BELLEVILLE - Hopes of developing an ATV park have not evaporated for Jeff Whitehouse of Belleville.
"I'm going to look wherever that a suitable location may be that is feasible," he said Friday.
Whitehouse withdraw his offer to purchase land north of the City of Monroe for an ATV park Wednesday, after strong community reaction against the development.
His purchase offer was contingent upon getting approvals from Green County and the township, said the property's owner, Fran Donny, Monroe.
Donny announced the withdrawal Thursday at the Monroe Township Board meeting, where 13 township residents attended to protest the development, said township clerk Karen Sutter.
Because of Whitehouse's withdrawal, the board took no action on the question of whether the park would be consistent with and allowable under the Town of Monroe Comprehensive Plan.
Whitehouse said Friday he has been wanting to develop an ATV park "for quite a while." His recent plans were for a 140-acre ATV park, similar to Embarrass River ATV Park near Tigerton.
Tigerton is equi-distance from Green Bay, Appleton and Wausau. The park has 20 miles of ATV trails and 37 developed campsites on 500 acres.
Whitehouse said his park would have had a large impact on the local economy.
"It's a huge loss of revenue, about $1.16 million, to the Monroe area," he said about withdrawing his plans. "There's fuel, food, shopping and tax revenue.
"Monroe Township lost about $12,000 in property tax revenue," he added.
Sutter doubts the township lost that much in added property taxes revenue.
"I don't know if it would have been that much," she said. "It would have gone from agriculture to commercial (zoning), and the township mill (rate) is under a dollar (per $1,000 property value)."
Sutter suspects the $12,000 Whitehouse is quoting includes county and school taxes.
According to meeting minutes, the township received 277 petition signatures against the ATV park, after a public information meeting April 1.
Residents noted decreased property values, noise, dust, water run off, soil erosion issues, increased traffic flow, lights, and enforcement issues as some reasons against developing the ATV park in or near the residential area.
The City of Monroe Plan Commission also opposed the establishment of the ATV park, about 1.5 miles from the city limits, based on environmental, safety and aesthetic reasons.
Mayor Bill Ross said that because the city had no legal authority beyond the 1.5 mile border, the Commission made the opposition on principal only.
"I'm going to look wherever that a suitable location may be that is feasible," he said Friday.
Whitehouse withdraw his offer to purchase land north of the City of Monroe for an ATV park Wednesday, after strong community reaction against the development.
His purchase offer was contingent upon getting approvals from Green County and the township, said the property's owner, Fran Donny, Monroe.
Donny announced the withdrawal Thursday at the Monroe Township Board meeting, where 13 township residents attended to protest the development, said township clerk Karen Sutter.
Because of Whitehouse's withdrawal, the board took no action on the question of whether the park would be consistent with and allowable under the Town of Monroe Comprehensive Plan.
Whitehouse said Friday he has been wanting to develop an ATV park "for quite a while." His recent plans were for a 140-acre ATV park, similar to Embarrass River ATV Park near Tigerton.
Tigerton is equi-distance from Green Bay, Appleton and Wausau. The park has 20 miles of ATV trails and 37 developed campsites on 500 acres.
Whitehouse said his park would have had a large impact on the local economy.
"It's a huge loss of revenue, about $1.16 million, to the Monroe area," he said about withdrawing his plans. "There's fuel, food, shopping and tax revenue.
"Monroe Township lost about $12,000 in property tax revenue," he added.
Sutter doubts the township lost that much in added property taxes revenue.
"I don't know if it would have been that much," she said. "It would have gone from agriculture to commercial (zoning), and the township mill (rate) is under a dollar (per $1,000 property value)."
Sutter suspects the $12,000 Whitehouse is quoting includes county and school taxes.
According to meeting minutes, the township received 277 petition signatures against the ATV park, after a public information meeting April 1.
Residents noted decreased property values, noise, dust, water run off, soil erosion issues, increased traffic flow, lights, and enforcement issues as some reasons against developing the ATV park in or near the residential area.
The City of Monroe Plan Commission also opposed the establishment of the ATV park, about 1.5 miles from the city limits, based on environmental, safety and aesthetic reasons.
Mayor Bill Ross said that because the city had no legal authority beyond the 1.5 mile border, the Commission made the opposition on principal only.