FDL City Council Approves Annexation And Zoning For Public Safety Training Facility

The Fond du Lac City Council Wednesday night unanimously approved annexation into the City and zoning for the 25.6 acres of land needed for a public safety training facility. The land is west of Rolling Meadows Drive between Steenburg Avenue and the Mascoutin Valley Recreation Trail.  City Council President Karyn Merkel thanked Community Development Director Dyann Benson for her hard work on the effort and noted the Council has had many discussions about the property and the facility. She says, “The City Council discussed this property and the training facility many, many months and I’m sure we all are breathing a sigh of relief along with the police chief and fire department that we are actually moving forward on this.” The Council also approved expanding Tax Incremental Finance District #22 to include 18 East Division Street where two market rate residential units and a restaurant/tavern concept with outdoor dining will be located. But not everyone was in favor of the Livery Lofts project. Councilman Derek TerBeest felt the $200,000 in assistance the development would get through the TIF was a lot for a smaller project. He says, “I had some private discussions, we’ve been talking about the amount of the money or the $200,000 agreement. To me for the size of the project that seems to be a lot more assistance from the City than what I think the project merits just based on the size of it.” The Council approved the resolution by a 5-to-1 vote.