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Committee approves private fiber easement, two solar-project road-payments
Summary
Kenosha County Public Works Committee voted unanimously to accept a permanent limited utility easement for private fiber to serve a corporate campus and to accept two one-time roadway-degradation payments tied to separate solar projects.
Kenosha County Public Works Committee members voted unanimously June 23 to accept a permanent limited utility easement for private fiber at the Route 164/Uline headquarters campus and to accept two one-time roadway-degradation payments from solar developers for future county road repairs.
The easement authorizes Route 164 H4 LLC to run private fiber across County Trunk Highway Q to connect buildings at the site commonly associated with Uline’s headquarters; the county will require record drawings and restoration as conditions of the easement. The committee also approved a $40,000 payment from the Bristol Woods solar developer and a $45,000 payment from the Strawberry Creek solar developer to be used for future county roadway repairs related to construction traffic.
The easement resolution was presented by Gregory Hoult, who described the measure as a way to ensure private contractors meet county standards when nonutility entities place infrastructure in county right-of-way. “We need record drawings of exactly where it is,” Hoult said, describing the county’s requirement for mapping and relocation responsibility if future work on the road requires moving the line.
On the Bristol Woods solar project, county staff described the $40,000 as a lump-sum contribution calculated from a formula that weighed acreage and expected miles of heavy-construction travel. County staff said the payment is intended to pre-fund road repairs rather than attempting to recoup costs after damage occurs. For Strawberry Creek, staff described a similar approach using acreage and mileage to arrive at $45,000.
Committee members asked whether the lump-sum method limits the county’s ability to seek additional funds if actual damage ultimately exceeds the amount collected. Staff said the county could attempt to seek additional remediation funding in extraordinary circumstances but acknowledged it can be difficult to quantify construction-related wear precisely.
Votes at a glance
- Acceptance of a permanent limited utility easement, County Trunk Highway Q (Route 164 H4 LLC): approved, unanimous. Motion: move to approve; second: not specified in record. Outcome: approved. - Bristol Woods solar project—accept $40,000 roadway-degradation payment: approved, unanimous. Motion: moved by Supervisor Franco; second: Supervisor Beto. Outcome: approved. - Strawberry Creek solar project—accept $45,000 roadway-degradation payment: approved, unanimous. Motion: not specified in record. Outcome: approved.
All three items were recorded as passing by voice vote with no recorded oppositions.
