29th, with the Community Development Authority about the development process of the Weinbrenner building into community housing.

A presentation of the proposed redevelopment project was provided by J. Jeffers & Co. Jeffers emphasized the company's mission-driven approach, prioritizing historic preservation, sustainability, and community integration.

The development plans aim for a 100% residential component while ensuring that the project remains aligned with the community's needs and goals. The development proposal aims to introduce 83 residential units, which are expected to generate significant pedestrian activity and support economic growth in the West Second Street area.

The proposed residential units will consist of 34 one-bedroom, 46 two-bedroom, and 3 three-bedroom apartments, with average rents set at $890, $1,650, and $1,224, respectively.

The entire project is estimated to cost just under $26 million, which will cover the renovation of the existing building and the creation of new apartments. To finance this initiative, several funding sources have been identified, including conventional mortgages, historic tax credits, low-income housing tax credits, and local incentives such as TIF (Tax Incremental Financing).

The proposal outlined specific requests for City participation, including the conveyance of land at no cost to the developers and financial assistance through the Property Improvement Grant (PIGOT) Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to support project financing.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.