Conservation, Planning and Zoning Committee

May 7, 2014 CPZ Committee Meeting Minutes (35 KB)

Conservation, Planning, and Zoning (CPZ) Committee members present:  J. Ashford, N. Johnson, G. Lehman, E. Peterson, D. Polivka, R. Puttkamer

Absent:  J. Dietz

Others present:  B. Bailey, B. Cunningham, P. Dederich, K. Felton, M. Keenan, T. Liebman, B. Michalek, C. Miller, C. Norgard, P. Pohle

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/Ashford to adopt the agenda and to allow Marty Pertzborn to speak during the County Farm land lease discussion if he is present.  Motion carried, all in favor. 

Election of officers for 2014-2016 term:

a.  Election of chair:  Michalek called for nominations for chair. Puttkamer nominated Lehman and Ashford nominated Polivka for CPZ Committee Chair.  Motion by Ashford/Polivka to close nominations for chair.  Motion carried, all in favor. 

Lehman and Polivka provided their backgrounds.  

Votes were cast by paper ballots, and Lehman was selected as chair with a majority vote.
 
b.  Election of vice chair:  Chair Lehman called for nominations for vice chair. Puttkamer nominated Polivka and Polivka nominated Ashford.  Motion by Puttkamer/Johnson to close nominations for vice chair.  Motion carried, all in favor.  

Ashford provided her background.

Votes were cast by paper ballots, and Ashford was selected as vice chair with a majority vote.

c.   Election of secretary:  Chair Lehman called for nominations for secretary.  Peterson nominated Polivka.  Motion by Polivka/Peterson to close nominations for secretary.  Motion carried, all in favor.  Polivka was selected as secretary.

Adopt minutes of previous meeting-April 10:  Motion by Puttkamer/Ashford to adopt the minutes from the April 10 Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee meeting.  Motion carried, all members in favor. 
Public Comment:  None.

Communications:  

a.    Planning for the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway 2014 and Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Master Planning Questionnaire:  Copies were provided and the CPZ Committee were asked to either complete the questionnaire online or bring it to the May 27 CPZ Committee meeting.    

b.    Communication from Ron Churchill, Town of Winfield Chair:  Churchill would like fees for starting without a permit to be the same as those that received a permit before starting.  After discussion, the Committee left the fees alone. 

c.    Communication regarding not charging fees to towns, municipalities, schools (since they are government entities). The fees are decided at the CPZ Committee level in the new ordinance.  Will bring back for discussion at next meeting.

d.    Sauk County Flood Risk Information Open House - May 21:  Cunningham informed the Committee about new Wisconsin River flood plain maps and showed the 2014 Preliminary Floodplain Insurance Study.  The open house will be at the Sauk City Library at 6 p.m.  It was determined that a quorum will not be present at the open house.  

e.     Lehman was contacted by one of his constituents that questioned if some pumping verifications were lost last fall.  He will have the individual contact the CPZ Department.

Surveyor:

a.    Department reports and updates:  Dederich presented the department report. 

b.    Review and approval of vouchers:  Motion by Polivka/Johnson to approve vouchers in the amount of $700 and $950.  Motion carried, all in favor.

c.    Discussion and possible action with respect to 2014 remonumentation projects:  Dederich reviewed the qualification procedure for contractors.  He discussed concerns with a prospective contractor practicing questionable surveying.  Motion by Ashford/Polivka to support Dederich’s action to suspend a certain surveyor from the county’s bounty program and any county remonumentation programs until all past problems have been resolved.  Motion carried, all in favor.    

Discussion on lease policy for County Farm lands:  Michalek noted that the CPZ Department is reviewing the county farm leases.  The 12 acres near the Health Care Center in the City of Reedsburg is charged $400 in annual fees.  Any farming of residential lots needs an annual conditional use permit.  Liebman noted that the City of Reedsburg can apply a conditional use.  This is not a core county responsibility to farm this land.  Liebman does not believe we would be successful challenging this fee.  The CPZ Department is looking at making this annual lease a three-year lease like the other farm leases.  

Also, there are five separate leases at the County Farm.  It was the consensus of the CPZ Committee that in the future to have three leases:  Pasture, barn/shed/cropland, land in Reedsburg. 

The current renter requested “right of refusal” when going out for bid.  Liebman stated that we cannot offer a right of refusal. 

Discussed that the County Farm is one of the only revenue sources for the county.  In the past, the CPZ Committee and Department discussed having this as a demonstration site for no-till, etc. The site is visible and all the crop residue cannot continue to be taken off that land.  This should be addressed in the new lease.

    Land Records Modernization:

a.    Department reports and updates:  Felton presented the department report and provided background on Land Records.

b.    Review and approval of vouchers:  Motion by Polivka/Peterson to approve vouchers in the amount of $2,500.20.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Register of Deeds:

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

b.    Review and approval of vouchers:  Motion by Ashford/Peterson to approve vouchers in the amount of $3,113.00.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Department:

a.    Review acronyms:  Committee reviewed a listing of acronyms.

b.    Department vision, mission, goals, programs:  The 2014 CPZ Department vision, mission, goals, and programs and the September 12, 2013, Budget Memorandum were reviewed.  

c.    Summary of last two years and review of the next two years:  Briefly discussed the status of the county selecting a preferred alternative for the Badger Army Ammunition Plant.  Krueger will call a joint meeting after the DNR preferred alternative is decided. 

Discussed the CPZ Department and CPZ Committee writing letters of support for organizations and researchers.  Will discuss further on a future agenda.  

d.    Department report: The April report was briefly reviewed.  Copies of the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association “Thursday Notes” were provided.  

e.    Review and approval of vouchers:  Motion by Ashford/Polivka to approve the vouchers totaling $22,215.01.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Update on Chapter 7:  Michalek updated the CPZ Committee on the status of towns adopting Chapter 7.

Approval of Southern Area Association (SAA) delegates:  Motion by Johnson/Peterson to nominate Polivka as the SAA delegate and Lehman as alternate.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Approval of attendance at SAA Spring Meeting:  Pohle informed the CPZ Committee that SAA’s next meeting will be held on June 9 or 10.  Motion by Ashford/Polivka to approve attendance of Polivka and Lehman to attend the SAA Spring Meeting.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Discussion of SAA Summer Tour:  Pohle reviewed the July 30 SAA Summer Tour schedule.  More information will continue to be provided at future meetings.
  
Review of Southwest Badger Resource & Development (RC&D) report:  The Southwest Badger RC&D report was provided to the CPZ Committee.  Due to time limitations, the Committee will review the report outside the meeting.  If they have any questions, they will bring them back at a future meeting.

Review and selection of teacher scholarship recipient(s):  Pohle presented Jill Hunger’s scholarship application to attend the UW-Madison Bioenergy Institute II in August.  Motion by Ashford/Puttkamer to approve a scholarship to Hunger for up to $300.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Reports:

a. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS):  Miller gave a brief overview of NRCS.  Noted there was a conference call this morning, and the implementation of the new Farm Bill is starting to roll out.  Spot checks are starting soon at farms.  There were three legitimate applications for the Pollinators Program.  

b. Farm Service Agency (FSA) report:  Norgard gave a brief overview of FSA and the following programs:  Livestock Forage Program, Emergency Assistance of Livestock Program, Tree Assistance Program, Livestock Indemnity Program.  Acreage reporting is due by July 15.  

c.  Foresters’ report:  No report.

d.  Economic Development Committee report:  No report. 

e.  Mirror Lake District report:  Lehman will be the County Board representative.  There is a meeting today at 4:00 p. m.

f.  Lake Virginia Management District report:  Dietz will be the County Board representative.

g. Lake Redstone Management District report:  Johnson will be the County Board representative.   

Next meetings of the Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee will be held on Tuesday, May 27, and Thursday, June 12, at 9:00 a.m.  Discussed holding meetings in the afternoons; bring back for discussion at the next meeting.

Motion by Ashford/Polivka to adjourn at 12:15 p.m.  Motion carried, all members in favor.  

Respectfully submitted,

Dennis Polivka, Secretary