By Anita Weier
Northside News
An outdated Dane County airport restriction that long delayed development of the Raemisch Farm has been removed.
Joel Oliver, head of Halo Real Estate Ventures, said an arrangement among the Dane County Regional Airport, the Raemisch family and his company had resulted in $500,000 being paid to the airport to remove a 1949-era height restriction above a long-abandoned runway plan.
The county received $500,000, which will be used to clean up PFAs contamination at the airport. The payment came on behalf of the Raemisch family, the owners of the property.
Oliver was a former executive with Green Street Development, which originally planned the 64-acre development just north of Lakeview School between Sherman and Packers Avenues. He has since formed Halo Real Estate, which has taken over the development.
The project would provide much-needed housing in the area, including 76 single-family homes, 112 townhomes and 716 apartments. Commercial development would be allowed along Packers Avenue.
The development proved controversial, as some neighbors objected. The Common Council finally approved it in September 2022. But then the height restriction came up because airport officials said the FAA required payment to the airport for giving up the restricted area.
Now it appears that development can proceed, though Oliver could not yet provide a date for construction.
