Village is not able to purchase The Farm.
Vote to annex is tonight.
10/19/2009
Village President:
Village Trustees:
Thanks again for your support!
BUT WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT ONE LAST TIME!
We are writing to report GREAT NEWS and thank everyone that has played a role in making this happen! The Village Board has agreed to purchase 59 acres of The Farm using $1.3 million of Dane County grant money, private donations, and taxpayer money.
BUT WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT ONE LAST TIME! We need you to join us at the next Village Board meeting this Monday, March 16, 2009 at 7:00 PM at Village Hall (221E Cottage Grove Road) and voice your support for this purchase. The Village Board took a risk in using taxpayer dollars in making this purchase and there will be opposition to it at this meeting. After all the discussions on ways to save The Farm it appears that the Village has found a great solution and we shouldn't let years of work be wasted. Someone is always going to be unhappy.
The Strings Concert is taking place at this same time so many will be unable to attend in person. Please consider going to ensure that the Village knows you care about what happens at The Farm and that you support their decision. If you are going to the Strings Concert, please send an e-mail.
There has been some discussion that this purchase decision should have been made a referendum. Almost all decisions the Village Board makes are not put to a referendum. It appears that the amount of taxpayer dollars necessary is still being determined but I have heard that it is close to $450,000 or about $7,600 per acre. This is a bargain. The current owners of the property have agreed to put $200,000 in a trust fund which will used to maintain the property so that there are no future costs to the tax payer.
Please join us on Monday at 7:00 PM to let the Village Board know this. The public will have an opportunity to speak or register a written opinion.
You can also email all the Village Board members at village@savethefarm.org and let them know that you support the purchase.
This address will forward the email to all of the addresses below and jtisue@village.cottage-grove.wi.us.
Individually, Village Board members can be reached at:
-------------
Ken Dahl kdahl@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Jack Henrich jhenrich@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Harvey Potter hpotter@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Diane Wiedenbeck dwiedenbeck@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Dave Wallace dwallace@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
David Viken dviken@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Michael Willkomm mwillkomm@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Thanks for your support this one last time!
The Herald-Independent article is here:
http://www.herald-independent.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=52&ArticleID=710
September 4, 2008
Please join us at the September 4th Joint Meeting of the Village and Town Boards. The meeting is at Village Hall at 6:30 PM. Discussing a referendum to purchase The Farm as Conservancy is an agenda item:
http://village.cottage-grove.wi.us/board/2008/jt090408a.pdf
The Ad Hoc Land Conservance Comittee has been able to acquire $1.3 million dollars of grant money to help in acquiring 59 acres of The Farm as a conservancy. The Capital Times did an excellent article on this in the weekly printed version of The Capital Times which can be picked up for free at the Piggly Wiggly. You can read a web version here:
http://www.savethefarm.org/captimes
$700,000 more dollars are still needed. The Village and Town are considering referendums to use taxpayer dollars for the additional $700,000.
The public will have an opportunity speak or register a written opinion. Please let your elected officials know that we appreciate the hard work that they have done so far and would like them to purchase The Farm as a Conservancy.
If you can't attend the meetings, please email the board members below and ask them to continue to work towards purchasing The Farm. They often mention emails at the meetings.
Village Board
-------------
Ken Dahl kdahl@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Jack Henrich jhenrich@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Harvey Potter hpotter@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Diane Wiedenbeck dwiedenbeck@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Dave Wallace dwallace@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
David Viken dviken@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Michael Willkomm mwillkomm@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
You can also email all the Village Board members at village@savethefarm.org. This address will forward the email to all of the addresses above.
Town Board
----------
Steve Anders supv2cgtown@verizon.net
Kris Hampton officecgtown@verizon.net
Karen Kessenich supv4cgtown@verizon.net
Michael Kindschi supv3cgtown@charter.net
David Morrow supv1cgtown@verizon.net
You can also email all of the above at town@savethefarm.org
Thanks for your continued support.
August 7, 2008
Significant progress has been made towards preserving The Farm golf course as non-residential. Dane County Parks has approved around $500,000 in funding. The Wisconsin DNR may approve up to another $1 million. Details below.
There is a joint meeting between the Town of Cottage Grove and Village of Cottage Grove this Thursday where they will give us an update on the current status of The Farm. Time and place are below. Note that this is NOT at Village Hall. If you can't attend please email Board members at the bottom of this email.
JOINT MEETING TOWN OF COTTAGE GROVE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND VILLAGE OF COTTAGE GROVE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
DATE: THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 2008
TIME: 7:00 P.M.
PLACE: TOWN HALL
AGENDA:
April 8, 2008
The public will have an opportunity speak or register a written opinion. Please join us and let your elected officials know that we appreciate the hard work that they have done so far and would like them to continue and to have a referendum which would ask if the Village and Town should purchase The Farm.
Here is a quick synopsis of what I believe has happened since Summer 2007:
1. The Ad Hoc Land Conservancy Committee was formed with citizens from the Town and the Village by the Village of Cottage Grove to apply for grants to purchase The Farm.
2. The owners of The Farm sent in a request to have the The Farm annexed to the Village but agreed to withdraw the annexation request to allow the process of grant applications to move forward.
3. The Ad Hoc Committee approached Dane County Parks and was approved for a grant of around $500,000 if additional funds could be found to purchase the 59 acres on the Village side which is eligible for conservancy protection.
4. The owners of The Farm indicated on the Dane County application that they would "financially participate" in the conservancy and their working with the Ad Hoc Committee helped win the $500,000 grant.
5. The Ad Hoc Committee approached the Wisconsin DNR also and may be approved for up to an additional $1 million.
6. At the Town's annual meeting, the Town voted to work with the Village to pursue possible purchase of The Farm.
It is important that both the Town and the Village boards get positive feedback from us that we approve of their actions to date in seeking funds to purchase The Farm. This is a unique opportunity and significant progress has been made. We need to let them know to keep going!
If you can't attend the meeting, please email the board members below and ask them to continue to work towards purchasing The Farm.
Town Board
----------
Steve Anders supv2cgtown@verizon.net
Kris Hampton officecgtown@verizon.net
Karen Kessenich supv4cgtown@verizon.net
Michael Kindschi supv3cgtown@charter.net
David Morrow supv1cgtown@verizon.net
Village Board
-------------
Ken Dahl kdahl@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Jack Henrich jhenrich@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Harvey Potter hpotter@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Diane Wiedenbeck dwiedenbeck@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Dave Wallace dwallace@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
David Viken dviken@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Michael Willkomm mwillkomm@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Thanks for your continued support.
– 4058 COUNTY ROAD Nhttp://www.tn.cottagegrove.wi.gov/county/app/docs/cottagegrove/200502251229492082119.htmATTEND THE
ANNUAL COTTAGE GROVE TOWN MEETING
TUESDAY, APRIL 8TH, 2008 AT 7:00 P.M.
VOICE YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE FARM
THIS OPPORTUNITY IS TOO IMPORTANT TO MISS!
THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE TOWN BOARD ABOUT THE FARM! TAKE A LOOK AT THE AGENDA FOR THE MEETING ON THE BACK OF THIS FLYER. THEY ARE ASKING TOWN RESIDENTS TO GIVE INPUT ON THE FATE OF THE FARM.
TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN TO THE FARM.
PLEASE STOP BY THE MEETING. YOU CAN SPEAK OUT, SIGN IN TO VOICE YOUR OPINION, OR JUST LISTEN. THERE IS POWER IN NUMBERS. WE NEED YOU AT THE MEETING!
THE VILLAGE IS MOVING FORWARD ON ATTEMPTING TO PRESERVE THE 49 ACRES ON THE VILLAGE SIDE. LET'S ASK THE TOWN TO DO THE SAME WITH THE 53 ACRES ON THE TOWN SIDE OF THE FARM.
ATTEND THE MEETING ON TUESDAY, APRIL 8TH AT
IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE E-MAIL THE TOWN BOARD BEFORE THE MEETING AT:
July 12, 2007
Hi everyone,
As most of you have heard, the designation for The Farm was changed to residential at the July 11, 2007 meeting. Ken Dahl, the Village President, cast the deciding vote in favor of the change in both the Planning Commission vote and the Village Board vote. Last year he cast the deciding vote against it. Each vote was 4-3 in favor of the designation change.
We are very disappointed that our elected officials did not represent the overwhelming majority of their electorate. We want to greatly thank everyone who took the time to be involved with this process. We let the Village know what our position was. In 5 days we collected over 285 petitions and over 50 people attended the meeting on Wednesday with about 10 speaking. We want to thank everyone who took the time to prepare a speech.
One positive that came out of the meeting is that the owners and their attorney verbally promised to implement the "Compromise Plan" that several of us had been working on with them. This plan included 35 acres of Conservancy Park and lower density than previous plans. It will be up to us to make sure that the Compromise Plan is implemented.
We wish to thank Village Board and Planning Commission for listening to our concerns. We believe this was the way they voted:
Village of Cottage Grove Trustees
Ken Dahl kdahl@village.cottage-grove.wi.us 608-575-3879
FOR RESIDENTIAL
Jack Henrich jhenrich@village.cottage-grove.wi.us 608-839-1317
FOR GREENSPACE
Randy Margenau rmargenau@village.cottage-grove.wi.us 608-628-1401
FOR RESIDENTIAL
Harvey Potter hpotter@village.cottage-grove.wi.us 608-839-8520
FOR RESIDENTIAL
Larry Schoenemann lschoenemann@village.cottage-grove.wi.us 608-839-8045
FOR GREENSPACE
Dave Wallace dwallace@village.cottage-grove.wi.us 608-839-0348
FOR RESIDENTIAL
Diane Wiedenbeck dwiedenbeck@village.cottage-grove.wi.us 608-839-8588
FOR GREENSPACE
Village Planning Commission
Ken Dahl kdahl@village.cottage-grove.wi.us 608-575-3879
FOR RESIDENTIAL
Jack Henrich jhenrich@village.cottage-grove.wi.us 608-839-1317
FOR GREENSPACE
Don Brinkneier don@adsmechanical.com 608-220-9386
FOR RESIDENTIAL
Amy Roberts amyrob5@charter.net 608-839-3315
FOR RESIDENTIAL
Jim Collins jcollins10@charter.net 608-219-8176
FOR GREENSPACE
Ken Keeley kkeeley@charter.net 608-839-5519
FOR GREENSPACE
Arnold Mohlman no email address 608-839-3105
FOR RESIDENTIAL
We will need your help again in the future as development plans for The Farm are proposed. Thanks again for your time and support.
2007 Letter Petition: Please download and sign our petition which will be given to the Village of Cottage Grove Trustees and Planning Commission by clicking HERE! Please forward to your friends!
To sign online immediately, CLICK HERE!
Click here to view the Village's Master Plan
Click here to view the proposed 2005 High Density Residential Plan for The Farm. This plan was proposed by the owners and is an example of what might happen to The Farm golf course if the designation is changed.
Welcome,
Join us in working to keep The Farm Golf Course designated as recreation and open space and not be changed to planned neighborhood within the Village of Cottage Grove's Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
This year's request also contains a request to change the designation of Door Creek Golf Course so that it may be developed in the future as well. The Oregon Plan Commission aslo recently heard the development plans for Foxboro Golf Course, another course under the same ownership.
We hope you will find this site to be a helpful tool in fighting to save the small town character of Cottage Grove as recreational/open space is removed and Madison moves closer.
Read on for more information as to how you can help.
You can also email all the Village Board members at village@savethefarm.org and let them know that you support the purchase.
This address will forward the email to all of the addresses below and jtisue@village.cottage-grove.wi.us.
Individually, Village Board members can be reached at:
-------------
Ken Dahl kdahl@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Jack Henrich jhenrich@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Harvey Potter hpotter@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Diane Wiedenbeck dwiedenbeck@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Dave Wallace dwallace@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
David Viken dviken@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Michael Willkomm mwillkomm@village.cottage-grove.wi.us
Thanks for your support this one last time!
The Herald-Independent article is here:
http://www.herald-independent.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=52&ArticleID=710
September 4th, 2008