Land Resources & Environment Committee

October 27, 2020 Land Records and Environment Committee meeting minutes (259 KB)

SAUK COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
LAND RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
Tuesday, October 27, 2020 
County Board Room/Gallery-Rooms 326A & B, West Square Building

Land Resources and Environment (LRE) Committee members present: M. Krueger, D. Polivka, R. Nelson, R. Curry, P. Kinsman, B. Lohr, V. McAuliffe, R. Puttkamer

Others present:  L. Wilson, G. Greve, G. Templin-Steward, W. Christensen, B. Simmert, C. Fowler, P. Peterson, W. Czuprynko, M. Stieve, J. Alt, (See registration slips.)

At 9:00 a.m. Chair Krueger called the Land Resources and Environment Committee to order and certified it to be in compliance with the Open Meetings Law.  

Adopt agenda:  Motion by McAuliffe/Lohr to adopt the agenda. Motion carried, all in favor. 

Adopt minutes of previous meeting – October 8, 2020  Motion by Nelson/Curry to adopt the minutes from the October 8, 2020 meeting.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Public Comment:
Email from Persche regarding Petition 23-2020.

Appearing in favor of preserving and maintaining Hemlock Dam: R. Sobeck, Sara May, Heidi Geils, Richard Fish 

Communication:  Wilson presented items 

a. Anonymous thank you note for Clean Sweep
b. Email from LRE Chair Krueger to Town of LaValle Chair and Board regarding the proposed Hemlock Dam Land Use Agreement

Presentation by W. Czuprynko, followed by discussion of possible department role, on clean-up and security measures at Timme’s Mill:

W. Czyuprynko presented information about the condition of the area known as Timme’s Mill (Park) in Lake Delton, which includes a county-owned dam.  He asked the Committee to allow Wilson and Stieve to look into addressing the problems of graffiti and security.  Committee members requested the item be brought forth at the November 12th meeting for further discussion of the issues.

Discussion and possible action on the 2021 Wildlife Damage Program Budget; 2020 Crop Price Establishment; 2020 90% Harvest date – Peterson:

P. Peterson provided an overview of the USDA-APHIS wildlife damage program and presented the proposed budget for 2021 of $12,033.30, which has been approved by the WDNR. Motion by Polivka/Puttkamer to approve budget.  Motion passed, all in favor.

2020 crop price establishment:  Current Sauk County crop prices are $3.33 bu/corn and $8.55 bu/soybeans, however, Committee can set the price.  Motion by Puttkamer/Polivka that Sauk County stay in line with neighboring county prices of $3.50 bu/corn and $9.55 bu/soybeans.  Motion carried, all in favor.

2020 90% Harvest Date:  Motion by Puttkamer/Kinsman to set Dec. 1, 2020 as the 90% harvest date. Motion carried, all in favor.

Public Hearing: To begin at approximately 9:15 a.m. or soon thereafter.  Committee to consider and take possible action at the conclusion of the respective hearing.

At 9:45 a.m. Chair Krueger read the procedure for conducting the public hearing and introduced the Committee and staff.

a)   Petition 23-2020.  A petition from Bug Tussel Wireless to consider a conditional use permit pursuant to s. 7.038(9)(i) for a mobile tower siting on land owned by Fred and Russel Gieck, located in the SE ¼ of the SW ¼, Section 02, T10N, R5E, Town of Honey Creek, tax parcel identification number 020-0293-00000. 

Templin-Steward presented background, standards and findings. The applicant wishes to install a 300-foot mobile tower on leased land.  The Town of Honey Creek recommends approval with conditions.

G. Henshue presented background of the site and provided two exhibits showing cell phone coverage in the county. The tower will be part of the emergency response system.

The applicant was asked about an email from the Baraboo Range Preservation Association encouraging Bug Tussel to follow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services guidelines to apply visual markers to the tower’s guy wires in order to prevent birds from colliding with them. Henshue replied the company would adhere to the USFWS guidelines.

T. March appeared in opposition of Petition 23-2020.

L. Martin appeared in opposition of Petition 23-2020.  

As no one else wished to speak, the public hearing portion closed at 10:17 a.m.

Motion by Nelson/McAuliffe to approve CUP 23-2020 with conditions as presented in the staff report and the additional conditions that construction follow guidelines of USFWS regarding marking guy wires, along with the recommendation that beacon lighting be white, as noted in Ramaker’s NEPA report. Motion carried, all in favor.

b)    Petition 24-2020. A petition from La Valle Telephone Cooperative to consider a rezone from an Agriculture district to a Commercial district for future commercial businesses on land owned by La Valle Telephone Cooperative pursuant to s7.050. Said rezone is located in the SE ¼, NW ¼ and SW ¼, NW ¼, Section 22, T13N, R3E, Town of LaValle. Tax parcel identification numbers 024-0606-10000 and 024-0606-20000.  

Christensen presented background and standards and findings.  

J. Bartz, applicant, explained the idea of building a small business park on the parcels.

As no one else wished to speak, the public hearing portion closed at 10:42 a.m.

Motion by Polivka/ Kinsman to recommend approval of REZ 24-2020 based on findings of fact and conclusions and conditions as presented. Motion carried all in favor. 

Review and discussion regarding the Land Use Agreement with the Department of Natural Resources for Hemlock Dam

Stieve reviewed the background of the LUA and his reservations about approving it.  The scope and cost of rebuilding the dam would be much greater than originally thought.  Committee advised a bathometric survey be completed to view the scenario(s) if the dam is not rebuilt.  Chair Krueger will work with the Town to hold a meeting in LaValle.

Discussion and possible action on a conditional use permit for a Planned Rural Development (PRD) lot for Gluth Century Farms, located in Section 21, T11N, R4E, Town of Westfield, Sauk County, pursuant to Chap 7 Subchapter IX, of the Sauk County Code of Ordinances

Christensen presented the background.  If approved, the applicant would create and sell the existing 5-acre lot with an existing dwelling and keep the undeveloped land. The Town of Westfield approved the PRD and a 5-acre CSM lot w/easement.   Motion by Kinsman/Polivka to approve PRD.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Discussion and possible action on an amendment to conditional use permit for a Planned Rural Development (PRD-04-2019) for Markley Properties LLC, located in Section 33, T10N, R5E, Section 27, T10N, R5E,  and Section 36, T10N, R5E, Town of Honey Creek, Sauk County, pursuant to Chap 7 Subchapter IX, of the Sauk County Code of Ordinances

Fowler presented the amendment to revise PRD-04-2019 to make two development lots instead of three, as originally proposed.  The amendment was approved by Town of Honey Creek.  
Motion by Lohr/Curry to approve the CUP amendment.  Motion passed, all in favor.

Discussion and review of the Sauk County Historical Society property master plans for the Man Mound National Historic Landmark and Yellow Thunder Memorial properties.

Fowler presented final drafts of both SCHS plans with the intent to place them on the agenda for approval at the November 24 LRE meeting.  

Review and approval of vouchers:  Wilson presented vouchers. Motion by McAuliffe/Kinsman to approve vouchers in the amount of $48,810.17. Motion carried, all in favor.

Next meetings of the LRE Committee will be held at 9:00 a.m. Thursday, November 12 and Tuesday, November 24, 2020.

Motion by Curry/Polivka to adjourn the meeting at 11:47 a.m.        

Respectfully submitted,

Ross Curry, Secretary