HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-16-2020 Community Development Minutes
MEETING MINUTES
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
January 16, 2020 5:00 PM
Room 1284-County Board Room
St. Croix County Government Center - Room 1284 -
Government Center - 1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson,
Wisconsin
CALL TO ORDER
Attendee Name Organization Title Status Arrived
Ed Schachtner St. Croix County Supervisor Present 5:00 PM
Tom Coulter St. Croix County Supervisor Present 5:00 PM
Daniel Hansen St. Croix County Chair Present 5:00 PM
Judy Achterhof St. Croix County Vice Chair Present 5:00 PM
Dick Hesselink St. Croix County FSA Rep Present 5:00 PM
District 13 St. Croix County Absent
MINUTES APPROVAL
Community Development Committee – Regular Meeting – November 21, 2019 5:00
PM
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Tom Coulter, Supervisor
SECONDER: Ed Schachtner, Supervisor
AYES: Ed Schachtner, Tom Coulter, Daniel Hansen, Judy Achterhof, Dick
Hesselink
ABSENT: District 13
PUBLIC COMMENT
Sarah Yacoub - Town of Hudson - ESD spill and water quality
Chairman Hansen - read into the record an email from Carol Johnson (attached) regarding
the Emerald Sky Dairy (ESD) spill in November 2019.
Chairman Hansen asked that comments on agenda items 3 and 4 be held until after those
presentations.
Jill Berke - 246 Carlson Lane, River Falls WI, Spoke on the ESD spill. She was an alternate
member of the Groundwater Study Group.
Virginia Drath - Emerald Township. Spoke of the ESD spill.
Kim Dupre - formerly of Emerald WI, asked to come and give a historical perspective on the
spill of ESD.
Linda Hendricks - New Richmond, questions regarding factory farms - if a CAFO only gets
looked at once every 5 years how often are smaller units looked at?
Todd Doornink - Baldwin WI, one of the CAFO farms in St. Croix County; the family has
been in business since 1912.
Barbara Nelson 2568 Cty Rd G, Emerald - support for continuing to develop a notification
system.
Handouts provided by public comment speakers are attached to the minutes for reference.
1. Carol Johnson email for public comment
2. Jill Berke public comments
3. Public comments
4. Public Comments 2
PUBLIC HEARINGS
None
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. Health and Well-Being Program Overview - UW Madison Extension
Kristen Bruder introduced Selena Freimark, Health and Wellness Educator. Selena focuses
on mental illness and substance abuse throughout the county.
2. 8 (2020) : Town of Hudson Resolution Amending the Comprehensive Zoning
Ordinance
John Hilgers, Senior Planner, presented the topic to the Committee, Staff recommends
approval of this request.
RESULT: RECOMMENDED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Tom Coulter, Supervisor
SECONDER: Ed Schachtner, Supervisor
AYES: Ed Schachtner, Tom Coulter, Daniel Hansen, Judy Achterhof, Dick
Hesselink
3. Update on Emerald Sky Dairy November 2019 Spill
Tim Stieber, Resource Management Administrator, presented the information to the
committee. The DNR has the authority to determine if there will be fines and how much.
Emerald Shy Dairy's WPDES permit is up for renewal. Committee members expressed
concerns and asked if the permit could be a tool to prevent further spills and better
monitoring by the dairy. Committee members discussed sending a letter to the DNR
regarding Emerald Sky Dairy and spill follow up. Supervisor Schachtner requested
Community Development staff draft a letter to the DNR for Committee review.
4. Agriculture Spill Urgent Response Protocol
Tim Stieber, Resource Management Administrator, spoke to the committee regarding
the urgent response protocol. The current staff have met several times and are going
forward with the recommendations of the Groundwater Study group. Community
Development has hired Cole Webster, Water Quality and Outreach Specialist; he started
in December 2019. His GIS analysis of water flows and well depth may provide insights to
the spill response protocol in the near future. The parameters of a spill response still
need to be decided; the committee may need to review a draft and provide
recommendations.
Tom Coulter - uncomfortable with this discussion when dairy operators are not at the
meeting to defend themselves.
Chairman Hansen did invite several Ag producers to attend this meeting. Committee
members are concerned about getting this done soon to get a policy in place. Staff
will bring a revised policy to the Committee's May or June meeting.
5. Financial Report for December 2019
Ken Witt, Finance Director, gave the end of year preliminary finance report.
REQUESTS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Community Development Director Ellen Denzer asked to have a Household Hazardous
Waste update on the next agenda.
Achterhof - requested a report on Parks 2020 Capital Improvement projects and other
activities.
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND CORRESPONDENCE
Center for Land Use Education CLUE training is available and staff are trying to organize a
training session in St. Croix or an adjoining county.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING:
Thursday, February 20, 2020 5:00 PM County Board Room, St. Croix County Government Center,
Hudson WI
ADJOURN