Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee

July 23, 2013 CPZ Meeting Minutes (29 KB)

Conservation, Planning, and Zoning (CPZ) Committee members present:  J. Ashford, J. Dietz, F. Halfen, G. Lehman, D. Nobs, D. Polivka, R. Puttkamer 

Others present:   J. Allen, L. Atkins, B. Bailey, B. Bergstrom, J. Buss, S. Cohoon, B. Cunningham, T. Damos,  K. Felton, B. Helm-Quest, K. Helm-Quest, M. Krueger, N. Ladas,  L. Meadowcraft, R. Meister, J. Mercier, B. Michalek, P. Pohle, M. Riquelme, K. Schauf, B. Simmert, L. Sirios, S. Sorenson, J. Spencer, A. Taber,  L. Taber, B. Waser  

 At 9:00 a.m. Chair Lehman called the Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee to order and certified to be in compliance with the Open Meetings Law. 

Adopt agenda:  Motion by Polivka/Halfen to adopt the agenda.  Motion carried, all members in favor.  Motion by Nobs/Dietz to move the discussion on shooting ranges up on the agenda when Buss arrives. Motion carried, all in favor. 

Adopt minutes of previous meeting-July 11:  Motion by Ashford/Puttkamer to adopt the minutes from the July 11 Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee meeting.  Motion carried, all members in favor.

Public Comment

1.  Scholarship recipient presentation(s) - Liam Taber presented on his camping experiences at the Sand Lake Conservation Camp near Crivitz.

Kimberly Helm-Quest presented on her camping experiences at the Wisconsin Youth Conservation Camp near Eagle River.

Communications:

1. Updates from previous CPZ Committee meetings - Pohle informed the CPZ Committee that Cherrie Nolden plans to attend the August 8 CPZ Committee meeting to present on her agriculture practices at Badger. 

Pohle noted that notice for the collection of tires at Clean Sweep for Sauk County townships has been distributed and one town will be bringing around 150 tires. 

2.  Lake Redstone Protection meeting notice - Michalek and possibly another CPZ Department staff person will attend this meeting on August 3.   
3. Michalek stated he will attend the Town of Spring Green meeting on August 1 for the frac sand mining discussion. 
4.  Michalek and Lehman highlighted the 2013-2015 State Biennial Budget Summary that was signed by Governor Walker on June 30. 
5. Lehman mentioned the upcoming Agriculture Community Engagement On-the-Farm Twilight Meetings and requested that approval of attendance be put on the next meeting’s agenda.  Krueger noted that each County Board supervisor will receive the meeting announcement.  

Discussion on shooting ranges:  Michalek provided a memorandum “Shooting Range Complaint” and briefly reviewed the memorandum.  The party in question is not operating a shooting range, and this is out of the CPZ Department’s jurisdiction. 

Michalek provided and summarized the memorandum “Interpretation of the Chapter 7 Shooting Range Definition.”  Corporation Counsel has reviewed this interpretation and concurs with it. 

Michalek presented the memorandum “Meeting with Law Enforcement Officers in Regards to Shooting Complaint” describing the meeting he had with Conservation Warden John Buss, Sheriff Richard Meister, and Deputy Jeff Spencer.  

Meister informed the CPZ Committee that deputies are sent out if there are complaints.  Heritage in the county is that people shoot on their land.  In his opinion, to try and restrict shooting is not a good idea.  There are state laws that regulate how far away from highways and buildings people need to be when shooting.  

Buss feels the same way about this being a county where people shoot.  The statutes are in place to get at negligent matters.  We need to make discretionary calls and need to determine what is reasonable.   Safety is a big deal.  He does not have investigative authority on these issues. If the Sheriff requests him to check out a situation, then he will check it out. 

Spencer stated they need to look at the reasonableness and how it is going to be prosecuted or if it will be prosecuted. 

Michalek noted the new ordinance language clarifies what we are trying to accomplish and there is a reasonableness to it.  Recommends to proceed with what has been presented. 

Halfen stated that he is not the sole complaint person, and there is a safety issue in his area.  Requested for some latitude in enforcing this; do not see any latitude in what the law says or in our ordinance.  

Michalek concluded that we need to settle on the definition, and the CPZ Department will follow whatever is decided. 

Public comment:  Bill Waser, Linda Atkins, and Marcia Riquelme spoke on frac sand mining concerns. 

Public comment closed. 

Ten-minute presentation by local citizens concerning possible impacts of industrial level non-metallic mining - John Eric Allen:  Michalek noted that Sauk County’s ordinance is sufficient (non-metallic mining ordinance and reclamation ordinance).  However, this does not mean we will never see a frac sand mine, it simply means we have an adequate ordinance to handle them. They are handled through the Board of Adjustment, and they have the ability to add additional conditions. Sauk County has active bedding sand pits.  The 24 standards mentioned at the last meeting were received today and will review them before the next meeting.   Discussed the possibility of townships enacting licensing ordinances and that there is sample language and resolutions available online for townships. 

Linda Meadowcraft spoke on frac sand mining concerns. 

Allen provided and reviewed printouts of the geology of Sauk County. 

Update on Chapter 7 Zoning Ordinance:  Simmert distributed the summary of staff changes to the ordinance and received policy direction.  Continuing to work with Corporation Counsel. 

Update regarding the Sauk County Farmland Preservation Planning process:  Simmert noted they are continuing to work with the towns.  

Discussion on Lake Redstone Protection District (LRPD) projects - Jim Mercier, Chairman:   Mercier reviewed the projects being worked on with the CPZ Department.  He presented pictures after heavy rains and the “West Branch of Big Creek Watershed Sediment Management Study-Final Report/October 2011.”  The CPZ Committee supports the CPZ Department assisting with LRPD projects within the Lake Redstone watershed, including working with the Juneau County and the Natural Resources Conservation Department when they are also involved with these projects. 

Land Records Modernization:

a. Department reports and updates:  Felton reviewed the department report. 

b. Review and approval of vouchers:  Motion by Halfen/Dietz to approve the vouchers in the total amount of $8,822.73.  Motion carried, all in favor.  

Public comment: CPZ Committee instructed that the second public comment be removed on future agendas. 

Allen spoke about the use of jake brakes and the noise of machinery. 

Meadowcraft requested a copy of the Board of Adjustment guidelines/code. 

Riquelme briefly expressed her concerns on frac sand mining.  

Register of Deeds:

a.  Department reports and updates:  Bailey reviewed the department report. 

Bailey presented the bids received from nine vendors for copying 400 books.  Prices ranged from $21,970-$90,593. Committee recommended Bailey to check out the vendors in the middle price range. This copying expense will come out of the redaction fees.  The vendors must be bonded.  If the copying is done off site, indexes will not be sent along. 

b.  Review and approval of vouchers:  Motion by Halfen/Nobs to approve the vouchers for May in the amount of $3,600.45 and June for $3,217.24.  Motion carried, all in favor.  

Next meeting of the Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee will be held at 9 a.m. on  Thursday, August 8, and Tuesday, August 27. 

Motion by Ashford/Halfen to adjourn at 12:23 p.m.  Motion carried, all members in favor.   

Respectfully submitted, 

Don Nobs, Secretary