Joint Meeting Planning, Zoning and Land Records Committee and Land Conservation Committee

January 12 Joint LCC/PZLR Committee 2012 Minutes (47 KB)

Land Conservation Committee (LCC) members present: L. Borleske, T. Kriegl, P Murray, R. Puttkamer, J. Smoke, L. Wiese

Planning, Zoning, & Land Records (PZLR) Committee members present: J. Ashford, J. Gaalswyk, F. Halfen, G. Lehman, D. Nobs

Others present: B. Bergstrom, B. Cunningham, P. Dederich, K. Felton, L. Hasenbalg, B. Michalek, P. Pohle, J. Seering, B. Simmert, V. Solomon, D. Wernecke

At 9:35 a.m. Chair Lehman called the Planning, Zoning and Land Records Committee to order and certified to be in compliance with the Open Meetings Law.

Chair Wiese called the Land Conservation Committee to order and certified to be in compliance with the Open Meetings Law.

Adopt agenda: Motion by Borleske/Smoke to adopt the agenda. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Adopt minutes of previous meeting-December 12 and 20: Motion by Halfen/Borleske to adopt the minutes of the meeting on December 12 and 20 of the Planning, Zoning & Land Records Committee and Land Conservation Committee. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Public comment: None.

Communications:

a. Wisconsin Land & Water Conservation Association (WLWCA) Newsletter-Thursday Note(s): Bergstrom highlighted the December 15 Thursday Note. At the WLWCA Annual Conference, all of the resolutions were approved including the staffing grants which we will discuss later on in the agenda. The merger of WLWCA and Wisconsin Association of Land Conservation Employees (WALCE) was approved and is going to WALCE members for their approval on February 29 at their conference. Asian Carp was changed to apply to all waters in the state. Wiese briefly discussed the resolutions especially regarding the frac sand mining. They are looking at counties with no zoning; Sauk County has a mining ordinance (Chapter 7 and in the mining reclamation portion) that we are looking at revising for the frac sand mining concerns. There are no immediate concerns for our county.

b. Gaalswyk stated the Town of Franklin Planning Commission may consider becoming an Agriculture Enterprise Area (AEA) and would invite Honey Creek and Bear Creek landowners to an informational session to discuss this. Michalek requested that when the date and location is set, to contact his department and a staff person will be at the meeting.

c. Michalek received notification from the Department of Transportation (DOT) attorney that they have approved the $250,000 match funding, will be moving the paperwork on for signatures, and then to Supervisor Krueger for his signature.

d. Dutch Hollow Lake Property Owners Association sent their support for the previous ATC resolution.

Land Records Modernization:

a. Department report: Felton distributed the department’s report and briefly reviewed the report.

b. Review and approval of vouchers: Motion by Halfen/Ashford to approved December vouchers in the total amount of $248.46. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor.

Surveyor Department:

a. Department report: Dederich stated he does not have all the numbers for 2011 plats or surveys. There were 345 section corners completed in 2011 which is double of the state’s requirement. There are a couple invoices amounting to $3,000-$4,000 that will go in for 2011 for the bounty program, and we have $40,000 for 2012.

b. Review and approval of vouchers: Motion by Ashford/Nobs to approve November vouchers in the amount of $1,700. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor. Motion by Halfen/Ashford to approve December vouchers in the amount of $11,650. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor.

Discussion and possible approval of resolution on awarding a contract for debris removal in the Clark Creek Watershed: Bids were due and opened on January 9. There was a range of contractors submitting bids between $43,825-$337,550. Recommend to accept Tallgrass Restoration which was the lowest bid. They have a smaller crew and come highly recommended. Questioned if they have done work in this steep of terrain; that was not asked of the references. Remove PZLR from the first Whereas paragraph in the resolution. Motion by Smoke/Borleske to accept the low bid of $43,825 from Tallgrass Restoration. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Update and discussion on the floodplain zoning ordinance/Lake Redstone Dam Breach Study: DNR legal staff left a voicemail for Michalek that they have no choice, since it a statutory requirement, and will be moving forward to pass the ordinance. They will be holding a public hearing in late January/February. There was concern on who will be notified of the public hearing and where it will be held. The committees also wanted communication to DNR explaining the resolution failed because it was felt that the floodplain zoning ordinance was discriminatory between the incorporated and unincorporated areas. May want to get Representative Ed Brooks, Representative Fred Clark, and/or Senator Dale Schultz involved.

There was break from 10:40-10:50 a.m.

Liebman noted that he would like to do some research and may approach the DNR counsel on the county’s concern. The explanation why the resolution was not passed would be best done by a County Board resolution. He does not encourage haste, DNR is not going to stop doing what they are doing, and this resolution is not going to have a major impact on what they are doing.

Discussion and possible approval of resolution regarding the Badger Coulee Transmission Line proposed by American Transmission Company: There was a considerable amount of discussion on various concerns and language changes.

Motion by Borleske/Puttkamer to take out the word detrimental and just say “…to have an effect…” in the seventh paragraph. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Motion by Nobs/Kriegl to include the paragraph “Whereas, ATC has not disclosed the information they have on the economic costs and benefits for Sauk County from the Badger Coulee Transmission Line; and”. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor except Halfen and Gaalswyk. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor except Wiese.

Motion by Murray/Smoke to add to the first Be it further resolved at the end of the paragraph “...and provide the information to the public; and”. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Motion by Kriegl/Murray to remove Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO) from the third Whereas paragraph. Motion failed, all PZLR members opposed. Motion failed, all LCC members opposed except Kriegl in favor. The third Whereas paragraph will remain as proposed.

Motion by Smoke/Halfen to remove the last Be it further resolved paragraph. Motion failed, all PZLR members opposed. Motion failed, all LCC members opposed except Smoke in favor. The last Be it further resolved paragraph will remain as proposed.

Motion by Kriegl/Murray to add “e-The future potential of non-centralized generation of energy that is used close to the point of generation.” Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Motion by Halfen/Wiese to adopt the resolution with the changes and be put on the January County Board agenda. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor except Gaalswyk opposed. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Update and discussion on Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection staffing grants: Updated the committees that we will receive $15,000 less for staffing in 2012 and $4,000 more in SEG funds.

Discussion on farmland drainage: Lehman stated farm drainage is a hot issue out in the farm community. Recommend holding an informational meeting for landowners with NRCS, Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife Service, DNR, and CPZ. Staff will begin work on this.

Lake Planning Grant for Lower Wisconsin River Oxbow Lake Study: Motion by Murray/Borleske to adopt the Lake Planning Grant for the Lower Wisconsin Oxbow Lake Study. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Department:

a. Department reports and updates: Michalek reviewed the Land Conservation and Planning & Zoning departmental reports.

b. Review and approval of vouchers: Motion by Borleske/Smoke to approve the 2011 and 2012 vouchers in the amount of $10,202.95. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Reports:

a. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) report: Brereton reported that the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) application deadline is January 27. CSP rewards producers who are doing a good job of conservation on their land. The Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) application deadline is February 3 for the general signup. There will also be three separate signups covering energy plans on farms, seasonal high tunnels, and conservation activity plans.

b. Farm Service Agency (FSA) report: Norgard reported that the Direct Countercyclical Program begins January 23. There is still the continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). USDA will have large cutbacks.

c. Foresters’ report: None.

d. Economic Development Committee report: Murray reported they have not met, and they will meet on January 23.

e. Mirror Lake District report: Smoke stated there is nothing to report.

f. Lake Virginia Management District report: People are upset about their assessments. Michalek went to their last meeting, and the majority of the meeting was about solutions to find out the basic information, how the assessor assesses their values on the lake versus off the lake. The chair was contacting the assessor. May need to look at how to even out the benefits. Small group off the lake may want to get out of the district. They questioned why the county does not own the dam instead of them.

g. Lake Redstone Management District report: Borleske reported that prior to Tuesday night’s meeting, there was a meeting to see if cost sharing is available to make the lake better. They approved RFPs for their aquatic management plan. There is a group attempting to get nonphosphorus lawn fertilizer in their area stores.

Lehman received consent to contest the $400 permit charge for the HCC property we own in Reedsburg.

Next meeting of the Planning, Zoning & Land Records Committee will be held on Tuesday, January 20, and the meeting of both the Land Conservation Committee and Planning, Zoning & Land Records Committee will be held on Thursday, February 9, at 9:00 a.m. in B24.

Motion by Ashford/Smoke to adjourn at 12:21 p.m. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Respectfully submitted,

Peter Murray, Secretary                         Joel Gaalswyk, Secretary
Land Conservation Committee              Planning, Zoning and Land Records Committee