New Richmond ICE detention center planning update

The City of New Richmond released further information on the zoning process for the proposed ICE detention center this afternoon. The city will hold a community meeting on April 23 at 4:30 PM at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, New Richmond. This is an informal discussion and will not include any action on the part of the city. A planning commission and special city council meeting will be held in the same location on May 7 at 6 PM, at which time the city will consider the zoning request. 

The city has received an application to have the property re-zoned as the current city plan is not consistent with having a detention facility at that place. Although some informal contact was made with the city in 2018 from Immigration Centers of America (ICA) they were told at that time that ICA was interested in building the facility in a different city. In January 2019 the city was contacted again and asked about zoning information for the parcel of land on which ICA would like to build the 500-bed detention facility.

The city has requested a $10,000 escrow fund from ICA rather than the standard $1500 escrow due to the expected planning costs for this development. City staff will provide a memorandum outlining their findings of fact to be produced in time for the May 7 planning commission meeting. This will be followed by the community meeting and forum on the 23rd. On May 7 the city will hold a planning commission meeting at which the commission will decide on whether to approve the rezoning request. The city council likely will decide whether to approve the zoning change request at the same meeting. 

Citizens who are not able to attend these meetings are asked to provide comments by email by writing to applications@newrichmondwi.gov, including first and last name and full address and contact information.

The city released a FAQ list of information about the process, which is attached to this article below.