S H O R E L A N D Z O N I N G
The WI Legislature adopted a highly controversial Act as part of its 2015-17 biennial budget that prohibits counties and towns enacting shoreland zoning ordinances that are more restrictive than what had previously been a statewide minimum standard. It also eliminated zoning restrictions based on lake classifications.
Many landowners throughout Vilas County objected to the new rules and urged the County Board to take action to try to appeal the act or at least amend some of its provisions. A summary of the County Board response to this public appeal can be reviewed
HERE
on a document in the Town Lakes Committee Library on the town website.
Additionally, recent efforts by members of the Vilas County Land & Water Conservation Committee to urge further action by the County
Board have
been unsuccessful. Marv Anderson, a member of the St. Germain Town Lakes Committee, serves on the County Board as the representative of St. Germain, Ward 1, and is also as a member of the Land and Water Conservation Committee.. Marv provides the following summary of what has been happening at that committee:
In January, 2017, I brought up the subject of putting the issue on a subsequent Committee agenda. After discussion, it was agreed to seek input from interested entities, and schedule an agenda item as appropriate, possibly for a special meeting.
A special meeting was not set up, and the item was not put on the February Committee agenda by the Chair, as a result of her conferring with Corporate Counsel.
Prior to the March meeting, myself and Carolyn Ritter requested that the Shoreland Classification issue of Act 55 be put on the March Agenda.
- The Chair did not do so, citing concerns of Corp Counsel, and that she did not think it appropriate or necessary for the Committee to do so.
- At the point in the Committee Meeting for communications, Carolyn and Dennis Nielsen suggested that it is appropriate and should be on the Committee’s agenda.
- I submitted and read a Resolution for which I asked to be put on the Committee’s June agenda, and after significant discussion, the Chair noted she questioned why it came up while she was gone, and itdhat she did not think it should be on an agenda.
- After further requests by me and 3 of the other Board members on there Committee to do so, the Chair noted she would discuss with Corp Counsel prior to doing so.
This is where the issue stands as of today with the Committee and the Board.
Your Town Lakes Committee encourages you to contact members of the Vilas County Board of Supervisors to express your views, whatever they may be, regarding how this topic is being handled. The Board of Supervisors directory can be found on pages 8 - 10 at this LINK.
