Village of McFarland residents express their concerns about updated development plans

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – Village of McFarland residents said they have received notices about updated development plans in their area. They say the uncertainty has been unsettling.

Tim Givneski and his wife Dorthy Christianson have lived in their house in the Village of McFarland for nearly 20 years. They spoke with their neighbors Katie and Kevin Bedker, 15 year residents, about how they are feeling.

“Uncertainty,” Givneski said. Katie Bedker chimed in by adding she’s feeling “fear, anxiety and stress.”

The negative reaction to the plan is in response to the villages decision to conduct a blighting assessment, ultimately deeming some areas in District 1 and 2 of the Village.

“Blight is a really difficult word, it’s a word that comes to us in this process by state statute,” said Village of McFarland Board President Caroline Clow.

Director of Community and Economic Development Andrew Bremer says that blight is “traditionally physical features of a property like a broken window or graffiti.”

According to Wisconsin State Law, the term blight has multiple meanings.

An area which is predominantly open and which because of obsolete platting, diversity of ownership, deterioration of structures or of site improvements, or otherwise, substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of the community.

Bremer said he doesn’t consider areas in the Village of McFarland necessarily rundown, but sees this area as having potential for new development.

“The blight assessment is used more to inform us about where are areas that in our village might have more potential for redevelopment opportunity,” said Bremer.

He said that any major changes will not be happening anytime soon.

“We don’t plan on using condemnation and we don’t have any development plans in front of us right now,” Bremer said.

Even though the plans are for the future, Givneski said as someone who has lived in his neighborhood for nearly two decades, even the far future is a concern for him and his wife.

“You know that the margin of progress is going to come up the street,” said Givneski. “So does that affect our property value, you bet it does, because who is going to build a house that is being torn down in 10 years.”

A public hearing meeting will take place on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at the McFarland Municipal Center to address the community’s concerns.

Clow said that the meeting will begin with an overview of the development updates, then will open up for public comment in person and via zoom.

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