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WISCONSIN

Save the County Grounds Again!

The Milwaukee County Economic and Community Development Committee was set to vote to sell 89 acres of the Northeast Quadrant of the County Grounds to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) for development of their new Engineering and Applied Science campus, which would be known as “Michael J. Cudahy Innovation Park.” UWM Chancellor Carlos Santiago stated this location was best for the new campus due to its proximity to the Medical College of Wisconsin and other local companies that UWM could partner with to bring in research and development funding. Prior to the vote, no plans or information on the land sale was made available to the public.

Milwaukee Riverkeeper and other groups, including Sierra Club and Park People, have been working for 14 years to protect the remaining natural areas of the Milwaukee County Grounds. Originally proposed for a 235-acre state forest, only 65 acres were ultimately acquired and protected by the state. In the meantime, more than 90 acres have been converted to detention basins by Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (and a large portion of the Northwest Quadrant was sold to Wisconsin Lutheran College for a recreational complex).

Several years ago when the detention basins were approved, Milwaukee Riverkeeper and other environmental groups, staff from County Parks and the City of Wauwatosa and others came together to create a master plan for the County Grounds that would protect the remaining natural areas (including important monarch butterfly habitat), connect the different pieces with trails, and provide for a self-contained economic development zone (EDZ). The EDZ was delineated for 66 acres, and 54 acres of open space and prairie were recommended for conservation. This plan (the Kubala Washatko Plan) was approved by the City of Wauwatosa, but sadly never by Milwaukee County, who paid for the Plan.

UWM is proposing to purchase 89 acres, including 33 acres of the conservation area that would be used for more stormwater detention. In addition, UWM has stated that they will build 450,000 square feet of buildings for the campus, and will most likely sell the additional property for private development such as hotels or retail space.

They are very concerned about this proposal, and testified that the land sale should be delayed until the public has time to review and comment on the proposals. The committee agreed to delay the vote at least one cycle and to provide for a public hearing on the sale.