Posted December 27, 2025
The Town of River Falls is considering an impact fee proposal that would raise around $1.65 million for community infrastructure projects, including facility upgrades, road improvements, and park enhancements over the next several years.
According to Park Committee Chair Garrett Gill, who also serves on the town’s impact fee committee. The majority of the funds will be directed toward significant upgrades to Saddle Club Road, as well as construction and improvements to the town’s shop and garage facilities. The remaining portion of the funds will be given to park upgrades throughout the community.
“We will include parks in the impact fee proposal, and it would be $50,000 for park improvements over seven years,” Gill said. He added that specific projects must be identified and approved before any of the funds can be used.
Potential park projects could include installing new playground equipment, adding bridges, expanding walking paths, or maintaining and upgrading existing park facilities. The Town of River Falls Park Committee currently manages seven parks: Anderson, Birch Cliff, Halverson, Hillwood, Rocky Branch, South Ridge, and South Valley.
During a recent committee meeting, Co-Chair Brad LaBadie asked whether the funds could be used to pay interns. Both Gill and board member Mary Foster clarified that the money must be spent on physical improvements.
Beyond the parks, the town shop and garage are estimated to cost about $900,000, while improvements to Saddle Club Road are projected at $700,000.
“Man, that’s going to be a nice shop,” LaBadie said during the discussion. Foster noted that the high cost is due to the requirement that the facility meet commercial standards.
The impact fee committee is continuing to research how other municipalities structure and implement their fees to ensure River Falls adopts a fair and sustainable model.
The article may be found online at https://uwrfjournalism.org/2025/12/river-falls-park-committee-eyes-funding-for-improvements-under-impact-fee-plan/.