Planning, Zoning and Land Records

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Sauk County Planning, Zoning and Land Records Committee Meeting

February 23, 2010

Committee Members Present: Ashford, Gaalswyk, Netzinger and Blakeslee.
Committee Member Absent: Lehman

Others Present: Mark Steward, Mary White, Woody Anderson, Brent Bailey, Pat Dederich, Brian Simmert, Junior Gurgel, Steve Sorenson, Brian Cunningham, Michael Clark, James Paquin, Don Toeder, Ken Cady, Carla Cady, Dave Wernecke and Terry Turnquist.

In the absence of Chairman Lehman, Vice Chair Ashford opened the meeting and compliance with open meetings law was certified.

Motion by Gaalswyk, seconded by Blakeslee to adopt the agenda as presented. Motion carried, 4-0.

Motion by Gaalswyk, seconded by Netzinger to approve the minutes of the February 12, 2010 Committee meeting. Motion carried, 4-0.

Public comment: Woody Anderson was looking forward to public hearing regarding changing RC5 to change to RC2. He had a petition with 75 signatures in favor of changing this zoning district.

Junior Gurgel stated that RC5 eats up farm land. People are satisfied with 1-2 acre plots to build on.

Don Toeder was on the board when the Town of Excelsior voted to make this change. People didn’t need five acres to build on.

James Paquin stated 5 acres was just a waste of land.

Mike Clark referred to a house that was built in the middle of a corn field.

The Mapping Department had no monthly report.

Brent Bailey, Register of Deeds, appeared and gave his monthly report. His department would start scanning plats again. He thought there were about 100 left. Changing a flat fee for recording documents was discussed. The County’s share of this fee is $15.00. Revenues and the County making money were discussed. These fees are set by the state.

Register of Deeds’ vouchers were reviewed. Motion by Blakeslee, seconded by Netzinger to approve the bills in the amount of $3,189.80. Motion carried, 4-0.

The Planning and Zoning Department vouchers were then reviewed. Vouchers for 2010 and 2009 were both discussed. Motion by Netzinger, seconded by Blakeslee to approve both submittals. Motion carried, 4-0.

The Committee then discussed granting permission to the Geotte’s to divide property covered by a conservation easement. Alene Kleczek, Corporation Counsel, then joined the discussion. Ashford gave a brief background on the original easement request. The DNR is interested in the land to add to Devil’s Lake State Park. The Committee, as well as DOT, would have to approve the request. 31.89 acres would be added to Devil’s Lake. This land would be taken off the tax roll. Motion by Blakeslee, seconded by Netzinger to postpone this decision until the Committee gets more information on what the DNR’s intentions are. Motion carried, 4-0.

Pat Dederich, County Surveyor, then appeared. He had no vouchers. The Bureau of Land Management has recommendations on how monumentation contracts should be addressed. Dederich requested to postpone any decisions until after he hears from them. These contracts should also be reviewed by the Corporation Counsel. There has been issues with letting these contracts in the past. Further delays were discussed. Dederich was unsure of how long this process would take.

Brian Simmert appeared and gave an update on the working lands initiative. Qualifying for tax credits was discussed. The County needs to update the zoning ordinance and the ag. preservation plan and get them certified. Simmert would be meeting with the towns that have RC 35 zoning the first of March. The 1:20 ratio was reviewed. Creation of smaller lot needs to be promoted. The Town of Excelsior’s request to change RC5 to RC2 was discussed again. Simmert has been working on a major revision of the ordinance and will be sending it out for preliminary comments. Just striking a 5 and making it 2 acres didn’t seem to be the answer in this situation.

Brian Cunningham, Planning and Zoning Department, appeared and reviewed the steel septic tank program. This program will be going county wide. 600 steel tanks in the County need to be checked and possibly replaced. Length of time given to property owners to replace the tanks was discussed. If they are surfacing they needed to be replaced immediately. Funding was reviewed. Inspection methods were discussed. Cunningham offered to come back to the Committee with the inspection form and letter that would be sent out.

The public hearing was called to order at 10:15 a.m.

The item for discussion before the Committee was a petition to rezone certain lands in the Town of Greenfield, County of Sauk, Wisconsin, from a Recreational Commercial to a Resource Conservancy 35 and Resource Conservancy 35 to a Recreational Commercial Zoning District. Lands are owned by Alton & Ardice Cady c/o Cady, LLC.

Brian Simmert appeared and gave the background of the request and recommendation of approval.

Ken Cady appeared in favor.

Carla Cady appeared as interest may appear.

As no one else wished to speak Chair Ashford closed the public portion of the hearing at 10:25.

Motion by Blakeslee, seconded by Netzinger to approve the request. Motion carried, 4-0.

The Committee continued to discuss the steel septic tank program. This needed to be a policy by the Committee not the County Board. A letter was discussed to every owner of a steel tank notifying them they had been put on a schedule for tank replacement. Property owners should not have to prove to the County that their tank was not failing. The department would work with the property owners. Taking this issue to the County Board as information only was discussed. Motion by Gaalswyk, seconded by Ashford to put something in writing to the County Board explaining this program. Motion failed, 1-2. Ashford declined to vote, with Blakeslee and Netzinger in opposition. Discussion followed. Motion by Netzinger, seconded by Blakeslee that the department do a county wide steel septic tank program, but before the letters go out, the County Board is to be notified about the program. Financial information would be sent out with the letter. Motion carried, 4-0.

Discussion followed on an ordinance amendment regarding a conversion fee for zoning out of a farmland preservation district. Motion by Gaalswyk, seconded by Ashford to approve the addition of a conversion fee, Petition #1-2010. Motion carried, 3-1 with Netzinger in opposition.

Steve Sorenson then addressed the Committee regarding junk and nuisance ordinances. The Town of Excelsior has been asking for a revision to the junk ordinance. Sorenson explained the ordinance as it stands. Subdivisions normally had covenants that cover junk and vehicles. Decrepit buildings were briefly discussed. This would be addressed when the ordinance changes were proposed.

The next meeting is scheduled for March 9, 2010.

Motion by Gaalswyk, seconded by Netzinger to adjourn.

Respectfully submitted.



Joel Gaalswyk, Secretary






Notes by mary white.