Sussex drops development plan

 Village of Sussex - Village trustees tonight unanimously agreed to accept a staff recommendation to stop plans to purchase 120 acres of farm land on the west edge of the village that was slated to developed into a commercial park by NAI/MLG of Brookfield and Milwaukee.

Village Administrator Jeremy Smith had advised trustees last week that cost for constructing public improvements and utilities on the land were higher than original estimates.

The plans had called for the village to use real estate tax revenues from a special taxing district to finance purchase of the land and the construction of streets, sidewalks, water, sewer and storm water control facilities in the park.

Village President Greg Goetz thanked the village staff and representatives from NAI/MLG for their work in investigating the economic feasibility of the project. He also praised village trustees for "keeping an open mind" while the village went through the process of determining whether the project was feasible.

He said the process followed by the village determined "this development project is not going to work out at this time."