Public input needed for city’s community preservation plan

By Patrick Lynn

The city of Stevens Point is working on the creation of its first community preservation plan.

Stevens Point has documented and conserved its historic and cultural character, with two National Historic Districts and individual landmark properties. Mayor Mike Wiza said the city recognizes that community preservation is crucial for complementary development, education, and protecting historic and cultural heritage.

The plan will outline future preservation policies and a shared vision for a sustainable future, he said.

Tim Siebert, Chairman of the Stevens Point Historic Preservation/Design Review Commission, said that a community’s architectural history and development are tangible evidence of its development and sense of place.

Public input will be crucial for creating a unified vision for preservation, he said.

Wiza said that currently, there’s no firm budget or estimate for how many buildings will be preserved, adding that the project requires buy-in from everyone in the community.

Community stakeholders can provide input through a public survey and four public workshops in May:

• May 7, 5:30-7 p.m.: Overview of the preservation plan at LEAD Center, Mid-State Technical College.
• May 16, 5:30-7 p.m.: Overview of historic architectural guidelines at LEAD Center, Mid-State Technical College.
• May 21, 5-6:30 p.m.: Walking tour of historic residential neighborhoods at Seramur Park.
• May 22, 5-6:30 p,m.: Walking tour of the Downtown starting at the northeast corner of Water Street and Arlington Place.

The city aims to complete the adopted community preservation plan by December 2024. To learn more, visit https://stevenspoint.com/1441/Community-Preservation-Plan.