Officials worry nature preserve will limit Port growth

The Port Washington Common Council will be asked to approve a resolution June 2 endorsing a plan to create the Clay Bluffs Cedar Gorge Nature Preserve on 135 acres of land that was once part of the proposed Cedar Vineyard subdivision on the city’s southeast side.

The show of support for efforts by the Ozaukee Washington Land Trust and Ozaukee County to acquire the land from Waukesha State Bank is a requirement for the groups to potentially receive a $2 million Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Grant from the Department of Natural Resources.

But Ald. Mike Gasper, who said he supports the nature preseve proposal, questioned whether a nature area on the city’s border is the right move, saying it would in effect create a permanent southern border for the community.

That would happen, he said, because the cost of extending utilities farther to the south would become cost prohibitive since the cost would be borne by fewer properties.

Land south of the preserve, he said, would likely then potentially be annexed to the City of Mequon or Village of Grafton rather than Port Washington.

Gasper asked if the Land Trust and county could sell the western 350 feet of the preserve for development, which would ensure city sewer and water service could be extended further south.

The sale of this strip of property could also help offset the cost of purchasing land for the preserve, he said.

“It is the lowest quality land for the preserve,” Gasper said of the parcel he suggested using for development.

Mayor Marty Becker said he shared Gasper’s concern about permanently setting the city’s southern border.

“It’s a tough one because it’s a good project but it does bind us,” Becker said.

However, other aldermen seemed less concerned.

“I don’t think we have to worry about that so much,” Ald. Paul Neumyer said of the potential of the land to the south developing as a part of Mequon or Grafton. “The City of Mequon will never go north of Highway C. And I think there’s a natural barrier between the city and town of Grafton.”

If the land is developed outside of the City of Port, he said, it’s likely to remain part of the Town of Grafton.

The problem with that, Gasper said, is that those residents are likely to come into the City of Port and use its services, such as the library and parks.

Gasper told Land Trust Executive Director Tom Stolp and Ozaukee County Parks and Planning Director Andrew Struck to “tell me how awful I am for suggesting that,” asking whether this would impact grants the agencies have already applied for.

“Is that a complete non-starter for you?” he asked.

“It would be a massive reconfiguration of the projects we’ve already put out for several grants,” Stolp said. 

“It would dramatically affect the grant applications.”

Struck agreed, noting that the frontage along Highway C is being eyed for an extension of the Interurban Trail and a recreation trail.

There are significant challenges to extending sewer and water services along the preserve land, he added — one reason the preserve is planned for the south portion of Waukesha State Bank’s overall 200-acre site.

A 70-acre portion of the bank’s land north of the proposed preserve is expected to be developed, he noted.

Gasper suggested that if the city doesn’t plan to extend its border south of the preserve property, it should “de-annex” the land.

“What is the advantage for it being in Port Washington other than people saying it’s in Port Washington instead of Grafton?” he asked.

“I think Ald. Gasper has given us something to think about,” Ald. Deb Postl said.

But Neumyer said he does not want to slow the preserve project.

“I don’t want to set them back. They’ve put a lot of effort into this,” he said.