HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-19-97 County Development Management Plan & Zoning Ord Steering CommitteeTO:
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COMIVIITTEE TITLE:
DATE OF MEETING:
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ST. CROIX COUNTY
NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING
Robert oche, St. Croix County Board Chairperson
Chairperson Tom Dorsey
County Development Management Plan and Zoning Ordinance Steering
Committee
June 19, 1997
9:00 a.m.
St. Croix County Government Center, Hudson, WI,
Conference Room 1281/1282
CALL TO ORDER:
ROLL CALL:
ADOPTION OF AGENDA:
ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES:
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
1. Project Status Report
2. Physical Features Analysis
3. Agricultural Land Evaluation
4. Community Involvement, Chapter 5
5. Alternative Development Scenarios
5 Zoning Ordinance
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DATE &AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING:
ANNOUNCEMENTS &CORRESPONDENCE:
ADJOURNMENT:
This
agenda not necessarily presented in this order)
Submitted by: St. Croix County Planning Department
Date: June 13, 1997
cc: County Clerk/News Media/Notice Board/Committee Members
MINTJTES
COUNTY DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN &
ZONING ORDINANCE STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING
JUNE 1% 1997
ST. CROIX COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER, HUDSON, WI.
PRESENT: Chairperson Tom Dorsey; Committee members present included Bill Peavey, Jim Winter,
Cyril Cernohous, George Menter, Carolyn Barrette, Dick King, Ron Raymond, Linda
Luckey, Jan Hinchman and Dave Hense. Staff present included Ellen Denzer, Dave
Fodroczi, Jim Janke, Jerry Chasteen, Jay Tappen and Rosemary Olson. Guests in
attendance were Tony Steiner, Sharyl Beebe, Rita Horne and Ray Drake,
ABSENT: Jack Breault and Kermit Thompson, excused.
Chairperson Dorsey called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. Motion by Hense, seconded by Peavey to
adopt the agenda. Motion carried. Motion by King, seconded by Cernohous to approve the May
Committee minutes. Motion carried. The next meeting date was set for July 17th, at 9:00 a.m.
Community Involvement, Chapter 5
Denzer reviewed Chapter 5, Community Involvement previously mailed to the Committee and asked for
any comments, changes. There were no changes, Committee members said it was well written. Motion
by Hense, seconded by King to approve Chapter 5 as mailed. Motion carried.
Zoning Ordinance
Denzer reported that the first two chapters of the Zoning Ordinance have been reviewed by the Zoning
Workgroup, Chapter 3 is completed and will be given to the Workgroup for review. Winer and
Raymond reviewed the Workgroup's progress. Hense asked if Corporation Counsel reviews the drafts to
make sure that the County can enforce the ordinance. Denzer noted that he is a part of the Workgroup
and is in on the review process. Discussion on whether the two groups need to get together to review the
final draft. Fodroczi suggested having a series of meetings on the draft ordinance with both groups and
the Towns before the hearings start. Dorsey asked when the rewrite would be completed, Denzer noted
that it should be completed by the end of 1997
Chairperson Dorsey welcomed the guests in attendance and asked them to introduce themselves.
Project Status Report
Tappen reported that they are working on the alternative development scenarios but are not prepared to
discuss them at this meeting. He further noted that they are trying to further clarify the Physical Features
Analysis and the Agricultural Land Evaluation, which will be discussed today. The site specific
development scenarios will be reviewed next month.
Physical Features Analysis
With the help of a visual aid Tappen reviewed the Physical Features analysis. The first layer is the water
features, 2nd floodplain, 3rd shoreland, 4th streams, Sth critical areas like steep slopes, 6th woodlands,
7th grasslands and 8th wetlands. The final layer depicts the environmental corridors, which combine all
the layers and picks those that have at least 3 features, are 2 miles long and 200 feet wide. Tappen noted
that the policies to manage these important environmental areas are up to the decision makers in the
County. The next step will be to identify the impacts on these areas and decide which management tools
should be used. Tappen gave management examples to demonstrate. Environmental Corridors are not areas
of no development. They are areas where management techniques to control the impacts from
development should be in place.
Agricultural Land Evaluation
Tappen presented 3 maps showing prime ag land in the County. The first map depicted 334, 035 acres
of land from the Farmland Preservation plan. All the land described as prime farmland is in Soil
Capability Class I, II or III. The second map utilized the new Land Evaluation Site Assessment (LESA)
program to depict 94,014 acres of prime ag land. All the land on the second map was in LESA groups
1, 21 3 or 4 which corresponds to Soil Capability Class I, 11 and part of III. The third map also used the
LESA system to depict 253,219 acres of prime ag land. Based on the recommendation of the ag
departments in Baldwin, the third map included LESA groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 where the slope is less than
12 percent. Again, these groups correspond to Soil Capability Class 1, 11 and part of 111.
County Conservationist Chuck Christensen explained that the Ag department recommended LESA class
5 under 12 percent slope be included because it is the largest soil type in the County, about 30%; hundreds
of people are making a living actively farming this land; and while its productivity on average scores
below 100 bushels per acre, it is very valuable for livestock operations.
Committee member Raymond excused at 10:25 a.m.
Committee members stated that they feel only soils with yields of 100 bushels per acre or better can be
considered economically viable and therefore prime ag land. If the farmer and\or spouse works in town
the farm is not self-sufficient.
Tappen pointed out that the LESA system has 2 parts, a broad -based analysis of soils and a site
assessment. The depiction of land as prime farm and encourages preservation of agriculture but does not
prevent development. The site assessment can be utilized to evaluate additional information on a site by
site basis to allow development where it is appropriate. Discussion.
Motion by Cernohous, seconded by Hense to stay with map 2 showing LESA groups 1-4 as prime
agricultural land. Motion carried with Luckey voting against.
Regional Planning will work on the Land Use Maps to guide the policy discussion issues.
Motion by Hense, seconded by Cernohous to adjourn the meeting at 10:51 a.m. Motion carried.
Respectfully submitted:
Denzer, Recording