HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard of Adjustment 12-22-11ST. CROIX COUNTY BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
Thursday, December 22, 2011
8:30 a. m.
Government Center, Hudson, Wisconsin- County Board Room
AMENDED AGENDA
A. CALL TO ORDER/ ROLL CALL
B. OPEN MEETING LAW STATEMENT
C. ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES
D. DATE OF NEXT MEETING: January 26, 2012
E. UNFINISHED BUSINESS,
1. Discussion of date for February meeting.
2. Request for Reconsideration for Megan Duley, Special Exception Contractors
Storage Yard*
F. PUBLIC HEARINGS
1. Special Exception permit to operate a retail fireworks store >2500 sq. ft. for Rasland
LLC at 565 Cty. Rd. T, Town of Rush River
2. Special Exception for a contractor's storage yard for Keith Tollefson at 451 Cty. Rd.
BB, Town of Eau Galle
G NEW BUSINESS
H. ANNOUNCEMENTS AND CORRESPONDENCE
L ADJOURNMENT
(Agenda not necessarily presented in this order.)
SUBMITTED BY: St. Croix County Planning and Zoning Department
DATE: December 5, 2011
AMENDED DATE: December 20, 2011
COPIES TO: County Board Office County Clerk
Board Members News Media/Notice Board
* CANCELLATIONS /CHANGES /ADDITIONS
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
The St. Croix County Board of Adjustment has scheduled a public hearing for Thursday, December 22, 2011,
at 8:30 a.m. at the Government Center, 1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson, Wisconsin, to consider the following
requests under the St. Croix County Zoning Ordinance. The Board will view the site in question, after which
the Board will deliberate and vote on the request.
SPECIAL EXCEPTION
1. APPLICANT: Rasland, LLC
LOCATION: SW 1 /4 of the NW 1 /4 of Section 3, T28N, R17W, Town of Rush River
ADDRESS: 565 County Road T
REQUEST(S): Special exception permit to operate a retail fireworks store >2500 sq. ft. in the
Commerical District pursuant to Section 17.18(12) & 17.18(9)(z) of the St. Croix
County Zoning Ordinance.
SPECIAL EXCEPTION
2. APPLICANT: Keith Tollefson
LOCATION: NE U4 of the SW U4, Section 10, T28N, R16W, Town of Eau Galle
ADDRESS: 451 County Road BB
REQUEST(S): Special exception permit for a contractor's storage yard in the Ag- Residential District
pursuant to Section 17.15 (6) (d) of the St. Croix County Zoning Ordinance.
All interested persons are invited to attend said hearing and be heard. Additional information may be obtained
from the St. Croix County Planning and Zoning Department, Hudson, Wisconsin at (715) 386 -4680.
Clarence W. Malick, Chairperson
St. Croix County Board of Adjustment
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT MEETING AND HEARING MINUTES
December 22, 2011
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Chairperson, Clarence (Buck)
Malick at 8:30 a.m.
ROLL CALL — Members Present: Joe Hurtgen, David Peterson, Sue Nelson and Jerry
McAllister
STAFF PRESENT: Pete Kling, Director; Kevin Grabau, Code Administrator; Alex
Blackburn, Zoning Specialist; Pam Quinn, Zoning Specialist; and Bonita Clum,
Recorder.
Staff confirmed to the Board that this was a properly noticed meeting.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING: The next meeting for the Board is scheduled for
Thursday, January 26, 2012, at 8:30 a.m. in the County Board Room of the Government
Center in Hudson.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
The February 2012 Board of Adjustment meeting will be on March 1, 2012 at 8:30 a.m.
in the County Board Room.
Megan Duley request for reconsideration: Malick described the grounds that would
permit reconsideration. Megan Duley signed an oath and spoke in favor of the request.
Duley has requested reconsideration based on the specific items 10 -13 of the conditions.
Duley made reference to a letter she wrote discussing these items. Duley does not feel
that these items were discussed in the hearing. The Duleys' currently have a 1500 gallon
storage tank in their garage that they use for their business. Duley also feels the timeline
specified in the conditions is not in a cost efficient logistic manner. Malick clarified the
intention of the Board when determining the conditions. McAllister requested any future
documentation be legible so the Board can read it.
PUBLIC HEARING
Application #1 Special Exception Permit and Variance for the Rasland request to
operate a retail consumer fireworks business in the Commercial District:
Quinn distributed Exhibit #6 to the Board Members. Quinn explained the new exhibit was
a request for extended hours of operations, which will be discussed as part of the
presentation. Quinn then presented the application and staff report. McAllister questioned
if the nature of business changes, would they need to come before the Board. Quinn stated
that this is true of commercial property. Grabau added within the last couple years we have
amended the Commercial and Industrial Zoning districts, everything needs to come before
the Board of Adjustment for any use on Commercial and Industrial. There are some
businesses permitted that do not need to come to us, but for the most part all changes need
to come before the Board.
Cele Rasmussen signed an oath and spoke in favor of the request. Rasmussen did not
realize that he needed to come before the Board; he has been working with the township
and the state. He has done remodeling, including new electrical and sprinkler system to
satisfy the state. So this building has been brought up to state standards. Malick inquired if
the State of Wisconsin has such strict restrictions on the discharging of fireworks in
general, and what can Rasmussen do to stop patrons from discharging the fireworks on the
property. Rassmussen stated, when a customer purchases fireworks, they issue a permit
which state the fireworks are not to be used on his property. Malick asked that we have a
copy of the permit for our files. Rasmussen will provide this for the file. Nelson asked if
they intend to continue their operation in Baldwin. Rasmussen stated that the Baldwin
business will continue operate in addition to this one.
Don Schumacher signed an oath and spoke in favor. Schumacher, Town of Rush River
Chairman, feels this business is good for the Town of Rush River. The Town not only
receives taxes from the business, but also receives money from the permits. The building
has been remodeled and looks good. It has also been a source of employment as well.
Malick asked if the Town can enforce any illegal use of fireworks discharged close to the
building where there is a large supply of fireworks stored. Schumacher feels they are
addressing this with the permits issued.
There were no other comments made in favor or in opposition.
Application #2 Special Exception Permit for Keith Tollefson for a Contractor's
Storage Yard:
Blackburn presented the application and staff report. Malick asked if three trucks could
be parked in this garage. Blackburn felt that if Tollefson does have three trucks, they can
all be stored in the garage. McAllister questioned whether it was a condition that the
driveway be upgraded to a commercial designated driveway. Alex confirmed that this is
one of the conditions. McAllister questioned where the cars will be stored when they are
towed. Blackburn explained that this is a satellite facility for Jerry's Towing. The cars
will be brought to this site and then taken out to a salvage yard the next day. Cars will not
be stored here longer than overnight or when the salvage yard is open. Blackburn also
explained that sometimes they need to hold the cars for a mandatory time, as an example,
the car may be evidence in a legal matter. In this case the cars will be brought to an
offsite facility for storage owned by Jerry's Towing. Malick questioned whether or not
the owners of the cars would be coming to this site to pick up their car. Blackburn
suggested that sometimes this could happen.
Dave Wilkens signed and oath and spoke in favor of the request. Wilkens is the owner of
the fifty year old business. Wilkens explained that he needs an operation within certain
zones to assure timely response to each emergency call they receive. Wilkens assured
Board members that they have no intention of storing cars at this site. The only time they
need to store the cars here would be if they did not have a conversation with the owner of
the car. In that case, they need to keep the car in the zone because they have not received
prior consent to bring it to another zone. This does not happen often. Malick questioned
why the cars could not be brought directly to the Baldwin site. They bring the car to the
nearest site; if Baldwin is closest they would go there. The Tollefson site is just a
temporary site; there would be no storage at the Tollefson site. Malick asked about spills.
Wilkens replied by saying the spills are usually all at the breakdown site;by the time they
get the cars off the freeway most of the spills have already occurred. Nelson asked if
Tollefson is on call 24 hours a day. Wilkens explained that he is on call only when they
2
need him.
Keith Tollefson signed an oath and spoke in favor of request. Tollefson is the owner of
the property and has owned the property for sixteen years. Tollefson has already
upgraded his driveway to a commercial designated driveway. He has discussed this with
his neighbors and they are very supportive. If there is a spill, he is committed to cleaning
it with absorbents right away. He resides at this address and will keep it clean.
DECISIONS
After reviewing the material in the record, the Board rendered the following decisions:
Reconsideration of Megan Duleys Special Exception Permit to operate a
Contractor's Storage yard:
Motion by Peterson, 2nd by Hurtgen to reconsider. Motion carried unanimously.
Application #1 - Special Exception Permit & Variance, for Rasland request to
operate a retail consumer fireworks business in the Commercial District:
Motion by Hurtgen, 2nd by Nelson to approve with 10 findings and 12 conditions. Motion
carried unanimously. (Specifics on file in Zoning Office)
Application #2 — Special Exception Permit for Keith Tollefson for a Contractor's
Storage Yard:
Motion by McAllister, 2nd by Peterson to approve with 10 findings and 11 conditions.
Motion carried unanimously. (Specifics on file in Zoning Office)
Chair Malick adjourned the meeting at 11:45 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sue Nelson, Secretary
Bonita Clum, Recording Secretary
December 22, 2011