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JOHN MAIER is the President of Sweet, Maier & Coletti, S.C. Mr. Maier practices primarily in the areas of community association law, zoning and land use law, business and estate planning law, real estate litigation and development in both Wisconsin and Illinois. John has extensive municipal law experience, having served for over 10 years as a Village Attorney, and as a Town Attorney. He has acted as Special Corporation Counsel for zoning litigation to Walworth County in Wisconsin, and has also acted as Special Counsel to the Cities of East St. Louis and Freeport in Illinois. His experience includes the formation of Inland Lake Renewal Districts, representation of sanitary districts, housing authorities and industrial development corporations. He has also worked extensively in the areas of land use and development including working with tax increment financing (TIF) districts, condominium and subdivision formation, annexation and zoning.
Some of the more interesting projects for these municipal clients have included:
A. Town of East Troy, Wisconsin
General Counsel; supervised and conducted the rewriting of the entire Municipal Code of ordinances for the Town; oversaw legal proceedings in connection with formulation and adoption of Town Land Use Plan, and the rezoning of approximately 65 separate parcels in accordance therewith, involving an aggregate of 15 square miles of Town lands; responsibility for review and counsel with respect to layout and acceptability of subdivision plats; conduct of negotiations between employer and labor unions.
B. Potters Lake and Phantom Lake Rehabilitation Districts, Wisconsin
General Counsel; conducted all legal proceedings in connection with formation and incorporation of Districts; successfully arranged and applied for, and then administered, State Grants (from Dept. Of Natural Resources) in connection with lake rehabilitation feasibility studies for both Districts; and supervised yearly taxation, budgeting and financial matters.
C. Town of East Troy Sanitary District No.3, Wisconsin
General Counsel; formed District in response to need created by major acid spill and groundwater contamination following railroad derailment; successfully obtained (and personally administered) a $ 500,000.00 U.S. Dept. Of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant, as well as assistance from the U.S. Farmers Home Administration (FmHA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Geological Survey (U.S.G.S), Centers for Disease Control, National Academy of Science and various other state and Federal agencies in order to determine consequences of, and remedy for, private well contamination resulting from spill; administered Federal and State funding used to construct public water supply well and distribution system for District residents, and to take action to protect the public from any other damage emanating from the groundwater contamination; supervised and conducted all hearings and legal processes before State of Wisconsin Public Service Commission attendant to setting rates for water service.
D. East Troy Housing Authority, Wisconsin
General Counsel; supervised all proceedings attendant to creation and administration of the Authority; took part in formulation and adoption of Housing Assistance Plan for the Town of East Troy (submitted and accepted by HUD); originated and administered (on Authority's behalf) Town's Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program.
E. Village of East Troy, Wisconsin
General Counsel; supervised rewriting of subdivision and zoning codes as well as general recodification of entire municipal code of ordinances; general responsibility for legal matters attendant to operation of Village-owned railroad line ( a "short-line" from East Troy to Mukwonago and link-up with Soo Line Railroad) serving the residents and businesses of the East Troy environs - including the licensing of the East Troy Railroad Historical Society to operate a museum and passenger-excursion service involving electrically-operated "trolley" cars as well as administration of combined Grant of $650,000.00 from State Dept. Of Transportation and U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to fund construction program for the rebuilding of the entire railroad line; general responsibility for all legal matters in connection with operations at East Troy Municipal Airport; responsibility for sewer and water utility financing and operations including issuance of $1,600,000.00 in Revenue Bonds and Bond Anticipation Notes for additional construction; general responsibility for all municipal contracting including site acquisition and building of new Village Hall and Library; yearly road maintenance and construction projects, and acquisition (by negotiation or eminent domain proceedings) of all easements and other real estate interests required by the Village; general responsibility for creation of East Troy Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) Districts and formulation of TIF District Programs for Capital Improvements; supervised legal matters attendant to $3,500,000.00 EPA Grant for construction of new Village Sewage Treatment Plant; acted as bargaining team leader in connection with negotiation of employment contracts between Village and employees represented by labor unions; counsel to Village with respect to all Industrial Revenue Bond issues.
F. Walworth County Housing Authority, Wisconsin
General Counsel; supervised successful recent acquisition of 30-unit multifamily project in Delavan, Wisconsin, with financing arranged through the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority ("WHEDA"); and tax-exempt bond issue to finance and re-finance low-income housing projects in Walworth County.
Mr. Maier's municipal law experience has also been put to use in connection with representation of private landowners in the following matters:
A. Incorporation/Annexation proceedings. Client (Lake Lawn Lodge) allied with City of Delavan in protracted litigation, ultimately brought before Wisconsin Supreme Court. Representation included successful opposition to proposed Incorporation of Village of Delavan Lake, and successful annexation of Lake Lawn Lodge, Farms and Airport to City of Delavan.
B. Property Tax Appeals. Have handled various real property tax appeal cases before local Boards of Review, then to circuit and appellate courts, including to the Wisconsin Supreme Court (Marina Fontana vs. Village of Fontana, in which he represented The Abbey Resort to successful conclusion).
C. Wetland Delineation and Litigation. Have regularly been involved with State DNR, SEWRPC and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on wetland and environmental issues including sewer plant location (facilities planning) and subsequent sewer extensions.
D. TIF Projects. Have worked with several Wisconsin (and Illinois) municipalities, including East Troy, Delavan, Elkhorn, and Black River Falls in forming TIF Districts, and the approval and financing of projects for these Districts.
E. Large-Scale Development Projects. Was responsible for all environmental and land-use planning issues related to development of the Geneva National Community, Interlaken Resort, The Abbey Resurt, Lake Lawn Lodge, all in Walworth County, Wisconsin.
F. Extraterritorial Zoning Planning. Have experience in dealing with statutes and local ordinances involving extraterritorial zoning and planning (City of Elkhorn, Village of Fontana, Village of Williams Bay, City of Delavan).
Mr. Maier received his Bachelor's degree from Marquette University in 1971. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin with his law degree in 1973 and served as a member of the Wisconsin Law Review. He is licensed to practice law in Wisconsin and Illinois as well as the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin, and the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.
Immediately prior to joining Sweet, Maier & Coletti, s.c., John had been a Partner at the law firm of Hinshaw & Culbertson.
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