Menomonee Falls has joined the village of Sussex in objecting to an incorporation petition initiated by a private citizens group in the town of Lisbon.
Lisbon-inc.org is leading an effort to incorporate the town as a village. While the Lisbon Town Board approved a resolution July 21 supporting incorporation it did not directly reference the effort by lisbon-inc. org nor has the Town Board committed any funds to the project.
An initial hearing on the incorporation petition was held in Waukesha County Circuit Court July 23. Attorney Stanley Riffle, representing both Sussex and Menomonee Falls, presented an objection to the petition.
When reached for comment last week, Menomonee Falls Village Manager Mark Fitzgerald said the Village Board met in closed session July 19 and reached consensus to join Sussex in objecting to the incorporation petition. Fitzgerald noted that Menomonee Falls “is taking a back seat to Sussex,” which is taking the lead in raising concerns to the petition.
Fitzgerald noted that Menomonee Falls currently has extraterritorial review authority over land division requests in the town of Lisbon that are within 1.5 miles of the Menomonee Falls boundary. The review area is less in areas where the village of Sussex also has extraterritorial review authority. If Lisbon is incorporated, Menomonee Falls would lose the extraterritorial review authority.
Fitzgerald said Menomonee Falls officials  are concerned about future development along a “sliver” of properties along Town Line Road near the Menomonee Falls border with Sussex. Fitzgerald said that area currently lacks infrastructure such as sewers to support large development. Fitzgerald said Menomonee Falls officials want to stay involved in discussions so that any future development  in Lisbon doesn’t have a negative impact on Menomonee Falls.
Another hearing regarding the incorporation petition will be held a month from now.
—By Thomas J. McKillen, Managing Editor