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Adams County approves application for stewardship land-acquisition grant after debate about public ownership and local impact
Summary
The board voted to apply for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship land-acquisition grant and DNR forestry loan to expand county forest holdings; supporters said the grants conserve contiguous forest, opponents warned of market distortion and local tax effects. The vote passed 16–4.
Adams County supervisors voted to apply for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Land Acquisition Grant and the Wisconsin DNR Division of Forestry project loan to pursue adding parcels to the county forest. The motion (Resolution 19) passed 16–4.
Resolution 19 authorizes the county to apply for grant funding and to enter a memorandum of agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for potential acquisitions. Committee members and staff said the application is a preliminary step: grant application and award do not obligate the county to purchase parcels, and any purchase would be brought back to the county board for approval of terms.
Several supervisors expressed concerns about market impact and local control. Supervisor Posdolski and others asked what the intended use of the parcels would be and noted there was no fair-market-value analysis in the materials; they requested additional research on potential costs and effects on neighboring property values. Opponents argued that public acquisition could distort local real estate markets and make land unaffordable for private buyers. Supporters, including members of Land and Water and county staff, said the program is commonly used to preserve contiguous forest and open-space and that the seller (a timberland investor) typically only sells to public entities or conservation organizations.
County staff and forestry representatives told supervisors the program provides cost-share opportunities, interest-free or low-interest mechanisms tied to timber receipts, and that timberland sellers in question often limit sales to public entities or conservation organizations. Colton (forestry/staff) said the county currently owns 748 acres in its county forest program and that the parcels under consideration would add roughly 680 acres; he explained that private timberland firms sometimes do not sell to private individuals but will sell to public agencies or conservation organizations.
Supervisor Carlson summarized the local stakes bluntly: “Either we get it or Sand Valley gets it,” arguing public ownership could prevent development by a nearby developer. After a motion to end debate, the board adopted Resolution 19; the purchase of any parcels would return to the full board for a separate approval and any required appropriation.
