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Oshkosh council delays vote on stormwater easement after residents object to loss of yard and fence
Summary
The Oshkosh Common Council voted 6–1 on Sept. 9 to lay over action on Resolution 25-480, a proposed stormwater easement affecting parcels on Somerset Way and Jackson Street. Residents said the easement would take yard, fence, trees and a shed; staff said trenchless pipe lining and compensation are options while they study alternatives.
The Oshkosh Common Council on Sept. 9 voted to lay over consideration of a resolution to acquire stormwater easements affecting properties along Jackson Street and Somerset Way after residents raised objections and council members asked staff to explore alternate routes.
Connor Miller, a homeowner at 3835 Somerset Way, told the council the proposed 20-foot easement would take “nearly 15 to 20% of our entire lot,” remove a portion of a garage and patio, cut through fencing and landscaping and reduce the home’s value. “We believe the city taking this property would be wrong,” Miller said during public comment.
Council members and staff described a damaged storm pipe under private yards that carries runoff from Jackson Street (State Trunk Highway 76). City Engineer Grama told the council the pipe varies in construction and was not installed by the city; because it carries public right-of-way runoff, the city must address it. Grama said one repair option is to perform a trenchless lining that would avoid removing fences and sheds now while retaining access rights in the future. “We could cut the fence post out and then line the pipe to still be able to use the pipe for the storm water within that area,” Grama said.
Several council members urged more study and direct negotiation with property owners rather than immediate acquisition. Council Member Bulow said he appreciated staff work but would vote no on approving an easement as presented: “My no vote does not reflect a lack of confidence in the staff. Instead, it’s an encouragement and permission to continue to look for additional options.” Council Member Nichols and others asked staff to develop alternative routing options, noting potential higher costs but urging the council to consider them before authorizing property takings.
City staff said abandoning the pipe would require capping and filling it if it were to be taken out of service; leaving a large unused pipe underground would be unsafe. Grama also told the council that if the pipe collapsed, the city would respond to fix the problem but would need permission or an easement to access private property for repairs.
After roughly two hours of public comment and council discussion, the council amended the resolution on the floor to lay it over for more study and outreach and set a return date. The amended motion to lay over the item until the Nov. 11, 2025 council meeting carried in a roll call vote: Stevenson Aye; Nichols Aye; Larson Aye; Spannbauer Aye; Flom Aye; Bulow No; Mugwower Aye (6–1).
Staff said it would return to council with additional routing options and preliminary cost estimates; staff earlier estimated that, at a high level, they had identified three possible alternate routes but would need two to three months for a fuller analysis. The council asked staff to pursue outreach with the affected homeowners while continuing to study alternatives.
The resolution laid over is listed as Resolution 25-480 and covers stormwater easements at 3820 Jackson Street, 3835 Somerset Way and 3847 Somerset Way. The council did not take further action on the item that night.
