Town of Milton gravel pit proposal could face competing offer
TOWN OF MILTON--A California dairy owner with ties to Milton has a proposal he says would prevent a wooded hillside that borders Storr’s Lake Wildlife Area from becoming a gravel pit.
He wants to see the land instead turned into a nature conservancy—and he’s got a plan he believes could win over landowner Scott Traynor and Milton town officials.
In an interview with The Gazette Tuesday, Mulder Dairy Farms owner Bill Watson said he’s putting together an offer intended to shoo away a controversial plan by Elkhorn company B.R. Amon & Sons to develop a gravel pit on a farm property east of North Klug Road.
Watson, a Rock County native, has owned dairies and farmland in the county for decades.
Watson’s been involved in other deals in Rock County in recent years, including a failed bid to swap farm properties with the county as part of a proposal to build a new county fairgrounds and minor league baseball park on the south end of Janesville.
Under his potential offer, the 137-acre parcel of land, which is wedged between dozens of residences and state protected wetlands, would remain in its current state—a hilly mix of oak woods and crop fields that act as a natural buffer between developed land and the sensitive marsh ecosystem at Storr’s Lake Wildlife Area.
The plan would involve a deal between interested conservancy foundations or, possibly, the state Department of Natural Resources, which manages the adjacent marsh area.
“It would be possible if the DNR or the nature conservancy or any of the groups that I’ve had experience with could make an agreement with the landowner to buy his land,” Watson said. “He (Scott Traynor) would keep his current use and in return he could likely get a tax exchange that could allow him to expand his property (elsewhere).
For more on this story, read Wednesday's Gazette, The Gazette's e-edition, or check back at gazettextra.com.
Feb 14, 2013 at 5:13 a.m.
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Huntnfish has it right. Neighbors did not invest their hearts and wealth in that area thinking that there would some day be a quarry.
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"Due diligence" is all well and good, in theory, but how many of us, really, would build on that site and ever remotely suspect an issue like this might come up?
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This situation isn’t the same as buying or building near an already existing noisy entity such as a racetrack, airport, go kart track, and so on. The Board should close the books on this, in my opinion.
Feb 13, 2013 at 10:20 p.m.
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Of course he wants land near a large highway exit...Duh! Just the right place for gas stations, hotels, shopping malls, burger places ect...
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Give me a small limestone mine any day of the week. By the way, check out the hwy26 other "mines" on townline rd and stores lake rd. They will look nice compaired to the empty mall.
Feb 13, 2013 at 5:57 p.m.
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The Town Board should walk away from the whole deal. If they approve Amon's proposal they disadvantage every neighbor in the area. It is their duty and responsibility to protect these same residents from proposals such as Amons that would ONLY benefit one entity( AMON ) soley for their own personal gain. As far as Watson's, watch out for a fly in the ointment.
Feb 13, 2013 at 12:37 p.m.
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You hit it on on the head, no current interest, but once this offer is off the table he will swoop in. Wait, wasn't he part of that "great" deal for a new fair grounds a few years back?
You don't get rich by helping people!!!!!
Feb 13, 2013 at 11:31 a.m.
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Setinmyways:
Bill Watson tells The Gazette that Mulder Farms has no current interest in any gravel pits or mining operations in Wisconsin, and he said he has absolutely no interest in turning the land in question into a gravel pit.
Today's story in The Gazette has those details.
So, if there's an ulterior motive, it's not yet clear what it would be. But it apparently has nothing to do with gravel.
Neil Johnson, reporter
The Gazette
Feb 13, 2013 at 11:21 a.m.
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Must be Mulder Farms has some land they want to make into a gravel pit
Feb 13, 2013 at 9:44 a.m.
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great idea, and I hope it works...
Feb 13, 2013 at 6:31 a.m.
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This is great. If anyone can make this happen, it is Bill Watson.
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:22 p.m.
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Love this.
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