Baraboo Range Commission
DATE: March 5, 2009
The Baraboo Range Commission met in regular session, Thursday March 5, 2009 at the Sauk County West Square Building in Baraboo, Wisconsin.
Members present: Ashford, Beard Hartmann, Persche, Statz, Steinhorst, Turnquist and Wenzel. Also present: Dave Tremble, Sauk County Planning and Zoning, and Audrey Parker.
Chairperson Ashford brought the meeting to order at 8:30 AM., and asked members to review the meeting agenda. Motion to adopt the agenda by Statz, second by Persche. Motion carried.
Ashford asked members to review the draft minutes from the January 28, 2009 Commission meeting. Motion to approve by Steinhorst, second by Persche. Motion Carried.
Communications
None
Public Comment
None
Staff Report
Tremble reported on the recent status of the Working Lands Initiative and the progress of its agricultural land protection policy. He also briefed members on the proposed "Facing Our Future" event scheduled for March 30 as part of Sauk county's comprehensive planning process.
Unfinished Business
Tremble reported that the Planning, Zoning and Land Records Committee of the County Board had reviewed the request by Charles and Judy Gibson to modify the terms of their BRPP conservation easement restricting subdivision of the protected property. The PZLR Committee voted against the proposal, preferring to maintain the status quo and emphasizing that the County had paid to restrict further divisions of the land.
The Commission reviewed its project priorities, and determined that four projects should be completed now (Cady, Klingenmeyer, Halbach and Heinzen), leaving the Cummings project to decide once final funding balance is known.
New Business
Tremble reported that Robert Provorse, owner of BRPP easement protected property on Cox Road in the Town of Freedom, had requested approval of a plan to remove a narrow row of trees dividing his field at the top of Cox Road. Tremble presented an aerial photograph of the property showing the location of the referenced tree line and the surrounding cropland. Tremble showed the limit of the proposed tree removal, and explained Mr. Provorse's rationale for removal, which was to increase the efficiency of fieldwork. Members agreed that the conservation value of the few trees to be removed was negligible. Wenzel moved to approve the proposed removal of trees as indicated on the aerial photograph presented, seconded by Turnquist, Motion Carried.
Tremble presented resolutions in support of the Purchase of Development Rights for five Baraboo Range properties, James M. Halbach; Ken and Carly Cady; Thomas Cummings; Darrell Klingenmeyer, et al; and Richard Heinzen.
Turnquist moved to approve the James Halbach resolution, second by Persche. Motion Carried. Steinhorst moved to approve the Ken and Carla Cady resolution, second by Statz. Motion Carried.
Action on the Cummings resolution was tabled awaiting determination of the fund balance.
Wenzel moved to approve the Darrell Klingenmeyer resolution, second by Persche. Motion Carried.
Persche moved to approve the Heinzen resolution, second by Turnquist. Motion Carried.
Beard moved to allow negotiation of the purchase of development rights for the Cummmings property if sufficient funds are available. Motion withdrawn.
The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for May 27, 2009.
Motion to adjourn by Beard, second by Steinhorst. Motion Carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:12 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dave Tremble
Sauk County Dept. of Planning and Zoning