Parisi Approves Purchase of 40 Acres on Lake Waubesa, Opening Long Stretch of Shoreline for Public
May 21, 2012
Casey Slaughter Becker, Office of the County Executive 608.267.8823 or cell, 608.843.8858
Dane County Executive Joe Parisi today signed a measure finalizing the purchase of 40 acres of land on the south shore of Lake Waubesa that will open 1,400 feet of lakefront shoreline to the public. The purchase was made possible by a partnership between Dane County, the Town of Dunn, and the Natural Heritage Land Trust and protects one of the largest remaining privately owned, undeveloped stretches of lakefront property in the county.
“County residents and visitors now have another beautiful place to hike, canoe, and fish for generations to come,” said Parisi. “Partnering to provide this public access is an essential part of what makes our quality of life so great in Dane County.”
The purchase also protects the water quality of the spring-fed Lake Waubesa and its surrounding wetlands. The property is adjacent to the Waubesa Wetlands State Natural Area; creating a large continuous block of publicly owned lands along the lake.
The resolution authorizing purchase of the property was passed at the Thursday, May 17th meeting of the Dane County Board.
This acquisition will preserve this land, especially the wetland, beyond changes in political winds," said Supervisor Patrick Miles who represents the Village of McFarland and the Town of Dunn. "It's a win, win any way you look at it: through our partnerships, this is a fiscally responsible purchase minimizing the cost to the tax payer and preservation of wetlands protects sensitive habitat while at the same time protecting property owners by preserving flood storage capacity."
The purchase price of the property was the appraised value of $482,000. The County share of project costs will be no more than $199,000 from the 2012 Lake Preservation Fund. The Natural Heritage Land Trust sponsored a grant application to the DNR, which has been granted and will cover up to 50% of the purchase price. The Town of Dunn will contribute up to $91,500.
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