The joint BIDC/CDA board approved a small Sandy Bay lot sale and voted to sharply raise the city’s industrial land price for Woodland Industrial Park. They also talked about future housing sites, marketing changes, and a possible Woodland expansion, but most of that stayed at the “come back later” stage.
Key Decisions
BIDC voted to raise the price of all city-owned industrial land to $27,500 per acre effective Dec. 1, ending a decades-old $11,000/acre price that likely underpriced the city’s industrial land and shaped development decisions for years.
CDA accepted a $7,000 offer for a 0.18-acre slice of Sandy Bay Lot 25, with the buyer required to file a certified survey map and close within 30 days—another incremental step in moving Sandy Bay lots, but not a big housing supply move by itself.
CDA told its Sandy Bay marketer (Weichert) to review lot prices and return in Feb. 2026 with recommendations—signaling the city may be reconsidering whether current pricing is helping or hurting sales.
Public Input
No public comments or communications recorded for this meeting.
Agenda Items
Update on Construction Activity, Marketing Activity, and Lot Sales at Sandy Bay Subdivision
Staff reported ongoing talks with developers, including potential multi-family projects and possible property acquisitions for future housing development. The committee also pointed to areas closer to Two Rivers High School as a longer-term development focus for 2027 and beyond. This is useful direction-setting, but residents should note it’s still mostly conversation—no specific project approvals, timelines, or costs were locked in here.
Consideration of purchase offer for section of Lot 25 subdivided Lot 25 offer letter received for $7,000 for 0.18 acres.
Passed All in favor
CDA approved selling a 0.18-acre portion of Lot 25 for $7,000, with the buyer required to complete a survey and close within 30 days. It’s a straightforward land transaction, but it also shows Sandy Bay progress is still being made lot-by-lot rather than through larger-scale housing moves. The details that matter next are whether the survey/closing happens on time and what the buyer intends to build.
Staff reported the city closed on the sale of Lot 24 on Nov. 25, 2025 for $54,500. This is a simple status update, but it’s still a key metric residents can watch: actual closings, not just marketing talk, are what move Sandy Bay toward adding housing and tax base.
Review of marketing services contract with Weichert, Realtors Cornerstone for Sandy Bay Subdivision
CDA discussed basic marketing tools (signage, flyers, QR codes) and heard Weichert’s plan for next steps. The board asked Weichert to review Sandy Bay lot prices and return in February 2026 with recommendations, which suggests the city is not fully confident current pricing is aligned with the market. If prices change, that could affect both how fast lots sell and how much the city recovers on its investment.
Review of RLF lending activity, fund balance, and goals for 2026
Staff said the Revolving Loan Fund balance is just over $1 million, with three active loans being repaid (VT Industries, Pop Start Pizza, and Violet Inn). He also flagged 2026 work to analyze and possibly end some underperforming TIF districts, and noted discussion about potentially acquiring the former Hamilton’s property with a Dec. 2 status meeting. This is the kind of item where residents should push for specifics—what “underperforming” means, what ending a TIF would change, and what the Hamilton property would cost and be used for.
Discussion of per acre pricing for City-owned land in Woodland Industrial Park
Passed All in favor
BIDC voted to raise the city’s industrial land price from $11,000/acre (unchanged since 1988) to $27,500/acre for all city-owned industrial land effective Dec. 1. The rationale given was that comparable communities charge much more and that large parts of Woodland Phase 1 and 2 remain undeveloped. This is a major policy signal: higher prices can protect the city from undervaluing land, but it can also change how competitive Two Rivers is for certain projects—so residents should watch whether the city pairs this with a clear recruitment strategy and infrastructure plan.
Discussion of expansion of Woodland Industrial Park Phase 2
Staff previewed a possible Phase 2 expansion tied to interest from two local firms and other Wisconsin prospects, and said staff will review existing engineering for infrastructure. No expansion plan, cost estimate, or timeline was approved at this meeting. For residents, the key unanswered questions are what infrastructure would be needed, who pays, and whether the city has enough confirmed demand to justify expanding.