Fitchburg Common Council Meeting – June 9, 2026

The Fitchburg Common Council met on June 9, 2026, with Mayor Julia Ratafrata presiding and Alder Herbs absent with excuse. The meeting included proclamations, appointments, two comprehensive plan amendment public hearings, the Bowman Plaza development agreement, a police service modifications briefing, several public works and financial resolutions, a City Hall flag display debate, and committee reports.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the consent agenda on a single motion, including routine items and public safety/human services approvals.

Proclamations and Appointments

• Mayor Ratafrata and the Common Council proclaimed June 2026 as LGBTQ+ Pride Month and June 19, 2026 as Juneteenth Celebration Day in Fitchburg. A resident thanked the city and invited the community to the Juneteenth flag raising on June 17 at 3:30 p.m. following the Senior Center event.
• Council reappointed Olivia Perry and Brian Schemen to the Housing Advisory Committee; both terms expire April 17, 2029.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Esquill Lane amendment (Ordinance 2026-009 / PCR-0126): David Hayde, 5855 Woods Edge Road, opposed the amendment and argued the city’s comprehensive plan is invalid or deficient because required elements were not included in the plan, had not been updated, and lacked written public participation procedures. He also questioned the role of the city attorney and asked council to reject the amendment. The public hearing was then closed.

• Lacey Road / Faye Glen amendment (Ordinance 2026-010 / PCR-0226):

  • Ed Dashkin, a resident of The Crossing, opposed the number of units proposed on the small site, citing traffic, parking, and concerns that a rent-to-own project would effectively become rentals. He worried the developer would eventually leave the property and the city would be left with the consequences.
  • Patrick Cheney, identified as a steering committee member of the 2009 North McGaw Park Neighborhood Master Plan, spoke in support. He cited surrounding density examples, including Waterford Glen at about 3.6 units per acre and Lacey Ridge Townhomes at about 13 units per acre, and argued that more units support affordability and that the Plan Commission had failed the earlier proposal by a 3-2 vote with one member absent.
  • Wes Weigo, a resident near Quarry Hill Drive and Faye Glen, opposed the proposal, saying the neighborhood is predominantly owner-occupied and that he did not want three-story rental townhomes behind his home. He suggested apartments would be more appropriate near Syene, Highway 14, and Lacey Road.
  • David Hayde also spoke again in opposition, criticizing the gatekeeping process by the mayor and alders, the lack of standards, the absence of traffic, park, and water quality analysis, and what he called an unlawful delegation of legislative authority. He asked council to vote the amendment down or send it back and to request a city attorney opinion.
  • Registered supporters included Domers Holson, Dennis Moore, Karen Lawrence, and Peter Bernin.

Discussion Items

Comprehensive Plan Amendments

• Esquill Lane: Staff described this as a minor future land use map amendment from business to medium-high density residential, not a rezone or project approval. The site is about 1.56 acres and could accommodate roughly 14 to 31 dwelling units. The proposal is intended to support affordable homeownership, possibly through a cottage-court-style planned development, and an existing single-family home would remain. A council member raised resident concerns about tree loss, and staff said tree protection would be considered during site plan review. The motion carried.

• Lacey Road / Faye Glen: Council moved to re-refer this future land use amendment to the Plan Commission and postpone council action to June 23. Staff said the original proposal behind the amendment was about 64 townhomes and used a rent-to-own model because owner-occupied condo financing is difficult under federal rules. The Plan Commission had failed to recommend the original version on a split vote. A representative for the developer said the revised plan reduces density, redistributes units away from the west and south edges, adds a lower-density segment, and improves parking and community green space. A council member also referenced a recent article explaining why owner-occupied multifamily housing is difficult to build.

Bowman Plaza Development Agreement

• Council approved Resolution R-11926, an amended and restated development agreement with Bowman Plaza LLC for the five-over-two mixed-use project on Fish Hatchery Road. Project costs had increased from about $70 million to $77 million, requiring additional city support. The revised financial package includes a graduated TIF commitment of 90%, 75%, 60%, and 50% over up to 15 years beginning in 2042, with look-back provisions tied to project costs and a 15% internal rate of return. Council members described the developer, Rag Tag Ventures, as local and high-quality, and called the project a capstone and potentially the tallest building in Fitchburg. The resolution passed on a roll-call vote; Alder Herbs was absent.

Police Department Service Modifications (Discussion Only)

• Police Chief Chase Morale and department staff presented a no-action discussion about planned changes to police responses. They reported 2025 crime reductions, including a 62% drop in aggravated assaults, 44% decrease in burglary, 49% decrease in property damage, 58% decrease in motor vehicle theft, 25% decrease in sexual assaults, and 68% drop in thefts from motor vehicles.
• The department proposed modified responses for four categories:
  1. Motor vehicle crashes: Officers would continue responding when there is a blocked roadway, disabling damage, suspected impairment, or injury. Non-injury property-damage crashes may be self-reported. Data from the past year and a half showed 408 injury-free crashes consuming more than 13 days of officer time, and 60 car-versus-deer crashes consuming more than one day.
  2. Alarm responses: The department said 601 alarm calls over the same period were all found to be false. Alarm responses can take 20-30 minutes or much longer for large buildings, sometimes involving multiple officers. ATM and bank alarms would still receive responses due to heightened risk.
  3. Animal nuisance calls: Calls about barking dogs, found animals, stray animals, and lost pets consume significant time. The department cited roughly 25 hours on barking dog calls, 16 hours on found animals, 41 hours on stray animals, and 8 hours on lost pets. Animal bites and possible rabies cases would still receive responses.
  4. Theft from vehicles: Of 45 thefts from vehicles in the past year and a half, only one was forwarded for prosecution. Officers would still investigate thefts involving firearms, large amounts of cash, or a pattern of thefts in a neighborhood.
• Chief Morale said Fitchburg has about 1.4 officers per 1,000 residents, the lowest staffing among Wisconsin cities of roughly 30,000 to 50,000 people, while remaining a high-violent-crime jurisdiction compared with the rest of the state. The failed public safety staffing referendum and ongoing staffing shortages were cited as reasons for the changes. The department noted that an FAQ page and a crash reporting page are already live, and online self-reporting for some crimes is being explored. Council members raised concerns about crash data completeness, public notification, and how callers would experience the new process. No vote was taken.

City Hall Flag Display

• Council adopted Resolution R-140-26, authorizing year-round flying of the Progress Pride flag and the flag of the Ho Chunk Nation at City Hall campus. Debate focused on why these two flags were selected over other deserving communities. Some alders expressed support for a broader municipal flag display policy, and an amendment to refer the issue to the Community Equity Advisory Committee was offered and then withdrawn. The resolution passed on a roll-call vote; Alder Herbs was absent.

Administrative, Committee, and District Reports

• Administration: Upcoming events included the JT Klein/Oak Ridge Senior Housing groundbreaking on June 10 at 4 p.m. on Nesbitt Road; Popsicles in the Park on June 11 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Hugo Jamestown Park; the first McKee concert of the season on June 15; the Juneteenth Senior Center event on June 17 from 1 to 3 p.m. followed by a flag raising at 3:30; and a city phone system update on June 18. The 2026 street resurfacing project is underway, and the Whalen Road Bike Lane and sidewalk replacement projects are expected to begin in July. The FACTV mobile app is now available.
• Mayor’s Report: The proposed 2027-2036 Capital Improvement Plan has been released, with a mayor’s presentation on June 22 at 5:30 p.m., a public hearing on June 23, amendments due July 6, and final approval scheduled for July 28. The mayor also noted the library’s 15th anniversary celebration on June 27, announced the first listening session on June 29 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Fire Station 1 in District 4, and mourned the passing of Michael Johnson, a Boys & Girls Club leader with close ties to Fitchburg.
• Commission highlights: The Resource Conservation Commission reported that the stormwater utility lost a little over $200,000 this past year and may need a rate update. Food scrap collection has reached 10,500 pounds in seven months with more than 300 registered participants. The Housing Advisory Committee heard about the efficiency navigator program, which assessed 14 properties and identified about $185,000 in improvements so far, and discussed a proposed down payment assistance program with $25,000 loans or matches for households earning between 60% and 120% of area median income.
• Finance report: Baker Tilly presented the city’s 2025 audit with no material issues. The 2027 budget schedule was approved, with a public hearing on October 13 and amendments due by noon on October 14. The Finance Committee also approved equipment for the police canine squad.
• District reports included upcoming community events, condolences for Michael Johnson, a Fire Ops 101 training experience, and volunteer opportunities at Fitchburg parks.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent agenda.
• Reappointed Olivia Perry and Brian Schemen to the Housing Advisory Committee.
• Approved Ordinance 2026-009 / PCR-0126, the Esquill Lane future land use amendment from business to medium-high density residential.
• Re-referred Ordinance 2026-010 / PCR-0226, the Lacey Road / Faye Glen future land use amendment, to the Plan Commission and postponed council action to June 23.
• Approved Resolution R-11926, the Bowman Plaza amended and restated development agreement.
• Approved Resolution R-10326, the subdivision improvement agreement for the plat of the Eighth Addition to Nine Springs.
• Approved Resolution R-12126, authorizing the water utility to file a simplified rate increase application with the Public Service Commission. Staff requested a 3% increase, moving overall return from about 3.8% to 4.5% on the utility’s $15.2 million rate base, with an estimated annual increase of just under $6 for an average home.
• Approved Ordinance 2026-017, updating park and swimming pool closing hours and allowing pedestrians, bicyclists, and others to pass through parks on pathways after closing hours.
• Postponed Resolution R-89-26, concerning Hosta Hill rental fees and rental policy, to July 28.
• Approved Resolution R-140-26, authorizing year-round flying of the Progress Pride flag and the Ho Chunk Nation flag at City Hall campus.
• Approved Resolution R-1146, the 2027 annual city budget schedule, and Resolution R-11626, authorizing equipment for the police canine squad.
• Held discussion only on police service modifications; no action was taken.
• The next regular Common Council meeting is June 23, with a Finance Committee CIP presentation on June 22 and a Committee of the Whole meeting on June 24. The meeting adjourned at 9:34 p.m.