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Bloomfield taking another stab at incorporation

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Saving Bloomfield

As Bloomfield ponders incorporation, residents unsure if it will be the best way to preserve their laid-back lifestyle.

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Tony DiNicola

Walworth County - Denied incorporation area

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — Town of Bloomfield officials hope the third time will be the charm.

The town board voted Tuesday to try again to incorporate part of the township into a village.

A group of residents for years has been seeking incorporation to protect their borders from annexation by neighboring municipalities and maintain their way of life.

Residents in 2008 submitted a petition to incorporate a 21-square mile portion of the township northeast of County H from Lake Geneva to Genoa City and including the unincorporated Pell Lake area.

But the city of Lake Geneva and village of Genoa City opposed the request because both municipalities are eyeing the land as a potential area for growth and development.

Township residents in 2009 submitted a revised petition to incorporate an 18.5-square mile portion of the township. They redrew the borders of the proposed village to leave a “buffer zone” between it and neighboring municipalities.

The state Department of Administration in March held a public hearing to gather comments from town officials, residents and other stakeholders.

Residents overwhelmingly spoke in favor of incorporation, saying they want to be recognized as a unique community and prevent their identity from being swallowed by neighboring municipalities.

Lake Geneva and Genoa City officials argued against the size of the proposed village, saying it was too large and its borders were too close.

The state last week turned down the incorporation petition. Officials wrote in their decision that the requested area failed to meet the standards for incorporation. They wrote that a smaller area surrounding Pell Lake might qualify for incorporation.

Town Chairman Ken Monroe said the town board on Tuesday voted to try again.

“We’re going to go ahead with incorporation,” he said. “We’re going to go back and redraw the borders. … It goes back to trying to save our township.”

Town officials today are meeting with staff at the Department of Administration to discuss a new proposal. They believe they can come up with a proposal that not only meets state requirements but also satisfies the visions of neighboring municipalities.

Monroe said the next request still will include the Pell Lake area, as well as the Lake Ivanhoe area and the Powers, Benedict and Tombeau lakes area, which straddles the county line. He said the request probably would cut out the Wilderland, Lake Geneva Aire Estates and Tuscany subdivisions, which are southeast of Lake Geneva.

The recent efforts are not the first attempts to incorporate a part of Bloomfield Township. A group of residents sought incorporation of Pell Lake years ago. They received approval from the Department of Administration, but residents denied the incorporation referendum.