A major development ticketed for the City of Franklin is going back to the drawing boards, temporarily preserving wooded and wetlands there and suggesting that a smaller project will eventually get underway.
The uproar in Franklin illustrates one of the shortcomings in land use plan for southeastern Wisconsin: the regional planning commission laid out decades ago a proposal including what it called environmental corridors.
But for years across the historic Kettle Moraine, and then nearly again in fast-growing Franklin, areas designated for preservation by regional planners are mere recommendations, leaving local politicians free to push environmental corridor lands under the bulldozers.
So good for conservationists in Franklin who showed up and spoke out at their Plan Commission Wednesday night.
They demonstrated the power of grassroots organizing to preserve a legacy of open space for their children and grandchildren.
The plan was actually pulled the day BEFORE the Plan Commission meeting wherein it was to be discussed. A complete surprise to those of us following the project closely.
ReplyDeleteGREAT potential there now that everyone will have a chance to step back and re-evaluate the site. It shouldn't be impossible to create a wonderful (and profitable) public space that maintains as much of the natural character of the area as possible.
On the other hand, ANYTHING would be an improvement to the "Southridge on the Half-Shell" site plan originally proposed.