Menominee County has a piece of land about 1½ acres in size that it wants to utilize, and it’s turning to residents to determine what will be the best use for the property.
The county and the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin have teamed up with the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to look at what opportunities are available for economic development, housing, services and community investment. The planning is being facilitated by a $60,000 grant provided by the National Association of Development Organizations for the Strategic Planning and Action for Revitalizing Communities (SPARC) program.
The property the county owns is in Keshena, just of the Menominee Casino Resort. However, the project is also looking at providing development in Neopit at a site to be determined.
Meetings were held to get public input, and a survey was also sent out to residents in the county and on the reservation to find out what the needs are. Responses have been limited, according to Jeremy Johnson, Menominee County land conservation/forestry/zoning director, but there are indications from those who did respond that affordable housing or retail shops might be high on the list to be placed on the property.
“There’s a need for more retail to keep local dollars here,” Johnson said. “They can’t get things here locally.”
The county is looking at previous economic research that shows the reservation and county have over $312 million in unment local demand, with most residents traveling to bigger communities like Shawano and Antigo to get most of their basic needs. Johnson said it’s important to reduce that in order to have amenities available in Menominee communities.
“The county will have the ability to sell it to a developer with a vision of what should be done with it,” Johnson said. “The grant will fund the process, from start to finish, for actually having a development plan for the site.”
He added that any plans for Neopit will be developed to apply to a tribally owned site, as the county does not have any land available for development in that community. Over 95% of the land within the boundaries of the county is owned by the tribe.
Johnson said that among some of the things discussed for any project included environmental stewardship and eco-tourism.
“Some of the grounds areas could be used for pollinator gardens and rain gardens for the runoff from the buildings,” Johnson said. “We’re trying to include some of that eco-friendly design concept in this development, to use native and natural stuff for the grounds. As far as cultural significance, we’re trying to make sure that the Menominee culture is taken into account and even put into the natural building design.”
Johnson said that the land has enough space for several buildings, whether it’s for retail or housing, noting that affordable housing is an issue everywhere.
East Central will be putting together renderings, plans and implementation strategies that will go before the Menominee County Plan Commission near the end of October and then possible move on to the county board from there.
“East Central has been a very integral part of this,” said Johnson, who also serves as an alternate on East Central’s commission. “They’ve done four or five of these around East Central Wisconsin. This is just the first time they’ve done it here.”
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
