Lake Tomahawk tables zoning permit for recreational vehicle repair shop

The Lake Tomahawk town board decided to table an administrative review permit (ARP) for a proposed business on Crow Road near Horsehead Lake during a meeting on April 8.

Town chairman George DeMet, speaking to The Lakeland Times after the meeting, said the applicant, Joseph Miklos, would like to operate a “recreational vehicle repair shop.”

He said Miklos is required to obtain an ARP and not a conditional use permit (CUP) because the area is zoned recreational which “only requires an administrative review permit.”

“We tabled it because there were a number of neighbors that live right around there that object to it,” DeMet said. “So we tabled it until next month and I’m going to go talk with (Oneida County) planning and zoning next week.”

He added there were letters and emails sent to the board besides the 12 to 15 people who showed up in objection to the proposed business.

DeMet said the big reason why people are against it is due to worries over “environmental hazards from the work that he might be doing.”

“You’re repairing recreational vehicles; boats, ATVs, snowmobiles,” he said. “They were worried there might be hazardous waste. That was the main concern, plus the fact that it was in a residential neighborhood. We got an extension on the review time.”

Oneida County zoning director Karl Jennrich told the Times the applicant had expressed a want to open a shop to do all types of mechanical work. 

He said he explained that the property was zoned recreational and, because of that, auto repair businesses wouldn’t be allowed. 

Jennrich said the only type of servicing work allowed in recreational zoning is of “a marine, snowmobile or other recreational vehicles.”

“So they are aware that all they can do on this property is service boats, snowmobiles, ATVs, UTVs, that type of stuff,” Jennrich said. “It can’t be more like a mechanical repair shop.”

He said there has been “a lot of email traffic” between his office, the applicants and the state Department of Natural Resources because there can’t be “any non-domestic waste being discharged to a septic system.”

Jennrich noted there was a plan proposed to avoid that from happening in the ARP application.

He said he hasn’t had a chance to review the town’s concerns yet, but added he’s aware of the meeting scheduled with DeMet. 

Jennrich also said he’s aware neighbors and others on Horsehead Lake have concerns. 

He said according to county zoning code, an administrative review permit is required, but that requirement could change to a conditional use permit (CUP) if the proposed use of the property needs more in-depth consideration. 

An ARP is usually approved by county zoning staff whereas a CUP includes a public hearing and decision by the county board’s planning and development committee. 

ATV/UTVs proposed on Hwy. 47 downtown

The town board, also at its April 8 meeting, discussed all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility task vehicles (UTVs) as well. 

DeMet said the town’s ATV/UTV club was “very vague” in requesting having the discussion with the board. 

He said he included it on the board’s agenda as “discussion only because nobody knew what they really wanted.”

DeMet said what he learned is the ATV/UTV club would like to be able to ride a portion of State Highway 47 in downtown Lake Tomahawk. 

He said the discussion wasn’t very long and indicated it was more informational for the board. 

“The representative who wanted it put on the agenda did not state what they wanted originally,” he said, noting the board didn’t take action because it wasn’t properly listed on the agenda. 

The town’s annual meeting is on April 21. 

Trevor Greene may be reached via email at [email protected].