Board makes offer on industrial land

The Baldwin Village Board put together the final touches on an offer for 160 acres of industrial land in the Alreich Properties/Baldwin Business Park development southeast of the USH 63/I-94 interchange during their regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, September 10.

And according to Village President Don McGee, the terms offered by the village appeared to be agreeable to owner Jim Reich, when he was asked whether the offer would be accepted. "I think so. It sounds like they're favorable to it."

The terms of the offer are that the village will pay $1,940,000 for 160 acres, of which 20 acres is the maximum amount of wetlands. That price is considerably more favorable to the village than a previous agreement, which fell through, which called for a price of $2,250,000 for 140 acres.

McGee said First Bank of Baldwin has offered favorable, below market interest rates to the village to pay for the land. The funds from the purchase price will be paid into an escrow account from which the payments for a road and utilities to serve the property would come.

In addition to the details of the offer to purchase, the board worked out questions about easements in the land that may have to be moved, said McGee. Those terms will be part of the developer's agreement with Alreich which McGee hopes will be finalized at the October village meeting, along with the offer to purchase.

McGee also noted that an updated wetland map for the property has been approved by the Wisconsin DNR but still needs approval by the Army Corps of Engineers.

In other action at the meeting:
-The board approved a conditional use permit for the Orchard Restaurant and Banquet Facility. The zoning of the property-the former New Leaf Nursery-has been changed from agriculture to highway commercial, but a conditional use permit is still required for operation of a bar.
-The board considered an offer on a narrow parcel of land adjacent to Nilssen's Super Valu. The offer is for $1,500 which is the value assigned the property by an appraisal. However, the offer was not accepted until contingencies are included for utilities and a standard form is used
for the offer.
-The board approved installation of a sign at the Baldwin Industrial Park that will list the names of all the entities within the park. The sign cost of about $15,000 will be paid for by the village from TIF district funds. A base for the sign will be paid for by the Chamber of
Commerce. The sign will be located on St. Croix County land at the south east intersection of USH 63 and Fern Drive.
-The board approved issuing a class "A" beer license to Amwest, Inc, doing business as Bob and Steve's BP. Eggen's Supermarket will surrender their license prior to the new one going to Bob and Steve's.
-The board approved issuing an alcohol beverage license to Quinn Johnson and QS Enterprises, LLC, doing business as The Phoenix Grill at Baldwin Retail on Gracie Drive (on the southwest of the I-94/USH 63 interchange).