Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee

February 26, 2013 CPZ Committee Meeting Minutes (32 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:  C. Fish, S. Fish, M. Krueger, N. McCann, B. Michalek, P. Pohle, K. Schauf,    B. Simmert, S. Sorenson, B. Vaillancourt, C. Weirich

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.  Motion carried, all members in favor.  

Adopt minutes of previous meeting-February 14:  Motion by Ashford/Puttkamer to adopt the minutes from the February 14 Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee meeting.  Motion carried, all members in favor.

Halfen arrived at 9:02 a.m.

Communications: 

1. Updates from last CPZ Committee meeting - Michalek apprised the CPZ Committee on the 2013 Badger Army Ammunition carryforward amounts that were presented at the February 14 meeting. 

 Michalek mentioned that staff went out last week to assess the sediment fill at Martin/Meadowlark basins and are preparing a report.

 There has not been a meeting set with the Reedsburg City Administrator to discuss the $400 conditional use fee. 

2. Bergstrom’s Trout Unlimited award - Bergstrom recently received the Resource Professional Award from Trout Unlimited for his work benefiting trout in Sauk County through the Dell Creek Priority Watershed Project and projects in Bear Creek, etc.  Will announce this award in a press release and in the Conservation Chronicle newsletter.

Review and possible action on department mid-term assessment – generation of strategic issues:  Michalek reviewed the department’s vision and mission.  Six proposed areas of discussion were presented to be addressed in relation to the mid-term assessment and strategic issues:  Farming and farm programs, conservation and environmental, planning, education, zoning and code enforcement, additional topics. It was suggested to possibly add relationships with outside agencies - may not be a strategic issue but a department issue. The CPZ Committee discussed farming and farm programs and conservation and environmental providing positive actions currently being done and possible improvements.  After all the discussion areas are completely reviewed at the March 14 meeting, a summary will be provided to the CPZ Committee.  Then we will formalize strategic issues to be presented to the County Board. 

Committee took a five-minute recess at 9:58 a.m. 

Public hearing:  To begin at approximately 10:00 a.m. (Committee to consider and take possible action at the conclusion of the respective hearing): 

1. Petition #4-2013. A Petition filed by Don & Carolyn Labansky, property owners and Nick McCann, agent for a change in the zoning of certain lands from a Commercial and Agricultural to a Recreational-Commercial Zoning District. The land to be affected by the proposed rezone to recreational-commercial is located in Section 26, T13N, R3E, Town of LaValle. Said area to be rezoned contains 2.49 acres more or less. 

Lehman called the public hearing to order at approximately 10:03 a.m.  He explained the procedures for the public hearing and introduced the committee and staff members. 

Simmert appeared and presented a staff report. The purpose of the rezone is to allow for a family entertainment center including an indoor arcade, inflatable structure area, and facilities for party rentals with possible future inclusion of an outdoor mini-golf course and batting cages.  The rezone will establish the correct zoning for the center and allow the agent to consider expansion of the business.  The arcade as part of the facility will require extra review by the Board of Adjustment (BOA).  Under the new ordinance there will be changes regarding outdoor use; they will be reviewed by this committee in the future instead of BOA. 

Nick McCann, applicant appearing in favor, discussed the desire to expand their family business that is licensed and insured.  Discussed the parking issues and incorporating more signage, the shared driveway, and the hours of operation. 

Beverly Vaillancourt, appearing in favor, stated the Town of LaValle is in favor of the rezone and that the problem of the shared driveway needs to be worked out.  The proposed rezone area is planned for commercial growth.  

Steven Fish, registering and appearing in opposition, noted they own the land next to the rezone area.  They do not reside there but visit there a lot.  Expressed their concerns regarding trespassing, noise, and traffic.  

Caren Fish, registering and appearing in opposition, questioned why they were not informed of this at the township level. Expressed her concerns regarding trespassing, noise, and traffic.  The land has been in the family for 100 years. 

Carolyn Weirich, registering and appearing in opposition, also noted their land has been in the family for a century and her concern on not being notified by the Town of LaValle.  

Steve Sorenson, registering and appearing as interest may appear, presented pictures of the building and interior of the building that were taken last September.  Stated that thousands of dollars have been spent to remodel this shop.  The CPZ Department is working with McCann through the entire process including getting the necessary permits.  Stated there needs to be a more permanent fence, and the truck traffic coming in the driveway needs to be addressed. 

Seeing no one else wished to appear, Lehman closed the public hearing portion at 10:51 a.m. 

Motion to approve the rezone by Polivka/Nobs.  Motion carried, all in favor. 

The CPZ Committee also asked that their recommendations be forwarded to the BOA - they require a parking plan for this business, and they address the concerns relating to the hours of operation, noise, trespassing, etc. 

Discussion on Rails to Trails and its relation to planning and GIS mapping:  Halfen stated he has concerns for the trails and that it makes sense that CPZ Department planning staff be involved with the planning efforts and work with DNR.  GIS mapping could be utilized for right-of-way acquisitions.  This could be a strategic issue. 

Krueger stated that one of the four strategic issues for the Economic Development Committee is Badger, and thought it was a strategic issue for the CPZ Committee and Department.  The CPZ Committee has been identified as the initial contact for opinions on the master plan with DNR.  He asked the Committee to be patient.  Dietz is on the Economic Development Committee subcommittee working on this issue. 

Land Records Modernization (LRM): 

     a.   Department reports and updates - Felton reviewed the department report.  She also provided the four LRM strategic issues:  migrate existing data to new GIS platform, digitally archive historical Register of Deeds documents, facilitate the use of GIS by other departments, survey corner remonumentaton.  They are reviewing the digital fees and will present the new pricing at next month’s meeting. 

     b.   Review and approval of vouchers - Motion by Halfen/Nobs to approve vouchers in the amount of $16,698.00.  Motion carried, all in favor.  

Surveyor: 

1. Department reports and updates-remonumentation contracts - Dederich informed the Committee about the process necessary to obtain qualified contractors.  The Surveyor will send a "Request for Qualifications" to prospective contractors.  A review panel, consisting of the Surveyor, Land Information Officer, and two County Board members, will review the qualifications in order to establish a new qualified contractors’ list.  Halfen and Ashford volunteered to be on the review panel to help review the contractors' qualifications. 
2. Review and approval of vouchers - Motion by Nobs/Ashford to approve vouchers in the amount of $1,400.00.  Motion carried, all in favor.  

Register of Deeds: 

1.  Department reports and updates - Bailey presented the monthly report and discussed the $30 recording fee.
2.  Review and approval of vouchers - Motion by Polivka/Halfen to approve vouchers in the amount of $3,158.00.  Motion carried, all in favor. 

Update regarding the Sauk County Farmland Preservation Planning process:  The discussion group is continuing to meet and work through the process. 

Next meeting of the Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 7, and at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 14.

Motion by Nobs/Ashford to adjourn at 11:50 a.m.  Motion carried, all members in favor.   

Respectfully submitted, 

Don Nobs, Secretary