MONROE - The Monroe Community Improvement Committee passed a motion Tuesday night to sell a 3.3-acre lot in the Honey Creek Industrial Park for $1 to the Green County Humane Society (GCHS) for the purpose to constructing a new animal shelter.
The sale comes with provisions to produce a buffer zone between the shelter's lot and lots west, and to have construction started within one year or return to renegotiate terms. The city also retains the first option to buy the land back if it is not used.
Paul Barrett, board president of the GCHS, joined Gary Kramer, representing a feasibility committee to establish a new animal shelter facility, at the committee meeting.
Committee members met with Kramer Sept. 24 when he presented the idea of placing the new animal shelter on a lot west of a detention pond in Honey Creek Industrial Park. The lot proposed was not well-suited for industry to build, Kramer said, but would provide a location with enough green space and room to expand for the shelter.
Kramer's concept for the future shelter includes a dog walk area for shelter dogs and residents, and perhaps a pet cemetery, with the expansions planned in the original designs.
"We want to do this in phases, in a disciplined approach," Kramer said.
At the September meeting, Kramer said with the acquisition of the site, the committee would move into raising funds and volunteers.
Committee member Chuck Schuringa and Alderman Mark Coplien raised concerns about DNR regulations and city liability on the detention pond. Committee member Dan Henke wanted a strong buffer zone from other lots in the area. The details will be worked out when the City Council examines the committee's recommendation. City Attorney Rex Ewald said he would also wait for council to approve the sale before he worked out the details of the contract.
Committee members recognized the move of the shelter from along Wis. 69, at 1500 Sixth Avenue to the Industrial Park on 17th Street would not be a loss of tax revenue, because the city owns both locations, but would be a swapping of lots. Alderman Jan Lefevre is going to tour the site with Kramer today.
She said the swapping of lots could possibly be better for generating tax revenue, because of the visible location along the highway.
The sale comes with provisions to produce a buffer zone between the shelter's lot and lots west, and to have construction started within one year or return to renegotiate terms. The city also retains the first option to buy the land back if it is not used.
Paul Barrett, board president of the GCHS, joined Gary Kramer, representing a feasibility committee to establish a new animal shelter facility, at the committee meeting.
Committee members met with Kramer Sept. 24 when he presented the idea of placing the new animal shelter on a lot west of a detention pond in Honey Creek Industrial Park. The lot proposed was not well-suited for industry to build, Kramer said, but would provide a location with enough green space and room to expand for the shelter.
Kramer's concept for the future shelter includes a dog walk area for shelter dogs and residents, and perhaps a pet cemetery, with the expansions planned in the original designs.
"We want to do this in phases, in a disciplined approach," Kramer said.
At the September meeting, Kramer said with the acquisition of the site, the committee would move into raising funds and volunteers.
Committee member Chuck Schuringa and Alderman Mark Coplien raised concerns about DNR regulations and city liability on the detention pond. Committee member Dan Henke wanted a strong buffer zone from other lots in the area. The details will be worked out when the City Council examines the committee's recommendation. City Attorney Rex Ewald said he would also wait for council to approve the sale before he worked out the details of the contract.
Committee members recognized the move of the shelter from along Wis. 69, at 1500 Sixth Avenue to the Industrial Park on 17th Street would not be a loss of tax revenue, because the city owns both locations, but would be a swapping of lots. Alderman Jan Lefevre is going to tour the site with Kramer today.
She said the swapping of lots could possibly be better for generating tax revenue, because of the visible location along the highway.