Letter to the Editor: Fontana's Greatest Asset

Hawks Woods Returns

Save the Date: Holly Ball

A Walk through the Woods

Fundraising 411

Many Thanks

Hackmatack Update

Fall into Spring: Tree Seedling Sale

Around Town: Upcoming Events

Many Thanks: Holly Ball Sponsors

Sharon O'Brien has been getting a lot of publicity lately for her efforts in Fontana. For those of you who read the Oct. 14 issue of the Regional News or who are just plain lucky enough to know Sharon personally, you are already aware that she is pleading with Village of Fontana government officials to rewrite the zoning and land-division ordinances.

Obviously I agree with Sharon. That being said, I am clearly biased. She serves on the board of the Geneva Lake Conservancy, and the Conservancy could not agree more when it comes to the need for the Village of Fontana to do more to protect shoreline property from overdevelopment.

But it is not just shoreline property Sharon is talking about. It is everything - everything that makes the west end of the lake such a wonderful place for those of us who call it home. It's not just me who agrees with her. Everyone from Village president Pete Petersen to Village attorney Dale Thorpe has expressed, publicly and on several occasions, that the Village codes are basically a cobbled together mess of amendments and revisions that no longer are serving the Village as intended.

Considering the Village recently adopted a comprehensive master plan, which lays out a clear and exciting vision for the future of Fontana, it is a shame the existing codes will do nothing but give us more of what we have already.

It is the equivalent of paying a talented architect to draft plans for your dream home when all you have to build it with are a rusty saw and a big rock for a hammer. The plans might be amazing, but the result will be anything but.

So, if everyone agrees there is a problem, what's the problem?

Unfortunately, in an effort to cut costs, the Village has pushed the rewrite project to the bottom of the pile. While I understand the thought process behind the decision, I disagree with putting this important project off until some distant bountiful future.These types of cost-cutting measures surely help in the short term by saving money, but in the long run the situation just gets worse. It is no different than postponing routine maintenance on your car or canceling your health insurance.

Today you reap the benefits from the savings, but eventually it all catches up to you.

Here in Fontana our single most valuable asset is the village itself. Not the Village-owned vehicles or the municipal buildings, but the very land this village and its residents occupy. Add up the value of all private property in Fontana and it is worth more than a billion dollars - that's with a "b." Something that valuable surely should be protected, and that is the purpose for having good zoning and land-division regulations on the books.

Rewriting the codes, as Village officials already admit is necessary, will ensure our growth is as inspired as the goals we've set out in the comprehensive plan. If we put off rewriting the codes, one need only look at some of our recent development projects to get a sense of what the future holds. If you think we can do better, call your Village officials and let them know.

Joseph A. McHugh
Geneva Lake Conservancy Executive Director
Fontana resident

After being pulled by the applicant last month in response to questions regarding legal non-compliance, the Hawks Woods condominium project was newly resubmitted to the Village this month, along with requests to waive a couple code requirements. At the recent Village of Fontana Plan Commission meeting, held this last Monday, October 25, 2010, the project was granted approval on two counts.

The first approval now allows the applicant to skip over a step in the standard application process, which village staff argued was never intended to apply to condominium projects. The second approval waives a requirement to provide public access, which, as stated by Attorney Dale Thorpe, the Village had no legal right to enforce. Thorpe commented that the requirement should not have been incorporated in the code in the first place, adding yet another item to his list of reasons why the Village needed to rewrite its zoning and land division ordinances.

In the spirit of Halloween, and those horror film antagonists who simply refuse to die, it is ironic that we continue to talk about condominium developments on the shores of Geneva Lake. Over three years ago, Fontana adopted a temporary moratorium on all lakefront condominium proposals and has been struggling with the issue ever since.

As long as this is a beautiful place to live, work and visit, there is going to be pressure to develop the lakefront. If we wish to ensure that the pressure does not destroy this area's enviable environmental character, the codes need to be rewritten, as Fontana officials and their legal counsel have noted for years. Until the Village moves forward with addressing the weaknesses in its zoning and land division ordinances, we can do little more than the audience at a horror movie, which is to yell at the screen - "It's right behind you - Fix your ordinances!"

I am fortunate enough with my position here at the GLC as land protection specialist to be able to "Keep close to Nature's heart," as John Muir talks about in one of my favorite quotes. Recently the Conservancy staff was able to do the same with me on our annual walk through Hermansen's Woods.

Every year the staff meets with Al Hermansen, our 2008 Conservation Stewardship Award winner, to have our annual walk through the woods he donated to our organization in 2000. Located just south of Lake Como, the 15 acres of rolling hills and maple trees never cease to surprise me. They take you away, even for just 30 minutes, to step into nature and clear your mind.

Every summer when Al comes back to Wisconsin from California he spends countless hours working in the woods. He does everything from blazing trails to picking up trash on the property. Every year the woods continue to look better and better. His efforts are greatly appreciated and something we all should find some time in our lives to do.

Most years our walk occurs in autumn when the maple trees in the woods are at their peak. As the sunlight gleams through the golden leaves, a golden aura is spread throughout the entire woods. For me, it is almost magical.

So, I wanted to share a few photos I snapped during our recent walk, even though the photos don't do justice to the actual sights, sounds, and smells you get walking through the property.

Interested in walking the woods yourself? For more inforamtion regarding Hermansen's Woods, call me at the Conservancy 262-275-5700 or e-mail inquiries to Lynn Ketterhangen.

According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, giving to the nation's top nonprofits is down 11 percent due to the recession. The top 10 organizations - from United Way at No. 1 to the Y at No. 10 - dropped as much as 40 percent in 2009. Projections for giving in 2010 are not expected to improve more than 1.4 percent.

These figures are true for nonprofits on the national and local scale, but that truth isn't keeping the Conservancy from telling a slightly different story.

The economic slowdown galvanized our Board to revitalize how we approached fund-raising. We accepted the downturn as a challenge to improve. While donations throughout the recession and its recovery have been down, we still are blessed with incredibly generous supporters - you! And, we have done our best to provide the services you expect from us.

This year alone we fought efforts to connect more homes to our overcrowded lakes through a condominium zoning loophole. We fought new boathouses too close to our shores. We also are taking the steps necessary to develop unified shoreland standards and a lake district that will protect our lakes through cohesive zoning regulations and protections.

We also are pursuing new conservation easements to protect the natural beauty and features of our area. We are investigating practical ways to help improve the inlet for Delavan Lake to benefit the water quality for the whole lake. We have increased the number of educational opportunities available through our offices - from watershed education to free clinics, all aimed at encouraging the lasting protection of the environmental character of this area.

These activities are done on behalf of our members, and these activities are why we need you. Giving may be down, but if you will consider a year-end gift to the Conservancy, you will help us take these programs and more into 2011 and beyond.

Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Last weekend, at the Blackhawk Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society's Annual Meeting, GLC Chairman Bob Klockars was presented with a donation of $1000 from the 2010 Geneva Lakes Antique and Classic Boat Show.

The Conservancy Board and staff thank the Chapter members for their generosity and support. Donations such as these help us continue our mission to protect the environmental character of the Geneva lakes area.

Comments are welcome!

Following the open house discussions about the Hackmatack Natural Wildlife Refuge, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking comments about the proposal. Comments will be most useful if they are received by Nov. 1, but they are welcome throughout the planning process.

Direct e-mail comments to: r3planning@fws.gov.

Comments also may be mailed to:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Conservation Planning
Attn.: Hackmatack NWR Proposal
BHW Federal Building, 1 Federal Dr.
Ft. Snelling, MN 55111

The service also will be asking for comments once the draft environmental assessment is released for public review and comment late next spring. For more information, visit www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/hackmatack/.

From the DNR: Autumn is a great time of year for landowners to enjoy their properties, but it is also a good time to work on improving them by preparing for tree planting next spring.

The Spring 2011 Tree and Shrub Ordering Form is available from the State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources State Nursery Program. The form includes information about available tree and shrub species and directions about how to order online or by mail. Species information and tips on how to prepare a site also may be found on the forestry pages of the DNR website.

To learn more, go to http://dnr.wi.gov/news/DNRNews_article_Lookup.asp?id=1576.

Around Town: Upcoming Events

November 3: Seed Collecting in Fontana
The Fontana Garden Club will be meeting for one last seed gathering session on November 3. The group will meet at 12:00 PM in the parking lot at the Village Hall. The group will gather Aster and Zigzag Goldenrod savannah seed, which will be sown that day.

November 13: Prairie Walk
Join the Fontana Garden Club as they sow the seeds collected over tha past few months. Volunteers can meet at 1PM at the Village Hall for homemade cake, milk and coffee. Tom Vanderpoel will give a short talk before the group heads up to Duck Pond Road.

November 20: Sixth annual Turkey Trot
Enjoy a run/walk on the trails of Big Foot Beach State Park and support the Friends of Big Foot Beach State Park at the same time. Visit Clear Water Outdoor for more information and registration. www.clearwateroutdoor.com

Dec. 4: GLC Holly Ball
This year's Rockin' Holly Ball features the Eddie Butts Band, and a $2,500 cash-prize raffle! Visit the GLC's Holly Ball page, call (262-275-5700), or email the Conservancy for more information.