La Crosse Common Council approves ordinance eliminating supermajority trigger in zoning process

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- The La Crosse Common Council passed an ordinance that will get rid of a supermajority vote when residents object to a rezoning petition.

The decision is to essentially fall in line with the state, which passed a law last year banning municipality supermajority votes on zoning issues. All municipalities have to be in compliance by New Year's 2025.

La Crosse has rarely gone to supermajority over a zoning issue, but it just did last month over the REACH Center's petition to expand.

Under the old rules, if 20 percent of the square footage close to a zoning applicant objected to the project, the city would need a supermajority, or 75 percent vote, to approve the zoning.

Now, all zoning decisions will only require a simple council majority vote.

The council was almost split down the middle when it came to a vote.

"I don't know why we would not want to remove the undemocratic nature of the supermajority as soon as possible," said District 11 Council member Jennifer Trost.

"It was supported by the Wisconsin [Realtors and] Builders Association," District 6 member Chris Kahlow said. "This was not crafted out of altruistic concern, but economic gain for developers and realtors."

The ordinance passed the measure 7-6.

In that same April 11 council meeting, the body rejected a motion to delay a $100,000 project installing sidewalks in the Hintgen neighborhood.