No matter what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and UW-Green Bay decide, you will notice some changes to a portion of Sturgeon Bay’s waterfront coming in the future.

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council will look at concepts developed by Edgewater Resources for city-owned property on Nautical Drive near the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club. When Edgewater Resources representatives were in town in December, People living near the site were also contacted so they could meet with the consultants to get their input on what they would like to see. Some ideas floated for the site included improving the dock wall, building a structure for the Sail Training Foundation, and returning the “E” dock. City Planner Stephanie Servia said at the time that if the city is chosen for the National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) facility and if that site is slated for it, the plans will have to be tweaked.

The plans being presented to the council on Tuesday consider both possibilities. Both designs include a multi-use trail and benches, a bridge across a nearby creek, a renovated boat launch, a new e-dock, and sail foundation docks. The most significant difference between the two site plans is a 6,000-square-foot building for the NERR Visitor Center. The Sail Training Foundation would also have a building in both concepts, but the size would fluctuate if the city gets the NERR visitor center and the Nautical Drive site is chosen. The price tag for both concepts has not been determined.

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council will also look to discuss the 2024 Harbor Improvement Plan, approve the rezoning of two parcels, and hear the first reading of an ordinance dealing with obstructions and encroachments on city streets and sidewalks. The meeting will start in the council chambers at city hall beginning at 6 p.m.