Of course without development, Chief Potowatomi would still be gliding in his dug out canoe over the deep waters of Geneva in search of a lake trout that couldn’t evade his spear. Come to think of it, that sounds pretty nice, so maybe the development thing isn’t that great after all. The associations surrounding Geneva Lake are myriad in size and complexity, but they were all, at one time or another, approved and platted by the powers that were. The current development status of lakefront and lake access property is subject to considerable oversight, and is something best approached with both deep pockets and a deep tolerance for rejection. The lakefront is quite protected, and the local ordinances many times go above and beyond the rule of common sense when enforcing them. Need an example? Got a vacant lot in Cedar Point Park that’s platted, taxed, and ready to be built on? Not so fast, the Village’s new rules say it’s not buildable. Keep paying your taxes and keep the grass mowed though, since the neighbors enjoy their free side yard at your expense. Got an historic mansion on the lakefront and you want to tear it down to build three homes in it’s place? Go right ahead, just be sure to put up a silt fence. (I’m still mourning you, Westgate)
While there’s little rhyme or reason as to which developments are allowed and which ones are banned, there is a clear and burgeoning trend affecting lakefront property on Geneva. It’s a condo thing. Not a condo like you’re thinking of, but condominium ownership structures with single family appeal. The Village of Fontana entertained the most recent requests on Monday night, both involving property on Fontana’s exclusive North Shore. When I say exclusive, I really mean exclusive as in hardly ever a property for sale over more than a 1/2 mile of magnificent lake frontage. The proposed developments are both seeking permission to change the ownership structure of the parcels, and add more single family homes on the site. Not many more, mind you, just one more in one case, and three more in another. The visual impact isn’t much, but the precedent is extreme and poses a long term threat to the lakefront on Geneva. Here’s why.
Geneva is among the most regulated, watched over, coddled body of water in the State of Wisconsin. With good reason, as Geneva is the crown jewel in this lake, whether Green Lake wants to admit to it or not. Strict building ordinances, even stricter DNR enforced pier policies, and general peer pressure from neighbors has created a lakefront utopia, free of terribly high congestion, and free of old truck tires doubling as boat bumpers. It’s a beautiful lake, and the protection of the lake is not an accident, nor is it something that folks around here take lightly. The proposed redevelopment of land on the North Shore of Fontana is just another step in the wrong direction, and direction that is divergent to the goal of keeping Geneva as pristine and uncluttered as possible. The owners of the properties in question are not seeking to destroy the lakefront, they’re just seeking to profit from it, and profit, as you know, is my friend. Their development plans don’t significantly change the current use of the land, or the density, but they do change the nature of the property. While one or two of these redevelopments aren’t going to result in any visual impairment to the neighborhood, what if the trend continues? What is the municipalities continue to bow and bend under the weight of high influence locals with lengthy tenure’s and crafty attorney’s? What if we fast forward (like in Click, but unfortunately without Kate Beckinsale) 50 years and a full 40% of the lakefront properties have been rezoned, and redeveloped all in search of the almighty dollar with little regard paid as to the impact of the lake and the neighboring properties? That’d be a terrible thing, and it’d be the exact opposite of what we should want for this great lake of ours.
For now, take the time to send an email to the Fontana board, and tell them you’re not a big fan of lakefront zoning changes, and you’d like to see the lakefront density remain the same. The Westgate redevelopment was an unmitigated mistake in my mind, and time won’t change that. The Village cannot take back their previous approvals, but they can hold back on new ones. I think the Fontana lakefront should remain as is, to further ensure the integrity of the tranquil, private, highly desirable, highly valuable, wildly historic, North Shore of Fontana.