The special area plan will guide future decisions about subdivisions, zoning, infrastructure investment and timing, among other concerns relevant to redeveloping the site and surrounding area.

“It really tries to address this just isn’t Oscar Mayer,” Ellis said. “This is an opportunity to make the whole area great.”

In thinking holistically about the Oscar Mayer site, Ellis hopes to create a mixed-use development on the south side of the property that would be a “dense site where people can get around and have a whole life.”

Ald. Larry Palm, District 12, supports the report but lamented that the work took too long to get started, noting that city staff will continue with an intense, specific planning effort.

"When we started this project, we thought it would be a clearing of the site. Now the buildings that are there are mostly going to be retained and reused, which changes how the look and feel of the site is going to be," Palm said. "We now have a document that reflects the desires of the city, community and region, but we need to be sure we’re referring back to that as we move forward."