Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee

CPZ Committee June 13, 2012 Minutes (33 KB)

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

Others present: B. Bailey, N. Brereton, A. Buelow, M. Krueger, A. Lombard, B. Marshall, B. Michalek, S. Pate, P. Pohle, K. Schauf, B. Simmert, B. Wenzel

At 5:00 p.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/Ashford to adopt the agenda. Motion carried, all members in favor.

Adopt minutes of previous meeting-May 21: Motion by Polivka/Halfen to adopt the minutes from the May 21 Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee meeting. Motion carried, all members in favor.

Public comment: None.

Communications:

a. Michalek and the CPZ Committee discussed the draft letter submitted by Bev Vaillancourt regarding the Public Service Commission’s order last week for the establishment of a 345 kV substation near Holmen and questions on how it may affect the high voltage transmission option of the proposed Badger-Coulee project. The CPZ Committee agreed to wait for further information before contacting the Public Service Commission (PSC) or American Transmission Company (ATC).
b. Discussed the passing of former County Board and Committee member Joel Gaalswyk. There will be a memorial service held later this month.

Discussion and possible action on a conditional use permit for a 4.99 acre farm consolidated lot and the application of the Planned Unit Development- Cluster Lot program to increase the farm consolidated lot to 9.99 acres located in S12, T.11N.R.4E, Town of Westfield, Sauk County by Adele Buelow in accordance with the provisions contained in Section 7.12 of the Sauk County Code of Ordinances: Simmert presented background information on Buelow’s proposal for a farm consolidation and utilization of the PUD-Cluster Lot program to add five acres to the farm consolidated lot. The CPZ Committee discussed possible options but none were able to meet Buelow’s needs without both the farm consolidation and PUD-Cluster lot option. There was discussion regarding the definition of farm consolidation.

Motion by Nobs/Polivka to allow for the farm consolidation. Motion carried with Ashford, Dietz, Lehman, Nobs, Polivka, and Puttkamer in favor and Halfen opposed.

Motion by Polivka/Ashford to utilize the PUD-Cluster Lot program to increase the farm consolidated lot by five acres. Motion carried, all in favor.

Update on Sauk County Clean Sweep: Pohle presented preliminary numbers for the June 2 Clean Sweep. Participation and the amounts collected were the highest in recent years. Halfen requested a draft resolution be on the next meeting agenda recognizing county staff and volunteers for an important job well done. They also requested a list of people who worked at the event. A report will be presented at the July County Board meeting.

Reports:

a. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) report: Brereton stated this is her last meeting since she will be retiring in the near future. Four additional people were funded through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) in Sauk County. The CSP is a program that pays farmers for doing a good job of conservation. They also have to do additional activities. Two additional people were funded for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) in the county. EQIP helps pay for installing conservation on their land.
She provided some history on NRCS and the Sauk County Soil Conservation District/Land Conservation Committee (formed in 1941). She stressed that “conservation” is an important part of this Committee.

Barb Marshall, from the NRCS Area Office, informed the Committee of NRCS staffing plans after Brereton retires. The job has been advertized with the closing date of July 2. Until the position is filled, Juneau County District Conservationist (DC) John Field will be helping out in July. In August, State Grazing Land Specialist Brian Pillsbury will be Acting DC in Baraboo. If the position is not filled by September, someone else will be in the position.

b. Farm Service Agency (FSA) report: Puttkamer noted that there were 47 contract applications for CRP of which 46 were accepted. Approximately 1,300 acres will expire from CRP on September 30, 2012.

c. Foresters’ report: None.

d. Economic Development Committee report: Polivka stated the subgroup is meeting to talk about cooperative signs for Hwy. BD. Krueger noted they are looking at making the next meeting the last county committee meeting have done as much as they can and others need to move forward on this. Two resolutions will be on the June County Board agenda-one is requesting the Department of Transportation to develop a proactive approach to signage on Hwy. 12; the other one is for renaming/giving an identity to the area by providing Hwy. BD a complementary name.

e. Mirror Lake District report: Nobs informed that they have a signed a contract with the Highway and Parks Committee to rent the weed cutter that is usually at White Mound for five days in June and five days in August.

f. Lake Virginia Management District report: Nobs stated they will meet this Saturday at 9 a.m.

g. Lake Redstone Management District report: Dietz stated there was budget discussion at last night’s meeting.

h. Update on Southern Area Association (SAA) meeting: Michalek noted that this was the first meeting since Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association (WLWCA) and Wisconsin Association of Land Conservation Employees (WALCE) merged. Officers were elected at the meeting. Polivka was selected to help develop the by-laws, and he provided a draft to the Committee.

i. Update on Southwest Badger Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council meeting: Lehman stated the meeting was held at a vineyard and no mention as to the details of how that came to be.

Public comment on budgets: Krueger informed the group that County Board members in attendance can participate in the budget discussions anytime during the meeting at the permission of the Committee Chair.

Land Records Modernization:

a. Department reports and updates-None.

b. Review and approval of vouchers-None.

c. Discussion and consideration of mission, vision and goals-Pate distributed the “Draft Goals and Objectives” and the “Vision, Mission, and Goals.” Discussed the documents. No action required.

d. Discussion and consideration of strategic planning for 2013 budget compilation: programs, mandates and priorities; departmental goals and objectives-Discussed the documents. No action required.

Register of Deeds:

a. Department reports and updates-Bailey discussed the fees received for 2011 and 2012. The vacant position has been filled and working out well. Install is about complete for TriMin Landlink and Lighthouse Software; will go live tomorrow. Resolution for the ID Protect product was approved by the Executive and Legislative Committee and is going to the County Board meeting in June. Discussed the redaction fees for Sauk County and other counties in the state. Krueger will check on possibly having the Counties Association get involved on this.

b. Review and approval of vouchers-Motion by Nobs/Ashford to approve $3,454.30 for the monthly vouchers. Motion carried, all in favor.

c. Discussion and consideration of mission, vision and goals-Bailey noted that they will not change from the previous year. No action required.

d. Discussion and consideration of strategic planning for 2013 budget compilation: programs, mandates and priorities; departmental goals and objectives-Bailey provided the proposed mission statement, vision statement, department program summary, 2012 goals review, short-term goals, long-term goals, output measure, and outcome and efficiency measures. No action required.

Surveyor Department budget: Copies were provided to the people in attendance. The document is the same as was presented to the CPZ Committee on May 21.

Conservation, Planning, and Zoning:

a. Department reports and updates-Michalek briefly reviewed the department report. Discussed the status of the easement on the 80-acre parcel in Dellona and options. The Spring Green groundwater group met a few weeks ago and are looking at ways of implementing some potential solutions. Polivka and Halfen requested to be notified of future meeting dates.

b. Review and approval of vouchers-Motion by Ashford/Polivka to approve $32,871.12 for the monthly vouchers. Motion carried, all in favor.

c. Discussion and consideration of mission, vision and goals-Michalek presented draft mission, vision and goals. No action required.

e. Discussion and consideration of strategic planning for 2013 budget compilation: programs, mandates and priorities; departmental goals and objective-Michalek reported that the information has been updated and the completion dates have been changed. There was discussion on enforcement on farmers for not meeting compliance and its potential of being tied to future grant funding. The CPZ Committee was not interested in the grant monies if tied to enforcement requirements. County enforcement and compliance has been good throughout the year, and they see no need for a more heavy handed approach in most cases. Halfen questioned landspreading of septic pumpage.

Next meeting of the Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee will be held on Tuesday, June 26, and Thursday, July 12, at 9:00 a.m. Halfen will not be at the June 26 meeting.

Motion by Ashford/Nobs to adjourn at 7:46 p.m. Motion carried, all members in favor.

Respectfully submitted,

Don Nobs, Secretary