WESTPORT, Wis. -- The Town of Westport Friday took another step in its attempt to being able to incorporate as a village.

The Town of Westport filed a petition with the Dane County Circuit Court to incorporate the town as a village in order to control its land use, and prevent ongoing annexations.

In Wisconsin, villages and cities control the land use of neighboring towns within one and a half to three miles of their borders. Westport is an "island" town surrounded and bordered by Madison, Middleton, and the Villages of Waunakee and DeForest.

Westport started gathering signatures on Wednesday and filed the petition with over 100 signatures-more than double the number required by state law.

Filing the petition starts the process that if successful, results in a referendum among town residents. Filing also stops town land from being taken away until the incorporation is decided. Westport expects the process to be finished by 2026.

More information can be found on the Town of Westport website.

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