Public Trust Doctrine Challenge Slows Development in Milwaukee

An environmental group is trying to stop development of a high-rise apartment building in Milwaukee because the group alleges the site is located on former Lake Michigan lakebed, and therefore subject to the Wisconsin Constitution’s public trust doctrine.

The BizTimes Milwaukee has the details on how:

Mysterious packages of maps mailed from an anonymous sender to reporters, environmental advocates, elected officials and others, have prompted a formal objection by a parks advocacy group of a proposed lakefront tower and a review by the state Department of Natural Resources.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has further details.

The public trust doctrine is also at the center of the Rock-Koshkonong Lake District, et al. v. Department of Natural Resources, et al. case in which the Great Lakes Legal Foundation has filed an amicus brief on behalf of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce and the Midwest Food Processors Association.

This post was authored by GLLF staff attorney Emily Kelchen.