The Eau Claire City Council July 14 meeting agenda includes the purchase agreement between the City of Eau Claire and the Suess Trust/Timm Trust, which would see the City acquire roughly 230 acres of land intended for industrial development. (Photos via real estate listings)

The City of Eau Claire intends to purchase over 230 acres of land along County Highway EE –  within the Town of Union in Eau Claire County – for $1.75 million.

As shared in the City Council agenda packet for the Tuesday, July 14 meeting, the City plans to sign a purchase agreement with the land owners, Ambrose Suess and Jack Timm (representing the Suess Trust/Timm Trust).

According to the resolution document, the City has interest to purchase the eight-parcel piece of land “for future industrial expansion.” The official closing date is listed as Oct. 1, 2026.

The packet notes this new land could offer more areas for development, as the existing Gateway Industrial Park in Eau Claire is running out of space.

One page of the purchase agreement, as shared in the Eau Claire City Council agenda packet for its July 14 meeting.

Community Development Director Aaron White told Volume One the property was found by City staff through an advertisement a few weeks ago. Prior to that advertisement, he said, this land was not known to the City as a potential development site.

The council packet also includes a ten-page report from Ayres Associates, completed on May 28 of this year on behalf of the City, which determines just over 11 of the parcel’s 230-plus acres as wetlands.

White said those wetlands areas “will have very little impact to this site in term of developable space.” Sites with identified wetlands, he said, “are often designed to incorporate stormwater detention” in accordance with state statutes.

“Many of the inquiries for industrial space have been focused on site(s) of 40 acres or less, so multiple projects could be accommodated in the buildable areas of that parcel,” White said.

“The property has additional timber land in designated wetlands areas that can be designated for some type of conservation or public use,” the packet reads.

The parcel, originally priced at $1.85 million per its Woods & Water Realty listing, has predominantly been used for agricultural purposes. According to that listing, electricity is available while sewer utility is not, in the property's current form.

The Ayres Associates' ten-page report on the parcel in question, as shared in the July 14 city council agenda packet.

This is a developing story. You can view the full Tuesday, July 14 City Council meeting agenda packet online (this particular agenda item begins on p. 248). Keep up with Volume One online for future updates.