Wisconsin homeowner Jerry Zelenka has rejected a $131,000 offer from American Transmission Company (ATC). The money was offered for a proposed power line that would cross his property in Fredonia, Wisconsin, to supply electricity to a planned data centre in nearby Port Washington. Zelenka said the latest proposal calls for clearing mature trees, demolishing six buildings and placing a 130-foot transmission tower near his driveway.The company has offered $81,000 in compensation for the property impacts, along with an additional $50,000 one-time payment if he signs an agreement now. The 75-year-old homeowner, who bought the land with his wife in 1990, said the proposed changes would leave their house standing while removing much of the property they have built and maintained over the years.
Proposed power line threatens trees and buildings
Zelenka said ATC’s latest proposal follows an earlier application that, according to him, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin deemed incomplete. The company has since submitted a new application with revised plans and routes.Under the current proposal, Zelenka said, a stretch measuring about 1,000 feet long and 75 feet wide would be cleared of trees and vegetation. The affected trees include cedar, oak, ash, elm and black walnut. He also said the project would require removing a shed, chicken coop, hog barn, antique barn, garage, and machine shed.“The point is that everything from that fence all the way to the road is clear-cut,” Zelenka said. “And after they clear-cut it, then they want to spray herbicide and just kill everything between my house and the highway.”The proposed tower and high-voltage lines would also change the property’s surroundings, potentially affecting its value.“My house is right there. The only thing that’s left standing is the house,” he said.
Homeowner questions $131,000 compensation offer
Zelenka said the proposed compensation wouldn’t cover the cost of replacing the buildings or adequately account for the impact on the property’s value. He also objected to the additional payment being conditional on signing an agreement immediately.“You know, the bribe in a sense is that if I were to sign up now, they’re offering $50,000 more,” Zelenka said.The homeowner said relocating was not a realistic option for him and his 73-year-old wife, who has advanced Parkinson’s disease. The couple built their home after buying the land in the winter of 1990, spending nine months on the house while living in a shed.Zelenka said he would not voluntarily accept the proposal and raised concerns that ATC could use eminent domain to acquire the property if they could not reach an agreement.“If they decide they’re going to go this way, they can file for eminent domain, they’ll condemn the property, and there’s nothing I can do about it,” Zelenka said. “Then they’ll make an offer for whatever they feel is acceptable, and my only option at that point is I can fight them in court for a higher value, but I can’t stop the land seizure.”
Dispute over data centre power line continues
Zelenka questioned whether the proposed transmission line qualifies for eminent domain, arguing it would primarily serve a private data centre rather than the general public. He said two neighbouring property owners who are attorneys are challenging the issue in federal court. The legal outcome and the project’s final route remain uncertain.The homeowner also said changing proposals and compensation offers made ATC’s plans hard to understand.“The thing that’s really frustrating is trying to get the truth or accurate information,” he said. “First we get offers and then the offers are pulled and we think they’re routing another way… then, oop… now they’re sending new offers.”Zelenka said he intends to continue opposing the proposed route rather than accept the compensation and fight it in court.