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

April 12, 2012 Jt LCC/PZLR Meeting Minutes (27 KB)

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

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

Absent: J. Gaalswyk, P. Murray

Others present: N. Brereton, R. Churchill, B. Cunningham, B. Michalek, C. Norgard, P. Pohle, B. Vaillancourt

At 10:09 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 Ashford/Borleske to approve the agenda. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Adopt minutes of previous meetings-March 8: Motion by Ashford/Borleske to adopt the minutes of the meeting on March 8 for the Planning, Zoning & Land Records Committee and Land Conservation Committee. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor.

Public comment: Vaillancourt encouraged the Committee and CPZ Department to stay on the American Transmission Company mailing list and thanked them for the resolution and support of the town on this issue.

Communications:

a. Wisconsin Land & Water Conservation Association (WLWCA) Newsletter-Thursday Note(s): Reviewed the March 8 Thursday Note.
b. South Wisconsin high voltage corridors with legislators: The map was provided to the committees.
c. Letter from American Transmission Company: Michalek noted that the primary routes could be changed so we do need to keep a watch on it. Southern route would go over Wildcat Mountain.
d. DNR, NRCS, and CPZ are working on a landowner checklist for the different drainage rules for these agencies.

Authorize LCC Chair to sign DATCP staffing/planning grant: Michalek noted the Department is requesting more funds than will be given to us; expect to receive $206,800. Motion by Borleske/ Smoke to authorize Wiese to sign the DATCP staffing/planning grant. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Selection of teacher scholarship recipient(s): Pohle presented a scholarship application from Jennifer Schultz, agriculture education and biology instructor at Baraboo High School, requesting $300 to take additional environmental education courses. Motion by Kriegl/Smoke to approve Jennifer Schultz’s scholarship. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Selection of youth conservation camp scholarship recipient(s): Pohle presented two scholarship applications for middle school students to attend the Sand Lake Conservation Camp near Crivitz. Camp scholarships are $55/camper. Motion by Smoke/Borleske to approve Garrick Hartley and Mitchel Hoppe to attend the Sand Lake Conservation Camp. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Department:

a. Department report and updates: Michalek reviewed the Conservation, Planning, and Zoning department report.
b. Review and approval of vouchers: Motion by Nobs/Borleske to approve vouchers in the amount of $6,285.52. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Reports:

a. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) report: Brereton reported Sauk County was able to fund all but two applicants in the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) signup this year. The two unfunded applicants were in the forestry fund pool. The funded contracts were for $314,801 to help fund conservation practices in the county. Two additional applicants were funded but declined a contract.
Four of the eight applicants were funded under the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) in Sauk County. Annual payments rate will range from $1,000 to $10,000+. Contract length is five years.
NRCS is required to do conservation compliance reviews every year. In the past, the local field office staff conducted the reviews. It is being mandated by the national NRCS office that reviews will be done by someone other than the local office.
Brereton reported that she will be retiring at the end of June. She has worked for NRCS for 35 years, 24 of those years were in Sauk County.

b. Farm Service Agency (FSA) report: Norgard informed that the deadline for the general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signup has been extended to April 13. There has been good interest in the program. The county committee COC election nominations start June 15 for a three-year term. They are issuing milk payments because of high feed costs. For land coming out of CRP there will need to be some sort of conservation plan followed in order to stay in any of the programs.

c. Foresters’ report: None.

d. Economic Development Committee report: Lehman reported that a Highway 12 study group has been appointed on what to do with the new corridor and the proposed corridor. There will be an open house to discuss signage and two Department of Transportation staff will attend.

e. Mirror Lake District report: Smoke reported that Michalek spoke at their meeting about the dam situation. The Village of Lake Delton will lease them the machine for weed removal which they will have at their disposal the entire summer. Friends of Mirror Lake State Park are working on a project for an amphitheater with a covered stage. Some district members went to the Wisconsin Lakes Conference.

f. Lake Virginia Management District report: Michalek attended their March 17 meeting, and they are coming in April 23 for a meeting with himself, Schauf, Liebman, and Krueger requesting the county take over their dam.

g. Lake Redstone Management District report: Borleske reported that Brent Bergstrom came to their meeting, and Jenny Erickson did a survey of property owners. Jon Field from Juneau County NRCS is doing shoreland stabilization demonstration areas to see what will work and what does not work. Tonight they will finalize what their priorities will be. Still trying to determine where the brown plume is coming from.

Next meeting of the Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee will be held on Thursday, May 10, and a public hearing will be held on Tuesday, May 22.

Motion by Halfen/Borlekse to adjourn at 11:01 a.m. Motion carried, all PZLR members in favor. Motion carried, all LCC members in favor.

Respectfully submitted,

Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee