Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee

August 28, 2012 CPZ Meeting Minutes (141 KB)

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

Others present: B. Bailey, B. Cunningham, P. Dederich, J. Erickson, K. Felton, J. Gingerich, J. Godfriaux-Leystra, M. Krueger, G. McDonough, B. Michalek, S. Pate, P. Pohle, B. Simmert, J. Van Berkel, K. Vertein

At 9:01 a.m. Vice Chair Ashford called the Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee to order and certified to be in compliance with the Open Meetings Law.

Adopt agenda: Motion by Polivka/Puttkamer to adopt the agenda and the agenda item relating to McDonough be moved up on the agenda to before the public hearing if time permits. Motion carried, all members in favor.

Adopt minutes of previous meeting-August 9: Motion by Halfen/Dietz to adopt the minutes from the August 9 Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee meeting. Motion carried, all members in favor.

Public comment: None.

Communications: None.

Land Records Modernization:

a. Department reports and updates: Felton presented the department report.
b. Review and approval of vouchers: None.
c. Authorization to forward the 2013 Land Records Modernization budget to Finance: Felton provided the “Notes” she referenced at the August 9 meeting. Motion by Halfen/Polivka to approve moving the Land Records Modernization budget to Finance. Motion carried, all in favor.

Register of Deeds:

a. Department reports and updates: Bailey informed the Committee that he polled the other state registers, and found that 27 do not plan to go back to collecting the reduced fee of $25 anytime soon and will continue collecting the additional $5. Believes that the Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA) prefers to remove itself from this issue. There is a meeting in October and plan to discuss this then. The initial directive is specific that the $5 fee goes towards redaction and when completed, the fee collection is to stop. Discussed contacting the Department of Administration to question receiving an extension to start collecting the additional $5 again. Bailey will look at the pros and cons. The CPZ Committee encouraged Bailey to pursue collecting the additional $5 and write a letter requesting an extension.
b. Review and approval of vouchers: Motion by Halfen/Nobs to approve the vouchers in the amount of $3,734.20. Motion carried, all in favor.
c. Review and possible approval of Register of Deeds 2013 budget: Bailey presented the revised Form 1 and Crystal Report with the budget changes. There are not many changes. Hope to have a credit card module. As part of the redaction process, scanning more records that will be available online. There is a difference of $4,300 from last year. Motion by Nobs/Halfen to pass the Register of Deeds 2013 budget on to Finance. Motion carried, all in favor.

Surveyor:

a. Department reports and updates: Dederich stated there is nothing of consequence to report.
b. Review and approval of vouchers: Motion by Halfen/Dietz to approve vouchers in the amount of $4,690. Motion carried, all in favor.

Review and possible approval Conservation Congress 2013 budget request: Ken Vertein provided background on the Conservation Congress. Requesting the same $1,200 amount that has been requested since 2009. The delegates are dedicated and not requesting their full reimbursements. Motion by Nobs/Halfen to approve the Conservation Congress 2013 budget request of $1,200. Motion carried, all in favor.

Review and possible approval of bids for barn salvage in Clark Creek: Van Berkel informed the Committee that an ad was put in the papers for the barn to be removed for salvage and summarized the three bids received. Low bid was received from Hardwood Recovery from Wisconsin Dells for $27.50. Hardwood Recovery meets all of the requirements and has agreed to meet all requirements and post a $500 performance bond. Motion by Halfen/Puttkamer to approve Hardwood Recovery’s bid for $27.50 to remove the barn. Motion carried, all in favor.

Discussion and possible action on a conditional use permit for a farm consolidated lot located in
S27/28,T.12N.R.3E, Town of Ironton, Sauk County by George and Janice McDonough in accordance with the provisions contained in Section 7.12 of the Sauk County Code of Ordinances: Simmert noted that the McDonoughs own approximately 80 acres, and they wish to create a 3.72 acre farm consolidation lot that will contain an old farm house and outbuildings. Motion by Polivka/Halfen to approve the farm consolidation use permit. Motion carried, all in favor.

Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Department report and updates: The department report was mailed with the meeting packets. Michalek briefly reviewed the report. He will check on what dam Paul Roth was assisted with during the month of July.

Lehman arrived at 9:55 a.m.

Update on Drinking Water Program: Jenny Erickson presented on the rural Drinking Water Testing Program. Erickson and Pohle partner with the county townships to provide this program to two or three towns per year. Just completed the program in the Town of LaValle and Town of Woodland. Received very positive feedback on the program. The UW-Stevens Point groundwater lab maps the test results and it is a first start at mapping out water quality statewide. Erickson also discussed the work being done in the Spring Green area. There have been some meetings and have put together some FAQs. Trying to set up a meeting date later this year.

Public Hearing: To begin at approximately 10:00 a.m. (Committee to consider and take possible action at the conclusion of the respective hearing)

a. Petition #10-2012. A Petition by Amos & Fannie Christner c/o John Gingerich to change the zoning of their property from an Exclusive Agricultural to a Commercial Zoning District. The land to be affected by the proposed rezone to Commercial is located in Section 9, T12N, R3E, Town of Ironton. Said area to be rezoned contains 4.82 acres more or less.

Lehman called the public hearing to order at approximately 10:14 a.m. He explained the procedures for the public hearing and introduced the committee and staff members.

Simmert appeared and presented a staff report and background on the rezone. The property consists of an existing greenhouse/garden center business, buggy shop, and residence. The proposed rezone will allow for an addition to the building used for the buggy shop, the expanded area of which will be utilized as a woodworking shop. The rezone will also allow for the sale of items both produced on and off the premises.

Nobs questioned if it qualifies as a cottage industry.

Simmert responded that it does not because of the sale of items that are not produced there, brought in from an outside source.

John Gingerich, applicant, appearing in favor, stated he wants a bigger area for his shop.

Polivka noted that the town has approved the rezone.

Seeing no one else wished to appear, Lehman closed the public hearing portion at 10:23 a.m.

Motion by Polivka/Ashford to approve the rezone. Motion carried, all in favor.

Discussion and possible action on the selection of stakeholder participants to assist with the development of the Farmland Preservation Plan: Godfriaux-Leystra presented a list of suggested stakeholder committee members. It was agreed that the emphasis should be on producers and that the meetings should begin after harvest. The following were selected: Joe Prem, Cedar Grove Cheese Factory, Mark Beisbier, McFarlanes-Sauk City/Dick McFarlane, Luther Farms, Katie Pfeiffer-Ag Agent, Ed Liegel, Wyttenbachs, Paul Dietmann, Ryan White. Alternates selected were: Ed Wittmann, Dave Gade-Foremost Farms, Heidi Accola, Dan Licht, Gene Larson. There will not be a chair of the stakeholder group since it is acting as part of this Committee and there will be no per diem.

Update and discussion regarding ATCP 49, potential impacts on the Conditional Use Permit/Planned Unit Development (CUP/PUD) cluster lot program, and ordinance certification requirements by DATCP: Simmert reported that the new Chapter 91 changed FPP. There are issues with the statute in regard to PUD. DATCP indicated they modeled their program after ours, but actually it is a very different program. Have met with DATCP and need an administrative rule clarified. Working with DATCP to allow us to keep our current program. The goal is to look at the allowable uses. At the County Planning Directors meeting, questioned if there is a way to assemble a focus group from counties to assist with the rule. The response was that would need to be made by DATCP Secretary Ben Brancel. We know what needs to be done to make it work. Following the meeting, staff met with Marty Krueger and Representative Ed Brooks. Representative Brooks may talk to Brancel. A listening session occurred last week and invitees included representatives from the Towns Association, WCA, and UW-Madison. Request made to DATCP for attendance but not allowed. Scott Godfrey accompanied WCA at the listening session. You have a group within the counties that understands the inefficiencies, but there is no venue for recommended changes. Our hope there will be a focus group put together. There are other issues with the statute that might require an amendment to the statute. In early 2014 the rule could potentially be adopted. If we put forward what we want, then it would not be certified by DATCP and our landowners would not receive their tax credits. Kleczek Bolin and Michalek instructed Simmert to proceed redrafting our ordinance, to take this part out, and move on the rest of the ordinance. We are suggesting in the administrative rule to keep our current density policy. Could put together two versions. Hope to bring a finalized version to the CPZ Committee in October and then take out to the towns. Bring feedback back to Committee and make policy decisions based on feedback-two versions. Lehman stated that he will also talk to Brancel.

Review and possible approval of Conservation, Planning, and Zoning 2013 budget: Michalek and the CPZ Committee discussed the proposed budget which includes $82,000 increase in levy over 2012. Reminded the Committee, as was expressed to him and the Finance Committee last year, restructuring the departments is not a one-year fix. Discussed cutting services and the impact of those decisions along with possible alternatives to cutting. The issue facing this department is the past practice of using carryforwards to balance the budget. For the 2012 budget, Michalek used the carryforward funds and returned $290,000 back to the general fund to offset 2012 budget. In 2013 the use of carryforwards will continue in order to send those dollars back to the general fund. By doing this over budget years 2012 and 2013, we will have returned nearly $350,000 back to the general fund by the end of 2013. Additionally, in 2013 we will still have reduced our budget by nearly $300,000 in expenses and $65,000 in levy from the 2011 budget. We did this by evaluating all services which included eliminating three vacant positions, improving efficiencies in the department, and reducing line item expenses. Motion by Halfen/Polivka to move the budget forward to Finance Committee as presented but to possibly make changes to engineering costs and cost sharing if necessary at the Finance Committee meeting. Motion carried, all in favor. CPZ Committee members may attend the Finance Committee meeting; need to be informed of meeting date and time.

Approval of attendance at Twilight Meeting on Wednesday, August 22, in Arlington: No additional CPZ Committee members were able to attend, no action necessary.

Next meetings of the Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 13 (Lehman may not attend), and Wednesday, September 26 (Nobs and Halfen may not attend), if there is not a public hearing on September 26 this meeting may be cancelled.

Motion by Ashford/Halfen to adjourn at 12:31 p.m. Motion carried, all members in favor.

Respectfully submitted,

Don Nobs, Secretary