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Commission discusses cemetery verification; chair notes DNR review for disturbances of one acre or more
Summary
Commissioners and staff discussed an old cemetery reported on the project site and said verification of relocated graves is ongoing; the chair noted that any land disturbance of one acre or more triggers Department of Natural Resources (DNR) review for wetlands, groundwater and related permits.
Commissioners and staff flagged an old cemetery on or near the project site and said verification is ongoing to confirm whether graves were relocated to Waukesha.
A staff member described the situation: “So basically, what we're talking about is the great old cemetery that was there. There were some sites that were already moved to Waukesha. That process is still ongoing,” and said the comment had come up during public comments.
The chair added that the village engineer had noted permitting thresholds: “Whenever you disturb 1 acre or more of land the DNR gets involved — groundwater, cemeteries, wildlife, all of that. They're going to mandate permits and research and maps,” the chair said.
Why it matters: Historic resources and cemetery verification can affect project scope and require archaeological and permitting work by state agencies. Staff said the verification and permit coordination must be completed as part of the review process before final approvals.
Next steps: Staff indicated verification processes are ongoing and that outcomes will inform whether additional permits or mitigation are required. The commission did not take a separate vote on the cemetery issue during this meeting and referred the matter to staff follow-up.
