Welcome!
This Profile was created to furnish essential information about the Village and Town of Somers for the benefit of developers, both commercial and residential, in addition to individual families who are considering making Somers their home. As shown below, Somers has unique features that make it an exceptional location for newcomers. The Village and Town’s proximity to both the Chicago and Milwaukee metropolitan areas and its location directly between the Cities of Kenosha and Racine make it an attractive place for businesses and families. Additional information is available and interested persons are encouraged to contact our Village/Town Administrator, Jason Peters at 262-859-2822 or via email.
Accessibility
Somers’ location between Racine and Kenosha, and more broadly, between Milwaukee and Chicago, means that significant traffic moves through Somers on a daily basis. Somers strategic location, along with major transportation facilities such as I-94, state and county highways, several airports, passenger rail, and two off-street bicycle paths provide excellent accessibility to the community.
Airports
Kenosha Regional Airport
Kenosha, Wisconsin
4.9 miles from Somers Village/Town Hall
Chicago O’Hare Airport
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago O’Hare International Airport
52.9 miles from Somers Village/Town Hall
General Mitchell International Airport
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
25.4 miles from Somers Village/Town Hall
Batten International Airport
Racine, Wisconsin
10.4 miles from Somers Village/Town Hall
Agriculture
Somers contains over 10,000 acres of agricultural lands, or about 59% of the total area. The excellent soils and gentle terrain have made farming profitable for well over 100 years. Primary farm crops are cabbage, corn, soy beans, and wheat. However, Somers’ location means that its lands are also valuable for commercial development, especially along the Highway 31 and I-94 corridor. With the exception of the northwest corner, all agricultural lands are anticipated to transition to urban land uses over the next 35 years.
Business Parks
Commercial
The largest commercial area in the Village of Somers is the Somers Market Center, located at the northwest corner of Highway 31 (Green Bay Road) and Highway 142/S. This site currently includes a Wal Mart, Sam’s Club, and in 2015, United Hospital System/Somers Medical Office Building opened for business. Per the Boundary Agreement with the City of Kenosha, this Commercial Park will remain in the Village of Somers.
At the September 8, 2015 Village Plan Commission meeting, two developers presented their intent to develop adjacent to the Somers Market Center. Festival Foods presented their intent to build an 85,000 square foot store, plus 7,500 of additional office space to house regional management offices. The store expects to hire between 250-270 associates. Bear Development presented their intent to build a 280 unit residential housing complex that includes fourteen 20 unit two-story direct access (condominium style) buildings. Units will include studio, 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units. Garages, clubhouse, pool, and other amenities will be included in the development.
Industrial
On August 25, 2015, First Industrial Realty Trust of Mount Prospect, Illinois, held an official ground breaking ceremony for “First Park 94”, Somers’ first industrial park. The project, which will be completed in multiple phases, will begin with the construction of a 600,000 square foot building. The 309 acre site can accommodate approximately 4.6 million square feet of development. The site is accessible to I-94 from three 4-way interchanges and offers frontage along the Canadian Pacific Railway with potential rail access. The park is located less than one hour from both Chicago O’Hare International and Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airports.
Census-Population
The percentage change between 2000 – 2010 is +5.94%
| 1940 | 3,641 |
| 1950 | 5,530 |
| 1960 | 7,139 |
| 1970 | 7,270 |
| 1980 | 7,724 |
| 1990 | 7,748 |
| 2000 | 9,059 |
| 2010 | 9,597 |
| 2015 | 9,514 |
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau and Wisconsin Department of Administration)
Education
Somers Elementary School , located in the Village of Somers, less than one mile from Somers Village/Town Hall, is served by the Kenosha Unified School District. Its current enrollment is approximately 400, serving grades Pre-K to 5th grade. The Village/Town of Somers is entirely within the Kenosha Unified School District.
Shoreland Lutheran High School , located in the Village of Somers, less than one mile from Somers Village/Town Hall, is a full accredited private high school affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and operated by a federation of 24 area congregations. Current enrollment is approximately 300.
University of Wisconsin-Parkside, located in the Village of Somers, 3.3 miles from Somers Village/Town Hall, is one of 13 four-year campuses in the University of Wisconsin system.
Carthage College , located in the Village of Somers and the City of Kenosha, 5.6 miles from Somers Village/Town Hall, is a four-year private college of the liberal arts and sciences affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.
Gateway Technical College, located in the City of Kenosha, Wisconsin, 4.9 miles from Somers Town Hall, is the largest academic campus in the Gateway District, offering 65 educational programs for health, business, manufacturing, engineering and service careers.
Kenosha Unified School District
In addition to the schools listed above, Kenosha Unified School District services the residents of the Village/Town of Somers as follows:
- Elementary students from the eastern portion of the Village attend Roosevelt Elementary School in Kenosha.
- Middle School students from the western portion of the Town attend Bullen Middle School in Kenosha
- Middle School students from the eastern portion of the Village attend Washington Middle School in Kenosha.
- High School students from all areas of the Village/Town attend Bradford High School in Kenosha.
Electric and Natural Gas
Electricity in the Village/Town of Somers is provided by WE Energies. The nearest WE Energies generating plant is the Pleasant Prairie Power Plant, which is the largest plant in the State of Wisconsin. WE Energies also provides natural gas within the Village/Town.
Equalized Value by Classification – Total of Town and Village (2015)
| Combined Equalized Value |
Percent of Total Equalized Value |
|
| Residential | $574,773,200 | 79.849% |
| Commercial | 119,666,400 | 16.624% |
| Manufacturing | 3,908,800 | 0.543% |
| Agricultural | 2,561,500 | 0.356% |
| Undeveloped | 613,500 | 0.085% |
| Forest | 620,000 | 0.086% |
| Other | 10,349,100 | 1.438% |
| Personal Property | 7,332,600 | 1.019% |
| Total | $719,825,100 | 100.000% |
Equalized Value – History
2013 Total Equalized Value $773,269,300.00
2014 Total Equalized Value $741,006,000.00
2015 Equalized Value – VILLAGE $525,657,800
2015 Equalized Value – TOWN $194,167,300
2015 Total Equalized Value – Combined VILLAGE and TOWN $719,825.100
Future Commercial Corridors
The Kenosha County Comprehensive Plan shows a planned commercial corridor along Green Bay Road from CTH S on the south end to CTH JR on the north end. The southern end of this corridor is currently anchored by the Somers Market Center which includes Wal Mart and Sam’s Club. Additional commercial areas are indicated north of CTH S, and in the vicinity of Interstate 94 at CTH E (12th Street) and CTH S.
Hospitals
Now affiliated with Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin
6308 – 8th Avenue
Kenosha, WI 53142
262-656-2011
8.2 miles from Somers Village/Town Hall
St. Catherine’s Medical Center
Now affiliated with Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin
9555 76th Street
Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158
262-577-8000
6.4 miles from Somers Village/Town Hall
10400 75th Street
Kenosha, WI 53142
262-948-5600
6.9 miles from Somers Town Hall
3801 Spring Street
Racine, WI 53405
262-687-4011
8.7 miles from Somers Village/Town Hall
Incorporation – Town and Village
Pursuant to a successful referendum held on April 7, 2015, the Village received a Certificate of Incorporation from the State of Wisconsin Secretary of State on April 24, 2015. Through the incorporation process, the Village incorporated 73% of the former Town’s equalized value as of January 1, 2015 as determined by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, leaving 27% of the equalized value remaining in the Town (such remaining portion of the Town shall be referred to herein as the “Remnant Town”. A special election was held in the Village on June 9, 2015 to elect the initial Village Board of Trustees.
Map of Village and Town as of Feb. 10, 2023
Natural Resources
Notwithstanding massive Lake Michigan, Somers’ other primary natural resource feature is the Pike River and Pike Creek waterway system and their associated wetlands, woodlands, and environmental corridors. Somers contains 55 acres of surface water, 502 acres of wetlands, 2,312 acres of environmental corridors, and 457 acres of woodlands associated with Pike River and Pike Creek. The majority of these natural resource features are located in the eastern part of the Village of Somers.
Neighborhood Plans
Neighborhoods within the Village/Town of Somers are distinct from one another, in large part, on the basis of their location in the Village/Town. Somers is bounded by Lake Michigan to the east, Interstate 94 to the west, the City of Kenosha to the south, and the Racine County line to the north. Proximity to the lake, the interstate, the City of Kenosha or rural areas along the county line all have a certain bearing on both current and future land use in the neighborhoods. View Neighborhood Plans here.
Post Office
Somers Post Office – Zip Code 53177
7621 – 12th Street (Highway E) just west of Somers Village/Town Hall
Telephone: 262-859-2566
Hours:
Mon.-Fri. 9 AM – 12:30 PM and 2 PM – 5:00 PM
Sat. 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Sun. Closed
Holiday Closing: Contact Post Office
Public Transit
Bus transportation is active from the City to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
Railroads: Three North/South Rail Lines
Canadian Pacific Railway operates two railways in the Village of Somers
One (two tracks) is located in the center of the Village of Somers, located .75 west of the Somers Village/Town Hall. The Amtrak operates on this Canadian Pacific Railway line. The Amtrak Station is 6.43 miles north of the Somers/Village/Town Hall.
One (one track) is located east of the Somers Elementary School, one-half mile east of the Somers Village/Town Hall.
Union Pacific North Chicago-Kenosha Fares (Chicago to Kenosha) provides economical transportation to commuters who work downtown Chicago or the northern Illinois suburbs. The Kenosha Metra Station is 7.67 miles from Somers Village/Town Hall. The railway continues north from downtown Kenosha into the Village of Somers, paralleling Highway 32/Sheridan Road and the shore of Lake Michigan.
Storm Water Management
Urbanized areas within the Village/Town of Somers are served by engineered storm water management systems, including curb and gutter and detention ponds. A number of rural areas in the Village/Town rely on swales, culverts, and natural drainage.
Surface Water & Drainage Basins
The Village lies entirely east of the sub-continental divide that separates the Great Lakes basin from the Mississippi River basin. As a result, all Village lands drain to Pike Creek, Pike River, and ultimately into Lake Michigan. Far western portions of Somers lie west of the sub-continental divide (west of 100th Avenue) and drain to the Des Plaines River watershed and ultimately to the Mississippi River.
Tax Incremental Districts
July, 2015 – Tax Incremental District No.1, Somers, Wisconsin was created.
September, 2015 – Tax Incremental District No. 2, Village of Somers, Wisconsin was created.
Click here for detailed information.
Topography and Geology
Somers slopes gently from west to east, with steep bluffs along Lake Michigan. Elevations are 700-750 feet above sea level in western parts of Somers, dropping to 600-650 feet in eastern locations.
Town Area – Pre Incorporation
As of 2005, the Town of Somers occupied 18,658 acres (29.2 square miles) including approximately 60 acres of surface water (as of the year 2000). This total consists primarily of rivers, streams, and small ponds. Branches of the Pike River flow from the southern, western, and northern portions of the Town before combining to form the Pike River which flows through Kenosha and into Lake Michigan. Pike Creek is 3.7 miles long and has been rated by SEWRPC as having poor water quality. Pike River is 38.5 miles long, and is rated as having poor to fair water quality. In addition, the Kilbourn Road Ditch runs more or less parallel to I-94 through the length of the Town. There are no sizable lakes in the Town. A portion of the Town of Somers was incorporated into a Village on April 2, 2015. Please contact William Morris, Village/Town Administrator with questions regarding boundary changes and annexations.
Transportation-Roads
A well-developed street and highway transportation system serves the Village/Town of Somers. Interstate Highway 94 runs along the border of the western edge of the Town of Somers. State Trunk Highway 32 traverses the Village along the Lake Michigan shoreline, and State Trunk Highway 31, or Green Bay Road, also traverses north-south through the central portion of the Village and Town.
Several County Trunk Highways also extend through the Village/Town of Somers, including CTH Y, G, EA, and H – all oriented north and south, and CTH A, E, and L – all oriented east and west. Three active railroads also traverse the Village/Town, all in a north-south direction.
(Source: “A Development Plan for the Parkside East Neighborhood of the Town of Somers” by Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, September 1993, page 12)
Interstate 94 existing entrance and exit ramps
Transportation – Transit
Coach U.S.A. (Wisconsin Coach Line) is an airport express service that operates 15 times daily to O’Hare (Chicago) and Mitchell (Milwaukee) Airports. The Coach makes a Kenosha stop at I-94 and Highway 50 at the Brat Stop Restaurant. Parking is available by permit.
Water and Sewer Utility
Recognizing a need to continually work together, in 2005 the City of Kenosha and the Town of Somers, along with their utilities, signed an agreement to continue cooperative planning. The “2005 Cooperative Agreement, by and between the City of Kenosha and Kenosha Water Utility, and Town of Somers, Somers Water Utility and Somers Sewer Utility District” was established along with the City of Kenosha/Town of Somers Cooperative Plan. The documents created the opportunity for the City of Kenosha and its utilities to provide sanitary sewer service and public water service to the growth areas of the Town, and clearly established ultimate boundary between the city and the town, thereby allowing each municipality to properly plan for the orderly growth and the development of each jurisdiction.
(Source: Ruekert/Mielke, Town of Somers, June 27, 2008)
Somers residents received water from municipal sources and also individual wells. As of 2005, the Town of Somers Water Utility served 918 acres and pumped 31 million gallons per year. The Town of Somers Water Utility purchases water on a wholesale basis from the City of Kenosha. Portions of the Village located along the Lake Michigan shoreline are served directly the Kenosha Water Utility.