TOWN OF CEDARBURG, Wis. — Residents in Cedarburg are voicing concerns about a proposal to divert part of Cedar Creek to help fill a private 13-acre pond, creating tension in the community during the holiday season.
"People are getting really upset, especially the people that live very close," said Jill Vanderspool, a City of Cedarburg resident. "It does affect everybody because it affects Cedar Creek."
Susanne Ulschmid, who lives in the Town of Cedarburg across the street from the creek, expressed similar concerns about the proposal.
"I'd like to be sure we have clean water in our well and that our creek will remain usable," Ulschmid said.
Opposition to the project has grown since last month when viewers reached out to TMJ4 about a petition circulating in the community. Residents opposed to using the creek water have been attending town board meetings to voice their concerns.
"Let's protect what is so special and beautiful about Cedarburg," one resident said during the Town Board meeting Wednesday night.
Watch: Cedarburg residents take concerns to Town Board over 13-acre private pond proposal
A town supervisor said the Town Planning Commission will likely review the proposal after the holidays, before potentially sending it back to the town board.
However, the final decision rests with Ozaukee County and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, according to a a city spokesperson.
The Gauthiers, owners of Grafton's Gauthier Biomedical, are seeking approval for the pond project. The family declined to comment additional info Wednesday, but they previously told TMJ4 News they have been working for years to follow all required laws and statutes needed for approval.
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.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
