2008/08/09:Mayor's Plan Makes Sense - Nan Cheney

Submitted by staff on Wed, 08/20/2008 - 5:43pm

Mayor's Plan Makes Sense
Wisconsin State Journal :: OPINION :: A9
Saturday, August 9, 2008

I share Tuesday guest columnist Joe Lusson's concern for the preservation of housing stock within the Tenney-Lapham neighborhood, but public control of lakeshore property tips the scale when considering the sale of two homes adjacent to James Madison Park - one of Madison's most-used parks.

Why should we give long-term leases to land beneath privately owned homes? This is land the city already owns, and access to Lake Mendota is already limited.

Madison would be better off to seek a long-term plan to acquire more of the shoreline of one of our four famed lakes. Consider Minneapolis and St. Paul, whose considerable shorelines have long been the property of the people.

Moving the homes 100 yards to the east onto North Blount Street, as endorsed by the mayor, would be a reasonable way to save both the houses and the lakeshore.

Nan Cheney, Madison