LIVING HERE
The Lake Geneva City Council make the right decision when it came to holding off on the second reading about the parking lot proposed to be built atop the remains of a historical residence. But why did they do the “right” thing? It would appear that the citizens living in residences nearby got together and filed a petition. Legally, if action is about to be taken of an exceptional nature on a nearby property twenty percent of the residents living within a hundred feet of the property where the proposed change is being voted on can get together and file a legally binding petition that requires any decision-making body to only approve of the change based upon what is called a super majority (3/4 voting approval of the voting body).
The residents living near the proposed schools parking lot filed that petition. Will the historical home get steam rolled under? Apparently, rather than proceeding with the fast-track approach the Lake Geneva City Council chose prudence instead, a wise decision. Now it will be interesting to see if this ‘waste of time, money and history” parking lot will get the go ahead. If it does it will take almost every council member’s approval to do so.
The Geneva Inn plan to build a banquet hall, tent, etc. is going through the same difficulty as Lake Geneva’s school district. A petition was delivered at Monday night’s meeting to the Town of Linn board. That legal petition requires that a super majority of the board approve the Inn’s recent plan to break the Comprehensive Plan open, as recommended by a slim majority of the planning commission. The Town of Linn has five board members. It will take a positive vote for this negative motion of four of the five members of that board.
Will the four members of the board be as oblivious of the public’s obvious desires as the planning commission was on Monday night?
Will they be as offensively and aggressively block-headed about it as Cully Pillman was at that meeting?
Only time will tell.
The board must make a decision prior to September 3rd because the county can only meet once a year to consider such changes, and that meeting is held in November.
To get the matter before the county board would require getting it on the agenda by September.
Lake Aire, the restaurant.
They were painting just before the storm hit last week.
Finally, the restaurant was doing a bit to improve its image on Main Street. And then the paint 
spilled. Gallons of paint fell on the sidewalk to be tracked by people passing by. The police were called about the problem that hadn’t been cleaned up. Ken Robers was called. Dan Winkler was called. All the calls were to no avail, and then God stepped in. The rain came down in sheets and the paint was all washed into the storm drain system and found its way into Lake Geneva and down the White River. How nice. Sometimes, the best of intentions, unless supported by diligent and disciplined supervision, doesn’t result in the best result.
LIVING HERE
Is Fun
Mike Ditka visited Haberdapper, seen here on Tuesday with Steve Monticello and his lovely wife (the owners). Ditka was there with Paul Horning and many people stopped by to have a really terrific time with them.Both men come off as class acts, just like Steve and his wife.
A week ago at the public hearing regarding the parking lot issue, school board members and many teachers, ex-principals, etc., stood up and said “It’s not about parking! It’s about child safety! We don’t care about parking!”
They think removing 30 cars from the streets around the school will give more space for the parents to drop off kids safely. Common sense would say that the rest of the teachers are going to infill the parking spots as close as possible to the school door. Child safety problem not solved!
The school obviously needs help. They need help with strategic thinking and planning!They need help from a traffic flow specialist (which by the way, they could have at no cost to them through the city)
and they need to get the parents onboard and insist that the pick-up and drop-off of children be done in an organized and efficient manner, just like so many other schools do. (I’ve done some research on this)
There are alternatives available to them which will not involve destroying homes or paving over the play yard. They haven’t done their homework and thought this through.
could not agree with you more Charlene. You make some of the most cogent responses on this site and it is a pleasure to read as you mind lays out point after point. The GSR seeks to inform so people like you and with you can change how things are done around the lake. Thank you!
Now a comment about the home at 833 Wisconsin. The history of America is about ALL of the people. Not just the grand estates, the huge corporate farms, the Amazons and Apples of the World. Our history is also the everyday man, the hard working citizens who built this nation, worked in the fields, became shopkeepers, formed companies – you get where I’m going with this.
Despite some peoples’ opinion that the home at 833 Wisconsin is “just and old house”, the State of Wisconsin and our Federal government have identified it as a contributing element to the Maple Park National Historic District. It typifies the housing that was built here in 1874 with its’ cross gabled roof and gothic style indigenous to the district. Not a grand estate to be sure, but indicative of a period of time in our history that is important – the early days of the city Lake Geneva. Is that house less important than some others in the district? Not according to the State or Federal government!
Very many of the homes in the district were in pretty bad shape when new owners took over and restored them. Should every old building be saved? Not necessarily, but 833 is really not in that bad of shape. The bushes need trimming, a little sweat equity needs to happen and it would look good.
Here’s the bottom line: The Maple Park District was formed to insure the history of our city and maintain its’ residential status.Property values increased and more and more people began moving in to restore the homes. We can’t allow zoning changes there. It will destroy what all of us have worked so hard to acheive. A petition was signed with over 130 names of the persons directly affected – the ones that live around the school. A change like this will set a precedent and soon we will be a city of little parking lots all over and homes destroyed. Gone will be the very essence and charm of the city, one of the reasons people come to visit. There will be no reason to do a historic walking tour that has been enjoyed by so many this past summer because the history will be gone forever.
The people do not want a zoning change in our residential district, period.
You are treasure of information, Charlene.
Correct about the fact:
“The Maple Park District was formed to insure the history of our city and maintain its’ residential status”