April 8, 2013 at 5:16 p.m.
Zoning committee approves ordinance changes
Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems, non-metallic mining reclamation language tweaked
Last week, the committee was presented with proposed changes to the county's Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (POWTS) ordinance and its Non-metallic Mining Reclamation ordinance.
It dealt first with the POWTS ordinance.
Aside from adding in some general clarifying wording and a few definitions, the two main changes proposed by Zoning Director Karl Jennrich were to the language regarding holding tanks and recreational vehicle transfer containers.
For the holding tank language, Jennrich said changes are needed to bring the ordinance in line with current practices. He explained that holding tanks used to be frowned upon by the county, but are now the system of choice.
"One of the purposes of the ordinance when it was originally drafted was to limit the use of holding tanks to protect surface water and groundwater resources. Right now, holding tanks are the system of choice," Jennrich said. "Previously, we prohibited holding tanks as a system of last resort, so if you could get in any other type of private onsite wastewater treatment system, you had to install it. The thought was that we did not want to see a proliferation of holding tanks because the county would have to babysit them. But, we've had situations where people do not want to install a pressure mound system at the cost, at that time, of almost $12,000, that they just want holding tanks. The problem I've always had with holding tanks is the perpetual service. Everything that goes in the tank has to get pumped, so there is the thought out there that people will try to discharge it to the surface. But, now more people are putting in holding tanks and saving up the money to get a mound system because it is $150 to $200 a pop to get (the holding tanks) pumped."
As for recreational vehicle transfer containers, Jennrich said changes are being proposed to bring the county's ordinance in line with the state's.
"We define what a recreational vehicle transfer container is - a type of sanitary holding tank used to collect and hold wastewater discharge generated by an individual camping trailer or recreational vehicle. Under prohibitions in the ordinance, we actually prohibit recreational vehicle transfer containers unless they are located within a campground permitted by the Department of Health and Family Services," Jennrich said. "We have seen individuals abuse the use of those because they are basically holding tanks. Right now, the way the campground ordinances in the state of Wisconsin are written is that you can't have camping transfer units unless they are in a licensed campground, so I added that into the ordinance."
The committee approved the changes and sent them on to a public hearing.
Non-metallic mining
reclamation
The discussion involving proposed changes to the non-metallic mining reclamation ordinance was a bit more complicated. An audit was performed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on the county's administration of non-metallic mining reclamation, the results of which were discussed by the committee in February.
Following that discussion the committee decided to tweak some of the language per a recommendation from the DNR. Jennrich brought some of those changes forward Wednesday.
"I removed the language '$1,000 to $4,000 per acre' and took language right out of NR-135, so it would say, 'bonding or escrow account requirements for reclamation financial assurances shall equal as closely as possible the cost to Oneida County in hiring a contractor to complete the final reclamation or progressive reclamation according to the approved reclamation plan,'" Jennrich said. "The amount of financial assurances shall be reviewed periodically by Oneida County to ensure it equals outstanding reclamation costs."
Jennrich said he will ask Corporation Counsel Brian Desmond and the DNR for input on the changes before moving on with the necessary public hearing.
"I have to research this more, I'm just presenting this to you, then we can move on to a public hearing once I hear back from everyone," Jennrich said.
Howard Young public hearing
Now that the Woodruff Town Board has rejected a request from Howard Young Medical Center for a conditional use permit to construct a helicopter hangar/garage, a parking pad, and a 12,000 gallon fuel tank on property owned by the medical facility, the issue will now be brought before the zoning committee in the form of a public hearing. The committee scheduled that hearing for Wednesday, May 1 at 6 p.m. at the Woodruff Town Hall. The committee will also be holding its regularly scheduled meeting at 3 p.m. that day at the same location.
Marcus Nesemann may be reached at [email protected].
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