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Parks budget approved; Kemper shoreline restoration and Pike/Fox Springs parking upgrades to be funded from parkland reserves
Summary
The Parks budget was approved and will fund Kemper shoreline preservation using parkland reserves; staff also proposed parking widening near the Pike beer garden and noted parkland reserve balances and remnant parcel sale proceeds.
Kenosha County supervisors approved the Parks 2026 budget after staff outlined several capital items, including restoration work at Kemper Shoreline and parking improvements at Pike and Fox Springs to address beer garden congestion.
Funding: Staff said the Kemper Shoreline restoration will be paid from the parkland reserve rather than additional levy. With the proposed projects and next year’s revenue, staff estimated the parkland reserve balance would be approximately $150,000. The presentation also referenced proceeds from remnant parcels of County Highway F — roughly $350,000 was described as received from those sales, with one parcel still involving the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and not yet fully closed.
Pike/Fox Springs parking improvements: Staff said the project would widen the parkway near the beer garden to allow angled parking rather than constructing a new parking lot. The plan calls for pushing curb and gutter back near a bridge to create additional on-street angled spaces while minimizing impact to green space; staff said the committee would be shown design visuals before construction.
Other notes: Staff confirmed the AirGuard tenant lease at the airport facility expires Dec. 31, 2026; the county will consider re-bidding or renegotiating the contract next year.
Why it matters: The projects aim to improve park access and shoreline preservation without increasing levy demand, relying instead on parkland reserves and previously identified revenue sources.
Committee action: Parks budget and CIP adjustments approved by voice vote.
