You have to realize who ran the board at that time. Our chairwoman had only a few things in mind during her reign of failures. They were, how much green space can we have, should we make everyone have a water garden on their property, how many more horsey trails can we add, amongst other things. She even went as far as making streets narrow in new subdivisions as to prohibit "unsightly" street parking. Another one of her dreams was to make a more direct route to the industrial park, albeit directly through Franksville Park. And yes, the way her and the head bobbers on the board reacted, you would have thought the commuter rail line was already in place. No they won't leave comments here, they got their pound of flesh and are gone. The unfortunate thing is that some of same people still have ties to the village, directly or indirectly. No,the neighborhood planning was a bad dream of someones, railroaded through our Village. I know, I was on the committee for a short time. Then I left because all I would hear is "how can eliminate people from putting their garage door facing the street. They are so unsightly". So you can see the mind set behind planning. And now, if not changed, it will stifle growth and only mean more tax increases in the future. So it may be Walmart now, but it will be any development in the future.

@ tansandy

"No, the neighborhood planning was a bad dream of someones, railroaded through our Village. I know, I was on the committee for a short time. Then I left ......[a]nd now, if not changed, it will stifle growth and only mean more tax increases in the future."

So, instead of trying to achieve change from the planning you deemed unreasonable, you quit. It thus appears that you should accept some blame for any "stifling of growth" and future "tax increases."

Instead, you blame those residents following the "neighborhood planning" that you abandoned, and denigrate the present Village Board for attempting to work within such plans?

Quit and blame others for playing within the rules you left behind, right? Could it be that all of your combative, denigrating comments are driven by guilt? Or, more importantly, perhaps your "build it, I will come!!!" view of the Walmart issue exceeds factual reasonability because you simply have an axe to grind?

Thanks for showing your hand. No, really, thanks. I (and others) can now safely disregard any further comment from you as lacking in reason.

Tansandy, thanks for that insight.

You probably did not attend the "Station Area" public workshop on March 22, 2006. It was at the Community Center and started at 5:00 or 6:00 PM. A few board members were present.

Brian-Very, very unfair painting of that meeting crowd last night. Those concerned sat through 2 presentations from Walmart but have yet a venue to have a dialogue with their Board. At the October 23rd meeting, very few concerns relative to the presentation were brought up by the board, when October 17th a considerable amount of concerns were raised. And one may wonder if our Joint board members had voiced concerns with location, zoning, land use, road issues, Walmart may have backed off at that point. Every citizen has a right to question and get information about issues in their community and every person had a right to be there last night. Wouldn't it be nice if more people engaged in our local government on a regular basis? Not everyone understood exactly what a pre-development agreement was. Although I read this ordinance very thoroughly, I wanted a chance to make sure I was fully informed. And yes, fear and emotion do come into play. Some may be concerned about our board drinking the Walmart Kool Aid. But Pitch forks and torches?? What a load of manure.

Oh, and if I may say: Our Land Use Plan is not law and should be reviewed-I believe every 10 yrs is called for. But don't throw out the baby with the bathwater: Much of it has meaning, merit and substance. And a vital part of that is responsible growth and planning for the ENTIRE village in regards to residential, commercial, rural and industry. You don't put a prison near a grade school. You don't build a home by Red Lobster in front of a Pick n Save. And you don't plop a 185,000 sq ft ANYTHING in a lot surrounded on 3 sides by residential zoning. Development and change will come. Walmart should NOT be dictating where and how that happens.

KOKO- Really? Unfair? The board president gave a thorough explanation of the meaning of the pre-development agreement, not once, but several times. As did the village attorney. Yet several members of your group kept badgering them. A lot of applause by your group were heard during the betrayal comment yelled out of order.

As board members, they are obligated to listen to all sides. The owner of that parcel has every right to explore and explain all options for possible use of his/her land. I'll use this example. You want to place an oversized garage on your property. Your immediate neighbors don't want that ugly oversized garage in next to them. On one it obstructs the sun from reaching their backyard ruining their plans for a pool. The only persons complaining are the immediate neighbors. The rest of the neighborhood doesn't complain. The board votes that you cannot build the oversized garage. Would you want to plead your case, or just have it thrown out before you get a chance to present your plan?

The planning commission and board did that with Camping World and nearly got sued. They are protecting our interests by following the statutes and ordinances. If the village gets sued, all property owners pay for it. Unless your group is willing to take on that financial responsibility alone, let the board do their job. You don't need to be calling them and swearing at them.

Brian Dey- I have never called or sworn at any member of the board. And If you know people whom are doing that, address it with them. Listening to both sides is correct. The community should be on the agenda to voice their side as well, whether for or against, just as you say our Board should and must do for Walmart. It was a public meeting; a civil discourse peppered with some emotion (from the crowd and the board, understandable) . That is what should be happening. Both sides of every issue have some more vocal, radical or inappropriate than the norm. You don't dismiss all for the actions of a few.

I happen to KNOW that there were an awful lot of people at last nights meeting, and the other meetings that have taken place, were also attended by people that not only care about Caledonia, but also do NOT live in the immediate area of the proposed site. So Mr. Dey maybe you should not assume that the only people that give a damn are the people that are directly affected!!!

Carl- And neither does a handful of residents. You seem to forget that while you may be directly impacted by the location, the rest of us are impacted if the process isn't allowed its due process.

How about they buy Wind Point School? Would that location be appropriate? Would that not serve the most densely populated area of Caledonia including Wind Point? Right now they have no retail servicing them. They have to drive. District could use the money to build a new school. Could make access off a residential road to 4 mile. Big enough lot. I know it's not zoned for it. Do you think that would fly? Mr. Screw-do you feel the proposed site lot is appropriate for that type of development? Do you feel large scale retail should be allowed to be built within residential zoning? See, I for one don't want to screw progress. How about promote responsibly?

KOKO- Wind Point school is in Wind Point and it is not the village board's job to represent Wind Point.

Dave- I agree that it is a poor location. The problem is that there is not a site on 32 that makes sense. Prior boards, that also wanted the Douglas Ave. corridor, rezoned areas and put in residential housing, almost making it impossible for any large stores to go in the Douglas Ave. corridor. The roundabout is already going to be taking up land and possibly closing a business. Beyond Six Mile to the north maybe the only possibility, but that may even be a reach because you lose the rooftops.

The logical location would be Hwy 31 and Four Mile. Most of the infrastucture is in place and there is room for a decent commercial corridor. There maybe room for that same commercial corridor along the new 38, but agin, you lose the rooftops.

Midland is Manufacturing. Read the zoning description. How many police calls does Midland get?? Does midland get 1000 car trip shoppers per day? 80-90 semi deliveries per week? Daily shoppers in and out all day long, or do they work in shifts? Do they have grocery bags, grocery carts, pallets of products like fertilizer. Do they have a Black Friday? Their hours of operation are not 24 hrs, correct? That comparison is a joke. I would welcome a Midland type light manufacturing on the proposed lot. Part of the lot is zoned for it.

@ screwprogress

Comparisons to the industrial park? Really?? You're the one grasping at straws here.

The people protesting the Walmart at 4 mi / NGBR have peacefully co-existed with an industrial facility in their back yard for many years - the facility now housing Calstar Products; a business that converts fly ash into brick. How is such a peaceful co-exitence possible? Because it is not obtrusive to those neighboring residents. The facility does not intrude on the lives of neighboring residents with 24 hour traffic, all-night parking lot lights, and an attraction of crime from surrounding areas.

Furthermore, the facility pays adequate property taxes without draining the Village of community of services, such as police responses to petty, 24 hour retail-related crimes.

So Brian Dey, you are saying there would be legal recourse if the village board did not approve the pre-development agreement? And did the board also have to take the next step to ask Racine County to review the company's proposal to rezone?
why go through the steps if you have not already sided with this company?

Wait....Transandy, did you read what you wrote?? You spent an entire paragraph attacking the character of several people. You called them "head bobbers" for God's sake. You basically took the fence and bashed them with it. And then you turn and say "How dare you?" to someone who may question yours? Okay, so the Land Use Plan needs to be updated and revised. The KRM is not happening. Who does that?? The community or Walmart?? In your eyes, does any of that Plan have meaning and merit? The survey, the subareas, the architectural/open space requirements?? Or did you walk away and say screw it and everyone involved?? One thing is for certain: Walmart does not give a crap about this community. We as residents may disagree on the Plan, how to grow, but WE should be the ones deciding and WE should have a voice with our Board If you read the WM proposal, they did not listen at all to our community concerns.

@ Tansandy:

Are you kidding me? You've been insulting other commenters and the Village Board for weeks.

Here's "Tansandy's Greatest Hits" against the Board:

"Barney, Gomer, Goober and the rest of the board don't have the ..... to stand up to anybody!!"

"You see, to be on the Caledonia Village board, you have to go in and get you spine removed."

"And yes, the way her and the head bobbers on the board reacted, you would have thought the commuter rail line was already in place."

Feel compelled to insult me or other commenters? Fine. Just leave the Board out of it.

The Board is under immense pressure in trying to balance a budget, ensure the provision of Village services, and in satisfying the sometimes conflicting needs and concerns of its constituents. While I may not agree with all of the Board's decisions, I will NEVER insult them as you do. Grow up.

Here's another one of "Tansandy's Greatest Hits," made just this morning.

“Aunt Bea, Goober, and Barney from Caledonia decided that they would save a ton of money (yeah right) and do the consulting of the project on their own.”

Unbelievable.