DATE: March 25, 2008
Committee Members Present: Lehman, Sprecher, Ashford, Wiese and Gaalswyk.
Others Present: Mark Steward, Mary White, Brian Simmert, Lowell Haugen and others.
Chairman Wiese called the meeting to order at approximately 9:00 a.m. and compliance with the open meetings law was noted.
Motion by Gaalswyk, seconded by Ashfordto adopt the agenda as presented with the deletion of item d.
Motion carried, 4-0.
Motion by Sprecher, seconded by Ashford to approve the minutes from the March 11, 2008 Committee meeting with the following addition: "Motion by Gaalswyk, seconded by Ashford to go into closed session. Roll call vote taken, Gaalswyk, aye; Ashford, aye; Wiese, aye; Sprecher, aye; Lehman, absent. Motion carried, 4-0",
Motion carried, 4-0.
None
Mark Steward, Planning and Zoning Director, informed Committee of a discussion taking place on March 26, in Watertown regarding how local governments can benefit economically from the preservation of farmland.
Lehman joined the meeting.
Steward informed the Committee of interviews for summer interns taking place today and tomorrow. There was a broad range of candidates, 8 of which would be interviewed.
Steward stated he had a discussion with Tim Stone, from the Town of Fairfield, regarding a town ordinance amendment on PUDs.
The Committee reviewed vouchers for the Planning and Zoning Department. Motion by Ashford, seconded by Gaalswyk to approve the vouchers as presented.
Motion carried, 5-0.
The next item for discussion was a planners training session in Chicago. AICP certification requires training to maintain credits. This workshop consists of 14 of the required 16 yearly credits. Motion by Gaalswyk, seconded by Ashford to approve attendance for 2 staff members at this conference.
Motion carried, 5-0.
The Committee then reviewed the final plat of York Estates in the Town of Excelsior. Discussion followed on road access and frontage. The town had already approved it. Motion by Ashford, seconded by Wiese to approve the plat. Discussion followed. A roll call vote was taken: Wiese, aye; Ashford, no; Lehman, no; Gaalswyk, no; Sprecher, no. The motion was lost because of poor accessibility and odd shaped lots.
At 9:35 Chairman Wiese called the public hearing to order.
The petition being heard was to rezone certain lands in the Town of Honey Creek, County of Sauk, Wisconsin, from a Exclusive Agricultural to an Agricultural Zoning District for the purpose of establishing a private aircraft landing strip for Jackson Pellet. Lands to be affected by the proposed rezone are generally located in Lot 1 of CSM 4579, being a part of the Northeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter of Section 10, T.10N.-R.5E, Town of Honey Creek, Sauk County, Wisconsin.
The Committee members were introduced and the order of the hearing given.
Brian Simmert, Planner, gave the staff report and recommendation of approval. He explained this was a two step process, the rezone followed by a BOA special exception request.
A comprehensive rewrite of the County ordinance was discussed. The construction of a hangar was questioned along with rezoning a driveway. This was only going to be a mowed area with no hangar.
Jackson Pellet, owner, appeared in favor. He explained his proposed use. The strip is 1,200 feet long, with no grading needed as the site is relatively level. He proposed to use the site between 5 and 20 times a year. This type of information would be available when the BOA reviewed the request.
Lynn Zick appeared in opposition. Her property was north of proposed air strip. She was concerned about the noise level, safety, high wires, wildlife and birds.
Pellett reappeared and addressed Zick's issues. Noise levels would not be more than a motorcycle on the road. He proposed to bury utility wires at one residence if needed. These concerns, again, would be addressed at the BOA public hearing.
It was noted that the Town of Honey Creek had unanimously approved the request.
Simmert appeared again at the Committee's request. Highway setbacks were discussed. The Town did not have a public hearing on this request.
Seeing no one else wished to speak the public portion of the hearing was closed at 10:05 a.m.
Motion by Gaalswyk, seconded by Lehman to approve the rezone form Exclusive Agriculture to an Agricultural Zoning District.
Motion carried, 5-0.
Motion by Gaalswyk, seconded by Ashford to adjourn, 10:10 a.m.
Respectfully submitted: Judy Ashford, Secretary