COUNTY BOARD TO FINALIZE PARKLAND ADDITIONS

February 22, 2017
County Board Chair Sharon Corrigan 608.333.2285

Outdoor lovers are poised to get new parkland and bicycle trail improvements thanks to the Dane County Board.

 

The full Board will consider several open space additions during its regular meeting Thursday, including a 54-acre expansion of Token Creek County Park and Natural Resource Area.

 

Token Creek is the sole cold water trout fishery in northeastern Dane County, with its 27-square mile watershed providing nearly half of the base flow of water for Lake Mendota.

 

“This is a key addition to our park system that packs the double punch of protecting water quality while also providing more recreational opportunities,” said Supervisor Andy Schauer of Madison.

 

The property includes a meandering ¾-mile stretch of Token Creek along with 20 acres of mixed hardwood and pine/spruce forest. The property would be managed as part of the Token Creek Natural Resource Area and may also be classified as a wildlife area.

 

The County Board will also consider purchase of two streambank easements along the West Branch of the Sugar River in the Town of Montrose. The easements will run through a 7-acre parcel that contains a winding stretch of the cold-water trout stream.

 

The easements will provide permanent public fishing access, protect water quality, and preserve fish and wildlife habitat. It adds to earlier open space additions along the Sugar River.

Meanwhile, area bicyclists will benefit from two other land acquisitions before the County Board Thursday.

 

One project will add 15 acres to the Capital Springs Recreation Area in the City of Fitchburg within the Dane County E-Way at the intersection of Clayton Road and County MM.

 

The property acquisition will allow for the realignment of the Capital City State Trail crossing to improve safety for bicyclists and other trail users. This busy intersection has long been a trouble spot for trail users.

“This has been a long-desired amenity by the County and the City of Madison,” said Supervisor Jenni Dye of Fitchburg. “It’s going to improve safety for trail users in this area which sees heavy automobile traffic.”

 

The other project will provide an easement to Wisconsin Power & Light to relocate electric service to allow a bicycle-pedestrian overpass at County PD/McKee Road for the Ice Age Trail.

 

Also Thursday, the County Board will consider two resolutions opposing recent executive orders from President Donald Trump.

 

One resolution puts the Board on record against Trump’s deportation policies and reaffirms Dane County’s commitment to “valuing immigrants and ensuring equal access to county services,” according to lead sponsor Supervisor Carousel Bayrd of Madison.

 

The other resolution opposes Trump’s executive order banning Muslim immigration and refugees.

 

The County Board meeting begins at 7 p.m. in Room 201 of the City-County Building at 210 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. in Madison.