Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee Meeting

March 7, 2013 CPZ Committee Meeting Minutes (20 KB)

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

 Others present:  J. Godfriaux-Leystra, T. Liebman, B. Michalek, B. Simmert

 At 1:00 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 Halfen/Puttkamer to adopt the agenda.  Motion carried, all members in favor.  

Adopt minutes of previous meeting-February 26, 2013:  Motion by Polivka/Nobs to adopt the minutes from the February 26 Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee meeting.  Motion carried, all members in favor.

Public comment:  No public present.  No public comment.

 Communications:  

1. Udpates from previous CPZ Committee meetings – none

2. Approval of grant for Otter Creek restoration – Michalek updated the Committee regarding a grant received for over a three-year period for Otter Creek improvements.  There is a 30 percent match from participating landowners.  

 Review and discussion of Chapter 7 Sauk County Zoning Ordinance Draft:  CPZ staff reviewed the process and general timeframe for ordinance review by the CPZ Committee, towns, and County Board.  The deadline for initial comments to be submitted to CPZ staff by the CPZ Committee is March 14, 2013.  These comments will be considered and incorporated into a new draft to be considered by the CPZ Committee at their March 26, 2013, meeting.  It is anticipated that following the March 26 meeting, the ordinance will be made available to towns for review and will be submitted to DATCP for preliminary review for future certification under Wis Stat. Ch 91 Farmland Preservation.  CPZ staff will meet with towns collectively and comments and suggestions provided by the towns will be forwarded to the CPZ Committee for discussion and consideration.  The CPZ Committee agreed that while it is important to keep the process moving, it is also important to take the time to make sure the final product reflects desired outcomes.      

 Liebman suggested having a separate sheet that will list suggested changes by the CPZ Committee for the March 26 meeting and will provide an outline for discussion. Lehman suggested that following the public hearing and action by the CPZ Committee on the ordinance that the ordinance be forwarded on to the County Board the following month.

Halfen asked if staff could provide a stricken copy of the ordinance to show where changes have been made.  Liebman suggested that because this is a comprehensive revision and because the format and layout of the new ordinance is different, that a stricken version would not be feasible.  In lieu of providing a stricken version, staff prepared a sheet entitled “Summary of Significant Changes.”  Simmert reviewed the summary which details content differences between the old ordinance and new ordinance.  Discussion by the Committee primarily focused on two new provisions - Home Based Businesses and Temporary Secondary Dwelling provisions.

Overall, the Committee felt that the new ordinance accomplishes the objectives of creating a more user friendly ordinance that maintains a balanced level of regulation acceptable to the towns, yet provides for expanded opportunities for economic development and individual landowner choices.  

The Committee agreed that they will read the ordinance and make notes, comments, and suggestions.  These comments will be turned in to Simmert by  March 14, 2013.  

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

Motion by Ashford/Polivka to adjourn at 3:15 p.m.  Motion carried, all members in favor.   

Respectfully submitted, 

Don Nobs, Secretary