WILLMAR — The Willmar Planning Commission on Wednesday in a split 3-3 vote failed to approve the purchase agreement between the city of Willmar and Cura for the sale of 5.54 acres of parkland for a senior housing facility.
The purchase agreement for the land was approved by the Willmar City Council Feb. 20, after which the Planning Commission had 30 days to approve or deny it.
Because the Planning Commission failed to approve the sale Wednesday night, the matter is now returned to the Willmar City Council, which will need at least five affirmative votes to overturn the Planning Commission decision.
Cura is proposing to develop an 80- to 120-unit senior living facility on the parkland, which is located directly south of Willmar Avenue Southwest in the Swansson Recreation Field Complex between the two walking paths. There is also a proposed one-acre or larger stormwater project to be built in conjunction with the development.
Cura would be purchasing the land for $150,000, paying a park dedication fee of $10,500 and paying for 60% of the costs to develop the stormwater project in the area.
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“Splitting that cost is a benefit, as well, not just to the city, but to the taxpayers,” Willmar Planning and Development Director Christopher Corbett told the Planning Commission.
South Swansson Recreation Field Complex is also home to Willmar’s southwest well field, one of the few well fields identified through research by Willmar Municipal Utilities that could provide water to the city as it continues to grow.
Planning Commissioner Steve Dresler made the motion to approve the purchase agreement with the condition that city staff and Willmar Municipal Utilities ensures that the proposed development and the proposed stormwater project will all fit on the site without impeding future well development. It was seconded by Commissioner Christopher Buzzeo.
Voting in favor of the motion were Dresler and commissioners Yvon Fils-Aime and Gary Newberg. Voting against the motion were Buzzeo, Commissioner Stacy Holwerda and Board Chair Jonathan Marchand.
Commissioners Fernando Cano, Kelsey Vosika and Bob Poe were absent from the meeting.
This was the first time that Cura owner and president, Tom Opatz, provided public information about why Cura found this site desirable over other locations in the city.
“We already have an operation of a skilled nursing home by this location, so there are residents that live in the care center that have spouses and children that would like proximity to the care center in terms of living there,” Opatz said.
He informed the Planning Commission that Cura on Tuesday had closed on the transition of the adjacent care center and therapy suites from CentraCare to Cura. Although the facility has been managed by Cura in recent months, it is owned by the city of Willmar and leased to CentraCare along with other hospital assets.
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During a March 11 presentation to the Willmar City Council, City Attorney Robert Scott explained that CentraCare has decided not to continue operating long-term care facilities and selected Cura “as the best entity to entrust with the responsibility of operating" CentraCare — Willmar Care Center and Therapy Suites.
Scott told the West Central Tribune on Thursday that the "closing" Opatz referenced would have been the transfer of the operations under a sublease between CentraCare and Cura. The council on March 11 authorized such an interim arrangement in advance of a planned real estate transfer of the care center property from the city to Cura.
The council in its March 11 action also authorized city staff and the city attorney to take the necessary steps needed for the care center property to be transferred, which will require further approvals by both the City Council and the Planning Commission.
With regard to the parkland purchase for the new senior housing facility proposed by Cura, Opatz also told the Planning Commission on Wednesday that seniors like to be close to park amenities, like trails and ball fields. “One of the things seniors will tell you is, ‘don’t put me out in the middle of a green space,’" he said. " ... They like to be part of a community that they’ve lived in their entire life.”
The main concerns of the commissioners who voted against the purchase agreement were the selling of parkland after the Willmar Parks and Recreation Board failed to approve its sale in July of 2023, the loss of green space, concerns about the stormwater management at the location and the concerns of Willmar Municipal Utilities.
“It bears remembering that there was a prior development project (proposed) on this same chunk of land and, at that time, the parks board had said, ‘no.’ They were in opposition to selling any green space,” Marchand said. “Buildings can go up and move, green space is a different matter altogether.”
Acknowledging that there is a “dire need” for senior housing in Willmar, Marchand asked, “Does it come at the cost of giving up green space when there may potentially be other locations available?"
Holwerda asked Corbett if the city has a plan to replace the 5.54 acres of parkland that will be lost to the development.
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“I don’t know of a five-acre parcel that the city has just sitting there that can be green space, that can be turned back into a city park,” she said. “Where is the city going to get this five acres back to use as parkland?”
Corbett pointed out that the remainder of the park outside of the 5.54 acres will stay the same. He also said he's met with Parks and Recreation Director Rob Baumgarn about finding new opportunities for parks, noting that one of the goals of the park board is to identify new park space.
“That is a park board question, that’s in their wheelhouse, but we do have land to swap with them,” he said.
Buzzeo asked Willmar Municipal Utilities General Manager John Harren, who was in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting, the same question he asked Facilities and Maintenance Supervisor Kevin Marti at the March 6 Planning Commission meeting, “As it stands, does Willmar Municipal Utilities support this project and the sale of the land?”
“We support the project, but we don’t support the sale of the land at this point in time, because we don’t have enough information that allows us to preserve what the city has, in the past, identified and built their infrastructure around to provide water for the future,” Harren replied.
He told the Planning Commission that he has received a memo from the Municipal Utilities' wellhead consultant that has been shared with the city and on Thursday, March 28, he is meeting with City Administrator Leslie Valiant and city engineer Jared Voge of Bolton & Menk “to talk about what opportunities we have to maintain our well fields, fit in a storm pond, and be able to sell that property for development.”
“When you look at the layout of the wells and you look at what all we are trying to do there, it creates a challenge to make that all happen,” Harren said.
Opatz noted that Cura is not interested in purchasing land that is not able to be developed due to needs for the well field.
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“We are going to do senior housing, so if it can’t be done in Willmar, then it may be a question of the care center, then, would be rebuilt somewhere else,” he said. “Because there is no property here that is affordable. … When you want affordable housing, you have to have affordable ground close to an operation that we have.”
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