Last night I attended a Village of Cross Plains board meeting, which is not on my very hot list of "to dos". Previously my husband would attend and keep "an eye on things". You see, our one acre of country paradise resides in Berry township, adjacent to the Village of Cross Plains, Wisconsin.
For the past ten years a developer, All Star Properties, has been aiming to develop the farmland that lies to our north and on the hill behind our home. As we are perched on a steep incline, any thoughts of widening the narrow country road to accommodate traffic flow would greatly hinder the ability for my family to access our home, if the developed roadway were to remove land from my side of the property line. On a blizzard like day as I write this, ascending our driveway is next to impossible...and would only be worse if we could not take a "run at it".
Indeed, many many years ago, when the paved road was first brought through the country lane of origin, the road was not built along property center lines, but completely on my grandfather's land, as is evidenced by the fact that I now pay meager village property tax to the village for land I own on my neighbor's property across the road. How much more is this family to give up for the sake of progress?
I brought up my concern for accessing my home, and was assured by the village that residents along Brewery Rd. would not be hindered by access to their homes. This is "nice" to hear, although I would like to see this in writing by both the village and the developer, who, as a developer, is always going to be more concerned with his bottom line than those he would inconvenience along the path of making huge profit - no blame there, that is just the way it is. Are you familiar with the story of David and Goliath? Yep....
So I will wait to see what engineering feats will be brought forth...perhaps they will be raising the entire road bed...word of retaining walls were mentioned. I abhor the thought of heavy traffic flow whizzing by my peaceful country setting...no doubt of which the sounds of engines roaring down the big hill at speed limit breaking paces (as is done now by the few who live on top) break the tranquility I experience in the back yard of Jesse's Oasis. Will peaceful morning bible study's come to an end in pleasant weather?
Yet another concern is the run off from residents on top of the hill obsessed with having dandelion-free yards. I almost scoffed out loud when the engineer stated that the swales they plan to install to filter rain water will actually be more safe for the treasured Black Earth Creek than the current agricultural use of crop farming. I grew up on a farm...my dad sprayed (unfortunately) 1-2x a year. Yes, nasty stuff...no denying.
But no less nasty are the lawn chemicals people use weekly, or at minimum monthly. I cringe every time I see Chem-lawn vehicles parked. One hundred and forty-two homes when all is said and down...that will be no small amount of herbacide and pesticide contamination taking place in my backyard. Lawn chemicals are huge contributor to the rise of cancers, Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's, and other neurological disease...not to mention harmful run off for the wildlife utilizing the treasured creek. Board certified neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock has written extensively on this subject.
As long as the Black Earth Watershed organization is satisfied with the filtering abilities of swales to protect the creek I will accept the theory. But WHAT IF, just like the plan to mandate that homes be built of value no less than $350,000 to $420,000 in order to insure property tax income for the village - there is a mandate for a sub-division to utilize only ORGANIC lawn care management practices? What a novel idea, eh? Oh to make the world a better place in which to live, and for our children to grow up in... If there were such a neighborhood rule, it would be worthy of national headline news... take note developers!!!
On a good note it was stated that the four residences on the west side of Brewery Road would not be forced to annex into the village. Which is another big concern - I have absolutely no desire to be forced upon municipal water systems containing fluoride and chlorine (which together make up a halide that block iodine pathways in the body and contribute to thyroid dysfunction - per thyroid function expert Dr. David Brownstein). We have very good well water - as is evidenced by the lower toxicity levels in our body's of nitrates (yes, we monitor this). Nitrate/nitrites from farm chemicals is often common among ag surrounded well water. I will have concern for my well, however, with the green space on the hill above our well, taking on nasty levels of lawn chemicals.
Our hill directly behind our home has been non-farmed for over ten years. At least we don't have lead in our water - municipal water systems are not as safe as people are led to believe. I have no desire to fear taking a shower because of the harmful chemicals added by misinformed muncipalities on the truths behind water treatment.
Hear is hoping and praying that progress does not pose a threat to my family,
Rita S.
For the past ten years a developer, All Star Properties, has been aiming to develop the farmland that lies to our north and on the hill behind our home. As we are perched on a steep incline, any thoughts of widening the narrow country road to accommodate traffic flow would greatly hinder the ability for my family to access our home, if the developed roadway were to remove land from my side of the property line. On a blizzard like day as I write this, ascending our driveway is next to impossible...and would only be worse if we could not take a "run at it".
Indeed, many many years ago, when the paved road was first brought through the country lane of origin, the road was not built along property center lines, but completely on my grandfather's land, as is evidenced by the fact that I now pay meager village property tax to the village for land I own on my neighbor's property across the road. How much more is this family to give up for the sake of progress?
I brought up my concern for accessing my home, and was assured by the village that residents along Brewery Rd. would not be hindered by access to their homes. This is "nice" to hear, although I would like to see this in writing by both the village and the developer, who, as a developer, is always going to be more concerned with his bottom line than those he would inconvenience along the path of making huge profit - no blame there, that is just the way it is. Are you familiar with the story of David and Goliath? Yep....
So I will wait to see what engineering feats will be brought forth...perhaps they will be raising the entire road bed...word of retaining walls were mentioned. I abhor the thought of heavy traffic flow whizzing by my peaceful country setting...no doubt of which the sounds of engines roaring down the big hill at speed limit breaking paces (as is done now by the few who live on top) break the tranquility I experience in the back yard of Jesse's Oasis. Will peaceful morning bible study's come to an end in pleasant weather?
Yet another concern is the run off from residents on top of the hill obsessed with having dandelion-free yards. I almost scoffed out loud when the engineer stated that the swales they plan to install to filter rain water will actually be more safe for the treasured Black Earth Creek than the current agricultural use of crop farming. I grew up on a farm...my dad sprayed (unfortunately) 1-2x a year. Yes, nasty stuff...no denying.
But no less nasty are the lawn chemicals people use weekly, or at minimum monthly. I cringe every time I see Chem-lawn vehicles parked. One hundred and forty-two homes when all is said and down...that will be no small amount of herbacide and pesticide contamination taking place in my backyard. Lawn chemicals are huge contributor to the rise of cancers, Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's, and other neurological disease...not to mention harmful run off for the wildlife utilizing the treasured creek. Board certified neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock has written extensively on this subject.
As long as the Black Earth Watershed organization is satisfied with the filtering abilities of swales to protect the creek I will accept the theory. But WHAT IF, just like the plan to mandate that homes be built of value no less than $350,000 to $420,000 in order to insure property tax income for the village - there is a mandate for a sub-division to utilize only ORGANIC lawn care management practices? What a novel idea, eh? Oh to make the world a better place in which to live, and for our children to grow up in... If there were such a neighborhood rule, it would be worthy of national headline news... take note developers!!!
On a good note it was stated that the four residences on the west side of Brewery Road would not be forced to annex into the village. Which is another big concern - I have absolutely no desire to be forced upon municipal water systems containing fluoride and chlorine (which together make up a halide that block iodine pathways in the body and contribute to thyroid dysfunction - per thyroid function expert Dr. David Brownstein). We have very good well water - as is evidenced by the lower toxicity levels in our body's of nitrates (yes, we monitor this). Nitrate/nitrites from farm chemicals is often common among ag surrounded well water. I will have concern for my well, however, with the green space on the hill above our well, taking on nasty levels of lawn chemicals.
Our hill directly behind our home has been non-farmed for over ten years. At least we don't have lead in our water - municipal water systems are not as safe as people are led to believe. I have no desire to fear taking a shower because of the harmful chemicals added by misinformed muncipalities on the truths behind water treatment.
Hear is hoping and praying that progress does not pose a threat to my family,
Rita S.
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