Garden Terrace will move forward despite neighbor objections

Over neighbor objections, a much-lauded apartment development for the poor and homeless on La Crosse’s north side will go forward. 

The city council has approved a development deal for the 50 unit Garden Terrace complex next to the Kane Street Community garden. 

The development, includes a mix of units for low income families, the formerly homeless and a few market rate apartments as well. 

Largely well-received until a recent change in plans for Garden Terrace meant, among other things,  cutting off-street parking in half.  Something that really shouldn’t be much of a problem, argued city council member Phil Ostrem.

“I think that our developer is right that we aren’t going to need a parking space for every bedroom,” Ostrem said.  

The city’s rules for such projects require an off-street parking spot for each bedroom. 

Developer Impact 7 argued, because the 50-unit Garden Terrace will serve largely low income families and the formerly homeless, there just wouldn’t be a need for as many parking spaces.  

Neighbors complained about that as well as some new storm water runoff issues. 

Scott Neumeister, who represents the area on the council, had urged more consideration towards the neighbors concerns.

“Let’s have some courtesy for some of the landowners that have been there for 40-plus years that this does drastically effect,” Neumeister urged the council before the vote to approve the project.

The $10 million Garden Terrace is on pace to break ground next month.