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Town of Onalaska residents should know what has been happening in the town. There have been requests to amend our comprehensive plan to allow for the development of more than 900 acres.

Our elected officials’ duty is to make fair decisions based on the facts before them. The town board held a public hearing on the requests but did not answer any questions from residents.

The facts are:

1. The comprehensive plan was put together in a series of meetings for two years prior to its adoption with input from professional land-use planners, input from officials from the state Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Geological Survey, La Crosse County, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Vierbicher & Associates and residents. Taxpayers paid for and participated in the plan. Board supervisors were encouraged to attend, yet the current board chose not to attend and participate.

2. The experts have stated in town studies (even prior to the comprehensive plan) that in order to maintain the current system of wells for safe drinking water, the town should plan carefully for future development and avoid overdevelopment, which will cause the town to look to neighboring municipalities for safe drinking water.

3. At the public hearing, residents were told by the town chairman that every future request for comprehensive plan changes will be granted based on property rights — their belief that anyone should be able to do what they want with land, no matter how it affects their neighbors.

4. Statements have been made that everything else is developed around the undeveloped land. The experts agree that the town needs to have large amounts of open space to provide water recharge so that our wells remain safe. Brice Prairie has a large farm that needs to have open space to continue farming.

5. The town averages seven new homes a year. A recent UW-Extension study showed that residential housing does not bring in enough taxes to pay for the services the town provides to the subdivision. The town chairman recently stated that all future developments will be required to have houses that cost more than $250,000 to get the taxes needed.

In the current housing slump, the changes to the comprehensive plan do not make sense. Who will benefit from the changes and how will they affect our property taxes, our property values and the safety of our children who use our roads for biking and walking, and our drinking water? These are questions that the town board refused to answer.

I sincerely believe that by purchasing property in the town, every property owner has the right to be involved in government. I believe that as a community we have a duty to preserve our community for future generations.

The La Crosse County Board will be considering these changes at the March 20 County Board meeting. Please contact your supervisor and let them know how you feel about this issue.