Thinking of moving to the country in Dodge County?

To the Editor:

Tired of city life in Dodge County? Want to move out of town, buy a few acres to relax on, enjoy the wildlife?

Good Luck!

Dodge County leadership has made that dream a nightmare. How? Overly strict, and outdated zoning ordinances. Agricultural zoning has made splitting properties in the county almost impossible. Agricultural zoning was intended to protect tillable farmland from being lost to development. That was the intent. Now, it just keeps people out of the country.

If tillable land is SO important and needs to be conserved, why are solar farms, houses, and subdivisions taking out prime, tillable land?

Example: We can’t put a home (or homes) on our 32.98 acre, wooded, NON-TILLABLE property because our neighbor put a footing on their 40-acre, PRIME, TILLABLE farmland (four years ago, no progress on a home). That action closed our quarter-section for houses. Shouldn’t NON-TILLABLE land be prioritized for housing outside the expansion zone?

Do you wonder why your property taxes keep going up? Ask your Commissioner how ag land is taxed vs. residential land. You may want to start attending your Township, Planning Commission, and Commissioner meetings on a regular basis. You can’t afford not to.

Jay Highum

Rochester Resident

Frustrated Dodge County Land Owner