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Village board weighs offer for 1-acre parcel as Alliant seeks central substation
Summary
Board discussed an offer from Alliant to buy about 1 acre of village-owned outlot behind the Piggly Wiggly for a centrally located electrical substation; members pressed for details on easements, environmental protections, security and proximity to senior housing and requested more information in open session or a closed-session negotiation.
The Cottage Grove Village Board on June 1 discussed an offer from Alliant to purchase roughly one acre of village-owned outlot behind the Piggly Wiggly for placement of an electric substation.
Village legal staff said the offer covers only a one-acre portion of the outlot and does not include access easements, which Alliant still must arrange. "The offer does not include any of the easements," legal counsel noted during the discussion.
Trustees raised several concerns about the proposed location, which is within land zoned park/open space and sits near a senior apartment complex. Questions centered on how Alliant would obtain access across private lanes, whether the company had looked at alternative sites, fencing and lighting plans, transformer-oil spill mitigation, and other environmental protections. One trustee said she was "not comfortable voting on this until we have some of those environmental questions answered."
Doug Seymour of Grafe (appearing earlier on a different agenda item) was not representing Alliant; board members asked that staff forward detailed questions to Alliant so the utility could respond. Village attorney Rick advised that some of those issues will also be resolved through later zoning and site-plan review, but that negotiation strategy and contract terms could be discussed in closed session, which the board later authorized.
No sale was approved. The board voted to enter a closed session under Wisconsin Statute 19.85 to deliberate the village's negotiating position on the potential sale and related bargaining matters; members said the goal was to get more technical, environmental and easement information from Alliant before any final decision.
Next steps: staff will compile the trustees' questions on access, environmental mitigation, security, and site design and request substantive responses from Alliant; the board directed staff to return the item for further consideration following follow-up and, if needed, closed-session negotiation.
