Oneida County land and water conservation committee seeks role in shoreland rule debate

On Monday, Feb. 9, the Oneida County land and water conservation committee met to discuss the county’s shoreland protection ordinance and language around what should be deemed acceptable in the way of clear cutting. County conservationist Michele Sadauskas recently brought a letter to the planning and development committee, but said they did not seem to want to consider the thoughts of the land and water department in relation to clear cutting or the definition of landscaping as it appeared in the ordinance. She said, at the very least, she would speak at the public hearing. She would also, if given the chance, speak at the next planning and development meeting. She wanted to find out if there was any middle ground that might be acceptable to both committees and her department. 

Eric Rempala from Oneida County Clean Water Action gave a public comment on the matter and said his group, together with Oneida County Lakes and Rivers Association, put together some language they would like to see included in the county’s shoreland protection ordinance (SPO) after the recommendations from the land and water committee were summarily dismissed by the planning and development committee. 

“It’s disappointing that the P and D failed to even entertain any discussion on the recommended language,” Rempala said. With that said, the two organizations had put together some language to mitigate the planning and development committee’s concerns expressed. He said he hoped the language would be more amenable to the planning and development committee. He expected to have that language shored up and distributed to the land and water conservation committee within a day or two. He also said he hoped to be on the agenda for the next planning and development agenda when the matter was discussed, but he was not clear as to whether or not that would happen. 

Assembly Bill 449

Assembly Bill 449 relates to the ability of a property owner to add an accessory dwelling to a property where a dwelling already exists. That second dwelling could be as large as the first that existed on the property. Those in support of the bill feel it is an attempt to create more affordable housing. However, those looking at lake property, for instance, feel that doubling development on those properties would be done at the expense of lake health. They also make the argument that more lake dwellings would create more tourist rooming houses (TRHs) rather than more affordable housing.

County zoning administrator Karl Jennrich said he had brought this to the planning and development committee, who had some concerns about allowing those accessory dwellings. Jennrich said, in a discussion with Vilas County, he found that, during a joint meeting of land and water and land development, their resolution did not go anywhere. He said he was not sure of the next steps there. 

Jennrich said he also spoke with Wisconsin County Code Administrators and the Wisconsin Counties Association, and it appeared this would not be moving forward in the legislature right now. He did get direction from the planning and development committee to bring more information back so they could potentially make a resolution to move forward to the full county board. 

Jensen said there was not a lot of support from any committee at the county level. He said he would check to see if there was any interest in supporting this legislation at the state level through the county’s association as well.

Other business

Another item on the agenda was whether the committee would want a citizen member. Vice chair Linnaea Newman said she felt it was important to have a citizen member who is a water stakeholder on the committee. Further, she said, many other committees in the county do have citizen members.

Sadauskas said, by statute, the committee could add one or more citizen members. Any potential member would have to go through an application process. The county code also still references an FSA (Farm Service Agency) representative, a holdover from an older statutory requirement that no longer applies. Sadauskas said she is working with the clerk to correct the language. There was some discussion as to who would approve or appoint that person.

Committee member Robb Jensen said he wanted to see the committee select the person, with the full county board subsequently approving that selection. Without the control being in the committee, he said, a person could be appointed who would not align with the philosophy of the lakes and rivers group. Sadauskas said the individual would be chosen much in the same way as the agricultural representative had, with the committee choosing the person to fill the role and final appointment being made by the county board.

Sadauskas said, in the Wisconsin Land+Water Conservation Association Environmental Awareness Poster and Speaking contest, four poster creators or a possible five received a first place and would be heading to state from Oneida County. The county would also be sending two speakers on to state, after taking first place with their speeches locally. She said she did not remember more than one time that four youth from Oneida County made it to state with their posters. Poster winners at the state level could go on to nationals. 

Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].