For more than three decades, Jerry Zelenka and his wife have built their Wisconsin property piece by piece, turning raw land into a home surrounded by trees, barns and working outbuildings.
asserted
Zelenka → build → trees
Now, a proposed transmission line tied to a planned data center in nearby Port Washington could dramatically alter the property, leaving the 75-year-old homeowner facing the prospect of losing much of what he spent years creating.
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he → propose → years
The Fredonia homeowner says American Transmission Co. has proposed a new route across his property, including a cleared corridor, the removal of six structures and a 130-foot transmission tower near his driveway.
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Co. → say → driveway
He intends to challenge the plan rather than voluntarily accept the terms, states an online report by Washington County Insider.
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report → intend → Insider
A new Route, a bigger dispute
The current proposal follows an earlier application that the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin rejected as incomplete, according to Zelenka.
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Commission → follow → Zelenka
ATC subsequently submitted a new application featuring revised plans and routes.
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ATC → submit → plans
Under the latest proposal, Zelenka's property would sit along the route now being considered.
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property → sit → route
The planned transmission corridor would stretch roughly 1,000 feet by 75 feet across his land, requiring substantial clearing of trees and vegetation.
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corridor → stretch → trees
The affected area includes a shed, chicken coop, hog barn, barn, garage and machine shed.
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area → include → shed
Mature cedars, oaks, ash, elm and black walnut trees would also be removed as part of the proposed clearing.
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cedars → remove → clearing
The cost of giving up the land
According to Zelenka, ATC has offered $81,000 to compensate for the buildings and property impacts.
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ATC → give → impacts
An additional one-time payment of $50,000 is being offered if he signs an agreement at this stage.
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he → offer → stage
For Zelenka, the proposed compensation does not come close to replacing what would be lost.
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what → propose → Zelenka
He questions how the property could retain its current value with a large transmission tower and high-voltage infrastructure positioned close to the house, states the online report.
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report → question → house
The proposal would leave the home standing while stripping away much of the surrounding infrastructure that has defined the property for decades.
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that → leave → decades
At his age, Zelenka says rebuilding the structures or relocating is not a realistic option.
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rebuilding → say → structures
A property built over decades
The dispute carries particular weight because of the history behind the property.
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dispute → build → property
Zelenka and his wife purchased the land on Highway A in the winter of 1990.
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Zelenka → purchase → 1990
They cleared the site, sourced timber and built their home themselves, initially living in a shed while construction continued.
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construction → clear → shed
Over the years, the couple planted hundreds of trees through a state Department of Natural Resources programme and added buildings to the property.
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couple → plant → property
Some of the timber used in the barn came from century-old cedar logs Zelenka obtained locally.
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Zelenka → use → logs
It represents decades of work and investment.
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It → represent → work
Eminent domain at the centre
According to the online report, the dispute could ultimately extend beyond negotiations.
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dispute → accord → negotiations
Zelenka is concerned that ATC could pursue eminent domain if property owners refuse to accept the proposed terms.
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owners → pursue → terms
Two neighbouring property owners, who are attorneys, are already challenging the issue in federal court.
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who → challenge → court
At the heart of the legal dispute is whether land can be taken for a transmission project primarily intended to serve a private data-center development.
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land → take → development
He maintains that the proposed project would fundamentally change his property for infrastructure connected to a private business.
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project → maintain → business
As the transmission project moves through the regulatory process, the Wisconsin homeowner remains opposed to surrendering the land voluntarily.
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homeowner → move → land
What began as a family effort to build a home and cultivate a piece of countryside has become a much larger battle over property rights, infrastructure and the rapidly expanding power demands of data centers.
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began → begin → centers
The Aporia
