Waukesha council rejects proposal to build short Silvernail Road sidewalk serving Buckingham Court

Waukesha — The Waukesha City Common Council on May 6 declined a motion to install a sidewalk along a portion of Silvernail Road from 2914 Buckingham Court to Sussex Lane, after residents and alderpersons debated safety, cost and whether the walk would connect to other sidewalks.

Kenneth Theallen, a Buckingham Court resident who spoke during public comment, told the council the proposed sidewalk would impose maintenance costs and reduce his property value. “I could hire an individual probably at the same rate. Or … I can build a shed down there,” Theallen said, and later stated, “I feel that I will devalue my property by 20 to $30,000.” He also estimated potential snow-removal costs and fines that, in his figures, could add up to about $3,000 a year.

The disagreement centered on a short section of sidewalk shown in the council packet as a red segment. Alderman Rick Lemke made the motion to include that red section — described in the agenda as a special-charge installation from 2914 Buckingham Court to Sussex Lane — but the motion did not carry.

Council members were split about whether the red segment should be built now or deferred. Several alderpersons said a city sidewalk plan recommends completing connections even if they temporarily “dead end,” framing sidewalks as infrastructure that should be extended in pieces over time. “At some point we’re going to have to put a sidewalk that goes to nowhere if we ever want to finish these sidewalks out,” Alderman Wells said during debate.

Other alderpersons argued the short red stretch would be primarily used by a handful of nearby residents and would impose an immediate maintenance burden on owners who would be assessed under the special-charge process. Alderperson Van Trieste told the council she surveyed nearby constituents and said she found little support among neighbors. Alderperson Walton said the Board of Public Works previously recommended installing the main (blue) section and recommended against the red section; several council members said they favored following that recommendation.

City staff explained the broader planning context. “There was a sidewalk plan that had been developed by staff, approved by a plan commission, as well as Board of Public Works and Council,” a public works staff member told the council, adding that the timing to complete the connection to Meadowbrook Road depends on a separate boundary agreement with Pewaukee (referred to in the meeting as the BAA) dating to the late 1990s. That BAA could affect whether and when the yellow-highlighted portion in the packet could be completed.

Council debate also included proposals to focus construction on completing sidewalks on Sussex Lane and installing ADA ramps to meet accessibility requirements. Alderman Piper and other members urged the council to consider ADA compliance and long-term costs; another council member noted that mobilization costs make retrofitting sidewalks later more expensive because crews would need to return solely to construct that segment.

After discussion and public comment, the motion to install the red segment from 2914 Buckingham Court to Sussex Lane failed. The council proceeded to other agenda items.

Votes at a glance: Motion to install sidewalk along Silvernail Road from 2914 Buckingham Court to Sussex Lane — moved by Alderman Rick Lemke; second not specified in the audio record; outcome: failed (vote tally not specified in the transcript excerpt).