Residents press village to protect Hope Strouse Park as board reviews Blackstone Creek land swap
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Summary
Residents and trustees debated a proposed land exchange involving the Blackstone Creek golf course and Hope Strouse Park. Speakers raised floodplain, access, appraisal, and maintenance concerns; trustees said the item is for discussion only and deferred final action pending community engagement and financial analysis.
Public comment and a lengthy trustee discussion on the proposed Blackstone Creek land exchange dominated the Village of Germantown meeting. Resident Lynn Shower Bednarz told the board the land that is part of the proposed swap is largely floodplain or wetland and urged trustees not to give parkland to a developer, saying the owner is motivated by profit and the village would inherit maintenance and flood-response costs. “When you can't use land…it means nothing what the value is,” Bednarz said.
Other speakers raised technical questions and neighborhood impacts. Thomas Nas, a Blackstone resident, read passages from the appraisal and asked how the village would ‘expand and reimagine’ Hope Strouse Park and who would fund park improvements. Homeowner John Casanova said he was not categorically opposed to a land swap but opposed permanent structures—bathrooms, pavilions, parking or courts—on the west side of the river adjacent to his house, citing noise, lighting, and public-access concerns.
Trustees framed the item as discussion only. President Soderbergh summarized appraisals included in the packet: the 114-acre golf course at $1,200,000; the 2.61-acre park parcel at $290,000; and a 5.45-acre portion of the recycling-center parcel at $480,000, though several trustees questioned whether the entire 10.54-acre recycling parcel should be counted. Trustee Baum pushed back on claims that the entire area is floodplain, saying “there's a substantial portion of this land on the West Side that is above the floodplain” and noting prior discussions with MMSD (referred to in the meeting as a potential partner for regrading and drainage work).
Trustees repeatedly urged more information and public engagement before any action. Several trustees said the Village Center District community engagement work, which will solicit resident input about West Main Street and nearby properties including the FlowerSource parcel, should inform decisions about a swap. Financial questions also surfaced: trustees asked for clearer operating-cost estimates (mowing, snow removal, infrastructure) and whether impact fees or outside partners could offset village costs. No vote was taken; trustees said they expect further community engagement and additional financial analysis before deciding.
Next steps: the board left the item open for more study and public engagement; no formal action was taken at this meeting.