WEST BEND, Wis. — Washington County's community gardens may be forced out to make way for a new housing development, leaving longtime members heartbroken and uncertain about their future.
Mary Reilly-Kliss, who has coordinated the Washington County Community Gardens for 19 years, said she received an email in June notifying her that the Washington County Executive Committee was planning to build next-generation housing on the garden plots.
"I'm pretty much brokenhearted," Reilly-Kliss said. “I can’t even think about what that would be like to drive past there and see houses. I don’t think I could probably go there.”
The small homes are expected to sell between $340,000 and $420,000 each and would be built on top of the existing garden space. The county, which owns the land, has promised to relocate the gardens to a different location and pay $100,000 for the move. Despite that offer, garden advocates said it does not feel like a solution.
"It's not moving the community garden," David Kliss said. "It's shutting that one down and starting something brand new."
Fellow member Suzanne Barker echoed that sentiment.
"That trust factor is lost," she said. "It's a huge negative impact on West Bend."
Reilly-Kliss said the gardens serve as more than a place to grow food — they provide community and connection for members.
"If that opportunity to be the member of a community and to get with other human beings is taken from them, then what?" she said. "How do they start over again?"
A focus group had initially planned to build the homes around the gardens, but Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann said keeping the gardens in place would cost the county $1.8 million.
"Change is hard — there is no doubt about it," Schoemann said. "The world is changing and fast. Housing is as tough as it's been probably since World War II. So, we're trying to balance as that change happens and what it means locally."
Schoemann said he understands why gardeners are upset but believes the benefit of next-generation housing outweighs the garden plots.
He also said the decision is not final yet. While his committee voted in favor of relocating the gardens, the City of West Bend and the developer still have a say in the final plans.
Reilly-Kliss said she remains skeptical.
"I don't trust leadership at the county level," she said. "We don't know where we're going to be or when we're going to be there."
Schoemann said the county is still months away from meeting with the City of West Bend and a developer.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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