Verona council debates whether to buy Shady Bend or Wayland-area site for a new public works facility

The Verona Common Council debated on Sept. 8 whether to pursue purchase of 6500 Shady Bend Road or a Wayland Road parcel near Well No. 6 for a new public works facility, with staff recommending Shady Bend and multiple alderpersons urging a formal needs assessment and further technical review before any offer.

City staff member Lucas Manning said the two parcels under consideration are the Wayland Road property near Well No. 6 and the Shady Bend property. “Out of the two properties, my preference is the Shady Bend property,” Manning said, adding that Shady Bend is “40 acres, currently listed for sale for … 4.45” million dollars. Manning and other staff said Shady Bend’s gentler topography (about a 15-foot grade differential) would reduce earthwork compared with the Wayland parcel, which has roughly a 40-foot grade change.

Why it matters: alderpersons repeatedly said Verona needs a larger, modern public works campus but cautioned that land purchase and construction are expensive and irreversible. Several council members said the city lacks a recent, comprehensive space-needs study identifying required office, shop and equipment-yard footprints, and that the council should not finalize a site without clearer data on long-term needs, access and regulatory constraints.

Discussion highlights: alderpersons called for more analysis of utility extensions, access and timing of future roads, environmental corridors and state agency requirements. Manning and city staff said both candidate parcels are outside current city limits and would require annexation and extension of the city’s urban service area. City staff noted that multiple new roads and utility extensions would likely be required for either site and that the timing for those improvements could affect how the site functions for years after purchase.

Regulatory and technical constraints were a recurring concern. Manning and city staff said the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has setback requirements that would prevent a salt-storage shed from being placed near Well No. 6, making the Wayland parcel less desirable for salt storage. City staff also flagged environmental corridors and the need for DNR permitting and possible review by regional planning authorities during any annexation or urban service area expansion.

Several alderpersons urged caution rather than rushing into a purchase. Alder Tucker Long said the council should avoid committing to a site without knowing how much land the city will truly need: “I’m very concerned that we’re talking about spending, you know, double-digit million dollars on this project. But we don’t know how much office space we’re going to need,” she said. Alder Lytle echoed that sequence should start with a needs analysis: “You start with a needs analysis,” Lytle said, arguing that alternative arrangements (split locations, staged construction, or reusing existing city property) should be considered in planning.

Staff directions and next steps: the council did not approve any purchase. Instead staff were asked to return with more information as soon as practical, including: utility-extension options and estimated costs, likely road access/alignment alternatives and timing, analysis of environmental corridors and DNR permitting implications, a search for any preexisting needs assessments the city might have, and a scope and budget estimate for a formal needs study if the council desires one. Staff said they could perform preliminary due-diligence steps and use consultant support (including AECOM) for technical analyses.

Timing: the mayor and staff said they would try to return to the council with the requested information promptly; staff estimated the follow-up could be ready for a council meeting in September or, more likely, October.

What was not decided: no purchase offer, no binding choice of site, and no commitment to finalize a building design. Council members emphasized that a future decision should be informed by a formal space-needs assessment and by resolved questions on utilities, road access and regulatory approvals.

Ending: Council members acknowledged the scarcity and cost of suitable land near Verona and expressed a desire to proceed deliberately to avoid a short-term fix that would fail to meet long-term needs. Staff will pursue the technical follow-up identified by the council and report back at the next practical meeting cycle.