Conservation, Planning and Zoning Committee *Amended Agenda

December 12, 2013 CPZ Committee Meeting Minutes (34 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:  B. Cunningham, M. Krueger, B. Michalek, P. Peterson, P. Pohle, B. Simmert

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 Ashford/Halfen to adopt the amended agenda.  Motion carried, all in favor.

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

a.     Puttkamer spoke on behalf of the Town of Baraboo regarding concerns with Dave Leatherberry’s hauling.  Requested that Steve Sorenson attend the town’s meeting with Leatherberry.

Communications:

a.    Krueger letter to Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Brancel regarding Planned Unit Development (PUD) Program: Michalek briefly reviewed the letter.

Dietz arrived at 9:06 a.m.

b.    DATCP memo to Sauk County on Sauk County Zoning Ordinance Density Standards:  Michalek reviewed the memo.

c.    Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRC) Operational Agreement:  Michlalek reported that the one-year agreement has been also signed by NRCS.  Next year we may do a four-year agreement in order to be on the same renewal timeframe as other counties who have five-year agreements.

d.    DNR letter to Krueger on Floodplain Zoning Ordinance Approval:  Michalek reviewed the letter.

e.    Michalek informed the CPZ Committee that an anonymous letter was received regarding the CPZ Department’s involvement with the Ewens’ permit and that what Ewens is doing is legal. Michalek will let Tim Meister know about this concern since it is in his area.

f.    Michalek informed the Committee that a letter was received from the DNR notifying us that DNR received an application to transfer ownership of the Huey Duck Lake Dam.

g.    Southern Area Association meeting:  Their next meeting will be held on January 16.  Due to the light agenda, no CPZ Committee member will attend.  Pohle discussed setting the Southern Area Association Tour to be held in Sauk County for Wednesday, July 30.  An ag plastics recycling collection will be held that day which could be included in the tour.

h.    Lehman provided a copy of “Reasons to Embrace Factory Farming” from the December 2013 edition of the “Progressive Farmer.”

i.    Lehman reported on the Southwest Badger Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) meeting he attended last week.

Review and approval of Wildlife Damage Cooperative Service Agreement and resolution:  Peterson reviewed the five-year Cooperative Service Agreement (CSA).  There is no cost obligation to the county.  Addressed Corporation Counsel’s questions they had while reviewing the document.  Consensus was that someone from the Wildlife Damage Service do not need to attend the County Board meeting in addition to Michalek.  Motion by Polivka/Puttkamer to approve the agreement and resolution as presented.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Establish 2013 crop damage price values:  Peterson presented the year-long average crop prices as follows:  regular corn-$5.86/bushel and organic corn-$11.82/bushel.  Committee can set any price.  There were no hunting claims this year, but there has been quite a bit of fencing.  Motion by Halfen/Dietz to approve the average prices of $5.86/bushel for regular corn and $11.82/bushel for organic corn.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Establish 2013 90% harvest date:  After some discussion, motion by Polivka/Puttkamer to set December 1 as the 2013 90% harvest date.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Land Records Modernization:

a.    Department reports and updates:  Felton presented the Land Records/GIS output measures as of December 12.   They continue working on migration and were able to keep their interns to work on projects for them and the County Surveyor.  

b.     Review and approval of vouchers:  Motion by Nobs/Halfen to approve vouchers in the amount of $7,027.52.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Surveyor:

a.    Department reports and updates:  None.

b.    Review and approval of vouchers:  None.

Register of Deeds:

a.    Department reports and updates:  Bailey reported on the output measures.

b.    Review and approval of vouchers:  Motion by Ashford/Halfen to approve the vouchers in the amount of $2,003.98.  Motion carried, all in favor.

c.    Review and approval of resolution for book conversion project vendor:  Bailey presented the resolution to the Committee and why all the bidders were included.  Motion by Halfen/Ashford to approve the resolution.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Discussion regarding the State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Master Plan for Sauk Prairie Recreational Area:  Halfen noted that the DNR has come out with the public comments.  DNR commented that Sauk County does not have a position.  At the joint meeting with the Executive & Legislative meeting, it was the consensus to wait until the comment period was over before the county would make a recommendation.  Consensus of the committee was to hold a joint meeting with the Executive & Legislature Committee.

Update on Chapter 7 Zoning Ordinance:  Simmert noted that DATCP allowed Sauk County to keep their current density plan.  The anticipated schedule for completion was provided to the CPZ Committee.  It was decided to hold the public hearing on January 28 and take it to the February County Board meeting.  The DATCP language change on mapping will need to be included in the County Board motion for adoption.

Discussion and possible approval of a reduction to the width of an access easement from 66 feet to 20 feet more or less pursuant to Section 22.14 Sauk County Land Division and Subdivision Regulations Ordinance for Rolling Valley Farm, LLC as requested by the Nature Conservancy and located in the Town of Sumpter:  Simmert presented the parcel sketch and parcel maps for the area being discussed.  Motion by Lehman/Halfen to deny the request.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Review and approval of resolution on Senate Bill 349:  The draft resolution was provided to the Committee.  The Wisconsin Counties Association is not taking a position at this time, and Michalek would not recommend any action at this time by the county.  The legislative session has ended, and a new bill would need to be reintroduced.  Consensus of CPZ Committee to not  move the resolution forward.

Review and acceptance of 2013 donations:  Pohle presented the donations received for educational programming totaling $4,619.00 in 2013.  Motion by Polivka/Ashford to accept the donations totaling $4,619.00.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Review and approval of Conservation Chronicle newsletter bids:  Motion by Halfen/Polivka to approve Econoprint as the printer for the 2014 Conservation Chronicle newsletter.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Discussion on pollution levels in Wisconsin River:  Halfen questioned if the CPZ Department has programs in place to deal with buffers and what happens if a waterway gets placed on EPA’s impaired list.  There is the Floodplain Zoning Ordinance, the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), etc.  Polivka attended the meeting where Dave Marshall’s Lake Planning Grant Diagnostic and Feasibility Study was released.  Polivka noted that there is money available but producers do not want to “stick their neck out.”  The CPZ Department and NRCS need to be leaders for solutions.

Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Department:

a.    Department reports and updates:  Michalek reviewed the department report.  Discussed the manure spill on Honey Creek.

b.    Review and approval of vouchers:  Motion by Ashford/Nobs to approve the 2013 and 2014 vouchers in the total amount of $76,932.37.  Motion carried, all in favor.  

Reports:

a.  Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS):  Miller noted they are operating under the continuing resolution until January 15.  The Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) signup deadline is December 20.  The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) signup deadline is January 17.

b.  Farm Service Agency (FSA) report:  None.

c.  Foresters’ report:  None.

d.  Economic Development Committee report:  None.

e.  Mirror Lake District report:  Nobs reported they met on November 14.  They discussed the sale of their old weed cutter.  A DNR person reported that Mirror Lake is one of the most pristine lakes in the area.

f.  Lake Virginia Management District report:  Nobs reported their next meeting will be on December 14.  Their pump had a malfunction and is being looked at either being repaired or replaced.  Michalek stated that the CPZ Department decided not to apply for the Lake Planning Grant due to amount of time involved for the minimal amount of grant money.  The Department will do the work requested without the grant.  The Department wants to do a representative testing of their phosphorus levels to see if it is removed or where it is coming in.  Curly leaf has been removed from the lake.

g.  Lake Redstone Management District report: Dietz requested the mailing list from Juneau County for the drainage district.  Pohle will contact Juneau County.

Next meetings of the Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee will be held at 9 a.m. on Thursday, January 9, and Tuesday, January 28, at 9:00 a.m.

Motion by Ashford/Halfen to adjourn at 11:51 a.m.  Motion carried, all members in favor.

Respectfully submitted,

Don Nobs, Secretary