LITTLE GEMS
The coming pool party in Geneva Manor.
Several of the residents of the Geneva Manor neighborhood have pools (8 of them), which makes it odd that one family has been fighting to get approval for one for years now. The Garrels family has been in front of the plan commission several times in hopes of getting a permit to allow its pool installation to begin. Last week the Garrels were at the plan commission meeting to try to get approval once again. During public comments, Ted Peters, from the Geneva Lake Environmental Agency, along with Nancy from the Geneva Lake Conservancy, spoke about lake concerns regarding runoff and impervious areas in close proximity to the lake. Ted Peters believes the city should be encouraging and requiring more areas to help keep runoff in the ground and not the lake.
The Garrels have complied with all city and DNR requirements and believe they have gone above and beyond what is required of them. The Garrels have had two engineering companies work on the pool plans to make sure all codes and requirements are met and to ensure all drainage and run-off concerns are addressed. The Garrels believe they have been very compliant with the city, their neighbors, and the commissioners. The council members interviewed have so far agreed.
However, the neighbors are still not happy about having another pool (although none of the 8 who have them have considered giving one or more up) and neither is at least one Lake Geneva Alderperson who voted no to the backyard pool. Even with one vote of no the council voted Monday night and it was a majority ‘yes’ vote. The Garrels should be swimming this summer. Hooray. It is hoped that the complaining neighbors will soon come to understand that they are a homogeneous community again. The virus is being beaten back. Pool parties will return soon, maybe in time to be invited to the Garrels.
Kwik Trip on Wells.
After much back and forth discussion with the city, Kwik Trip is ready to present the final plan to city officials for approval to proceed with an entirely new structure and presentation for the large chunk of ground they bought (most remember the site because of the old Dairy Queen, the abandoned building still sitting there). Kwik Trip came into Lake Geneva and basically ‘paid off’ all of the people opposed to them by doing what the opposing forces asked them to do!. What will Kwik Trip propose for its final approval next week? Quite likely the proposal will include just about everything the city and everyone else around the area might want. Brick and Mortar, that great firm located in Lake Geneva in several iterations, holds that same kind of amazing reputation.
