Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Sale Appraisal topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
WisDOT and DNR brief council on appraisal and proposed transfer of Norway riverfront land for recreation
Summary
Wisconsin DOT and the DNR presented an appraisal and multi-agency plan to acquire roughly 259 acres of city-owned riverfront land for addition to a bi-state Menominee River recreation area; the appraiser estimated about $54,500 per acre (about $1.16 million total), and officials outlined next steps including 6(f) Land and Water Conservation Fund requirements, FERC boundary adjustments and potential easements for continued dam access.
Representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources told the Norway City Council they have completed an appraisal and are pursuing a multi-party agreement to add roughly 259 acres of city-owned riverfront land to the Menominee River State Recreation Area.
Jay Walsh Schmidt, section manager at WisDOT, introduced the presentation and described a long-running coordination effort among WisDOT, DNR and FERC. Bridget Brown of the Wisconsin DNR summarized her agency’s role in recreation and real-estate oversight.
Greg Gasper, WisDOT’s real estate section chief, described the appraisal process and the final estimate: "His estimate of final value, therefore, looking at those 2 properties was right about $54,500 an acre, about $1,160,000." Gasper explained the appraiser used a sales-comparison approach for recreation/forestry highest-and-best-use and that the report had been reviewed by DNR reviewers and WisDOT staff.
Officials said the proposed transaction would allow DNR to add land to the Menominee State Recreation Area and to use Land and Water Conservation Fund mitigation to clear prior encumbrances on 24 wayside parcels. Jay explained that to sell properties encumbered under the 6(f) program the state must provide land of equal value and use.
Council members raised operational concerns including whether the city would retain access to dam facilities from the Wisconsin side and how the FERC project boundary and easements would be handled. Cheryl (DNR) advised that a parallel FERC-boundary amendment process would be necessary and that "we would work with you to seek an amendment to your license so that those areas that are outside of what's necessary and needed are removed from your work license and no longer part of what's required as part of your work license."
Speakers acknowledged additional steps before any sale: obtaining DNR and National Park Service approvals tied to acquisition and 6(f) conversion, clarifying mineral-rights ownership on four parcels, and completing legal reviews. Jay said the appraisal was delivered to the city in March 2026 and that the city could commission its own appraisal if it preferred; council members asked staff to investigate the cost of obtaining an independent appraisal.
No final decision was made; the council asked staff to collect maps and clarifying materials on the FERC boundary, easements and interim controls while negotiations continue. Officials characterized the proposal as a long, multi-step process but said they saw no outright regulatory objections at this stage.
