Little Muskego Lake Park Offer Proposed at $3.5 Million

A resolution for an offer to purchase will be discussed at the Common Council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 7pm, but not before another public input session is offered to hear from residents.

Four previous public input sessions featured debate over the land purchase along Janesville Road, with opponents citing current construction projects, potential tax burden, and increased traffic on an already crowded lake.  Proponents have argued that the purchase of the land would give the city a new destination for visitors to enjoy the lake and also attract businesses to develop along an ailing Janesville Road. The loss of lake frontage in the sale of Dandilion Park in previous years was also cited in their arguments to 'not make the same mistake twice.'

The proposed offer of $3,550,000 is about one million dollars less than the land appraised, but the parcel being bid on no longer includes easement "wings" that would have extended the beach area included in the appraisals.

The resolution includes the following costs and parcels:

• $1,575,000 for approximately 3.04 acres of properties owned by Dillworth ($25,000 in initial relocation benefits are entitled as well); as appraised, this parcel was $1.6 million
• $1,975,000 for approximately 1.56 acres of properties owned by Cherek ($25,000 in initial relocation benefits are entitled as well); as appraised, this parcel was $2.1 million.

Relocation benefits are mandated by state statute, with the $25,000 representing the maximum benefit.