Big things in the works for the Village of Rib Mountain

Rich Palzewic

Staff

January 9, 2024

RIB MOUNTAIN – Exciting things are happening in the Village of Rib Mountain.

At a recent plan commission meeting, the Village Board decided to proceed forward with the potential development of Chipotle and Chick-fil-A fast-food restaurants – the most recent developments within village limits.

Rib Mountain Community Development Director Jared Grande said the proposed development is exciting for the village.

“I was born and raised in Mosinee, so moving back to the area (and living here) for the last year and a half, it’s exciting to see the growth of Rib Mountain,” he said. “I wouldn’t say (the growth) is surprising, though – Rib Mountain has a lot to offer.”

Grande said location has a lot to do with the recent growth, but he also credits Rib Mountain’s decision-makers.

“They’ve done a fabulous job,” he said. “They’ve tried to build on the natural things we have in the area with the amenities. There are several factors why Rib Mountain is becoming a destination. That’s why the development and growth is happening.”

The proposed locations for the restaurants, Grande said, are near the intersection of Tulip Lane and Lilac Avenue.

They would be situated between Briq’s Soft Serve and Kwik Trip on Rib Mountain Drive, directly across from the Starbucks and Texas Roadhouse.

“The board approved a rezone and a general development plan for the project, so the next steps are to come back through with a precise implementation plan,” Grande said. “That plan will be broken into phases. Phase 1 will be Chipotle and Chick-fil-A, which will be the central part of the developed area.”

Grande said depending on how things shake out, completion of both projects could be sometime in 2024.

“From my understanding, Chipotle would be the first tenant company in late spring,” he said. “Chick-fil-A would come second and later – maybe even late 2024.”

Phase ⅔ of the project, Grande said, will be on the north side of the property.

“Right now, the developers are showing two different buildings (for Phase 2/3),” he said. “Whether it’s one building or two buildings, the general description would be a professional/office setting more than what the other two buildings are – quick-serving restaurant-type establishments.”

Another potential

The plan committee’s discussions, Grande said, went beyond fast food, diving into a pre-application for a Woodman’s grocery store.

The proposed food market, he said, would span 239,000 square feet, encompassing a gas station, car wash and more than 600 parking spots.

“At this point, it’s only a discussion,” he said. “A Woodman’s representative was at the meeting confirming they’ve been working with a realtor on acquiring the property. They’re going through their due diligence, so the representative went before the plan commission. It was nothing formal and didn’t tie (Woodman’s) or the planning commission to anything. It provides some open dialogue on potential development for feedback purposes.”

Grande said the proposed restaurants/Woodman’s possibilities are in “two totally separate stages of planning/development.”

“Chipotle and Chick-fil-A started with a pre-application – which Woodman’s recently went through – in November 2022, so you can see it takes time for it all to come to fruition – it’s a detailed process,” he said.

Grande said historically, going through the pre-application process usually bodes well for the development to proceed.

“Every situation is different, but you have to start somewhere,” he said. “That’s why a representative from Woodman’s was told it would be a good idea to attend the plan commission meeting.”

More growth?

Though Rib Mountain has seen recent development/growth, Grande said the village is “becoming somewhat limited in its ability to grow even more.”

“Part of that played into our success in incorporating the entire town into the village,” he said. “Part of what allowed us to incorporate the entire boundary as a village was because of some of the limiting factors for development.”

Grande said Rib Mountain State Park and Nine Mile Forest Recreation Area are big draws, and the added development will add to the experience.

“Rib Mountain State Park is in the center/west center of the community, while Nine Mile Recreation – which is a county forest – is on the south/southwest part of the community,”

he said. “Both of those parks take up quite a bit of land that makes up Rib Mountain. We’re trying to balance how to continue to make Rib Mountain what it’s known for – balancing the environment, the neighborhoods, etc. – while still making it attractive and inviting to those outside the area.”

For more information on the Village of Rib Mountain, visit ribmountainwi.gov or find it on Facebook.