A new affordable housing project in Richland Center has nettled some residents who don’t want to lose a green space used for playing soccer and enjoying picnics.
The site of the development, Stori Field, has a storied history of being used for decades as a site for athletic practices and P.E. classes, and is considered Richland Center’s “crown jewel,” a resident told Wisconsin Watch.
Residents became upset when the city sold the property to developer Enke Properties in October. The developer promised to cover costs for major expenses to create a 16-unit development that would bring in about $100,000 in annual tax revenue for the city, county and school district.
When the sale was sanctioned, residents submitted a petition with nearly 700 signatures, but legally, the development will move forward.
The town only contains 5,000 residents, but housing costs have increased from around $102,000 to $180,000 in the last eight years.
Richland County Board Chair David Turk said at a September city council meeting that “the city needs housing, and we have before us a proposal that would be the envy of any other community.”
The city said it will be looking at more sites for adding more affordable housing.
