Richland County

Office of the Zoning Administrator

Courthouse

181 West Seminary Street

Richland Center, WI 53581

608-647-2447

 

RICHLAND COUNTY ZONING COMMITTEE

MEETING MINUTES

June 5, 2006

 

Item #1            Rasmussen brought the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.  Those present were Richard Rasmussen, Betty Havlik, Marilyn Marshall, Carol Clausius, Bruce Wunnicke, Harriet Pedley, Mary Storms, Freeman Decorah, Jeff Miller, Greg Schoepp, Norm Faber, Robert Gust, Thad Weldon, Bill & Amelia Kirchoff, Eugene Dieter, Gary & Diane Epping and Richard Wastlick.

 

Item #2            Pedley stated that the agenda had been properly posted on the bulletin board in the basement and also published in the Richland Observer for 2 weeks.  Motion by Marshall, seconded by Wunnicke to approve the publication and agenda.  Motion carried. 

 

Item #3            Motion by Havlik, seconded by Clausius to approve the May 1, 2006 meeting minutes.  Motion carried.

Start of Public Hearing 9:01 a.m.

 

            Item #4            The committee heard the petition of Jeff Miller to obtain a conditional use permit for a hide tanning business on property owned by his father, Ralph E. Miller, in Section 9 of Eagle Township.  Miller stated he had been tanning hides for a hobby for about a year, but is now interested in doing it as a business venture.  He explained where he has been getting his hides and the process he uses to tan them.  He said he is tanning the hides the way the Indians did.  The method is called brain tanning.  He uses boiled pigs brains.  The brains have tannic acid and that is used on the underside of the hides to tan them.  He does the tanning process in a 30 x 53 building (garage).  Havlik asked if this is a smelly process.  Miller stated no as what he does is wash the hides and then boils the pig brains down on his wood stove in the garage.  Whatever is left over he feeds to his dogs.  Marshall asked if there was any loud noise connected to this business.  Miller stated the only noise would be from a power drill he uses when he scrapes the underside of the hides.  It was noted that the property is already zoned commercial so the zoning of the property is not an issue.  Pedley asked how long it takes to do a hide.  Miller stated he can do 5 hides every 4 days as it takes 4 days for the hides to dry.  Pedley stated she had concerns about one of the conditions the Town of Eagle had and that was the rendering service.  Miller stated he shouldn’t need a rendering service as any by-products left over he feeds to his dogs.  If there is too much he freezes it till a later date.  Wunnicke stated he wondered if the property should be zoned Industrial instead of commercial.  Clausius and Havlik stated they didn’t feel Industrial would be correct and to leave the property zoned Commercial as it presently is.  Wunnicke asked if Miller had seen letter from Dennis Weeden, a neighbor, and his concerns about allowing this conditional use permit.  Miller stated that Weeden’s house is approximately 30 to 40 feet from his garage.  Miller stated that he has been doing this as a hobby for the last year and none of the problems that Weeden addressed have happened in that time.  The hides that Miller gets have been cured with salt so there is no smell.  Gary Epping, another neighbor who was present, said he has not noticed any smell yet.  He said he did have concerns about the hides being displayed outside.  There was discussion between the all present about displaying the hides and having a sign.  After much discussion the following conditions were placed on the Miller request:

                                   

            The 7 requirements required by the Town of Eagle which are listed below along with the additional conditions placed by the zoning committee:

            1.    The business shall be conducted in the existing buildings located upon the premises.  An                         expansion of the business shall require an amendment to the permit.

            2.    The existing driveway(s) will be utilized with no new openings

            3.    Additional gravel may be added to improve the driveway and existing parking areas

            4.    The business will be operated by the owner with no employees

            5.    No toxic chemicals will be utilized and applicant states that the hides will be processed using                   hog brains

            6.    Any waste generated in the tanning process such as fat and meat scraps will be disposed of                                properly utilizing rendering services if necessary

            7.    Applicant will comply with any applicable fire codes

            8.    No uncovered trash

            9.    Meat scrapes to be immediately refrigerated or frozen

            10.  4 x 8 sign attached to building

            11.  No hides displayed

            12.  All applicable federal, state and local permits with copies supplied to the zoning office

 

Motion by Wunnicke, seconded by Clausius to approve the conditional use permit for a hide tanning business operated by Jeff Miller on property owned by his father, Ralph Miller, in Section 9 of Eagle Township.  Motion carried.

 

Item #5            The committee heard the petition of US Cellular, Robert Gust representative, to obtain a conditional use permit to place a tower on the Eugene Dieter property in Section 18 of Dayton Township.  Gust explained to the committee that the tower is needed for a large gap in cellular service coverage.  They looked at 3 different properties and this one was the best.  They will lease the land from Dieter and erect a 300 foot tower.  Access will be through the Dieter driveway and then go in from there.  They will also construct a 10 x 20 building at the site.  There will be no guide wires off the tower as it is a free-standing structure.  They may need to do some widening of the field access road but they will have a gravel base and it will be approximately a 4% grade.  Gust stated they have been in contact with the FAA and will follow the requirement they have.  He stated it will probably have to be lit but the FAA will advise was to what they require.  There was then some discussion concerning erosion of the road.  Gust stated they will use silt fencing if necessary.  The Town of Dayton had approved the request.  Motion by Wunnicke, seconded by Havlik to grant the conditional use permit with the following conditions attached to it:

 

1.      Control construction runoff

2.      Address FAA concerns

3.      All applicable federal, state and local permits with copies provided to zoning office

 

Motion carried.

 

Item #6            The committee heard the petition of Greg Schoepp to obtain a conditional use permit to place an additional storage unit on his commercial property in Section 29 of Buena Vista Township.  Schoepp stated he is requesting another conditional use permit for an additional storage unit as the first one has been full since approximately 6 months after it was completed.  Schoepp stated that he has people calling now to see if he has any free stalls.  The committee asked if he would be requesting any more.  Schoepp stated there is no room left for any more.  Wunnicke stated it appears the sign could be in the right-of-way.  Make sure if it is to move it back.  There was discussion as to what conditions were to be placed on the permit.  Lighting was a must on both buildings.  Schoepp stated Randy Olson is to be doing the dirt work.  The committee stated that the runoff must stay on the Schoepp property.   The following conditions were placed on the permit:

 

1.      Outside lights to be installed on both buildings by August 1st

2.      Meet all setback

3.      Any runoff to remain on your property

4.      All applicable federal, state and local permits with copies provided to zoning office

 

Motion by Wunnicke, seconded by Havlik to grant the conditional use permit for placement of an additional storage unit on the property owned by Schoepp in Section 29 of Buena Vista Township with the conditions listed above.  Motion carried.

 

Item #7            The committee heard the petition of Bill & Amelia Kirchoff to rezone one acre from Agriculture/Forestry to Commercial for a food wholesale business in Section 3 of Forest Township.  The Kirchoff said they have a small commercial bakery in the milk house of the barn.  They do no retail business at the property.  They have a wholesale business and the UPS truck stops and picks up the orders and are shipped out that way.  Their market is 95% health food stores & whole food stores.  At this time they have 2 employees but may expand and have as many as 4 employees and that is why they need to rezone the property to commercial and not operate as a family farm business.  They have been to Richland County Development and have talked with them if they need to expand at a later date.  Wunnicke stated they have also been to the Revolving Loan Committee.  The Town of Forest has approved of the rezone request.  Motion by Wunnicke, seconded by Marshall to rezone 1 acre from the Agriculture/Forestry district to Commercial for a food wholesale business in Section 3 of Forest Township.  Motion carried.  The Kirchoff’s will need a copy of their CSM to Harriet by June 12th in order to make it to the next county board session which is June 20th at 7:00 p.m.

 

Item #8            Motion by Havlik, seconded by Clausius to bring the Mott petition off the table.  Motion carried.  The committee was to hear the petition of Joe Mott to rezone 2 acres from Agriculture/Forestry to Residential-2 in Dayton Township, Section 12.  Pedley stated she had talk with Mott and he asked to have his petition withdrawn.  Motion by Wunnicke, seconded by Clausius to deny the Mott petition.  Motion carried.

 

Item #9            Motion by Havlik, seconded by Clausius to bring the Decorah petition off the table.  Motion carried.  The committee was to hear the petition of Freeman Decorah to rezone 5 acres from Agriculture/Forestry to Agriculture/Residential in Section 7 of Westford Township.  Decorah  asked that the petition be tabled again as he was unable to attend the Westford Township meeting as he had car trouble on his way to the meeting.  Motion by Havlik, seconded by Clausius to table the petition until the committee has heard from the Westford Town Board.  Motion carried.

 

Item #10          Norm Faber, Town of Ithaca, appeared before the zoning committee on behalf of Thad & Mary Weldon.  The Weldon’s are rezoning approximately 1 acre from Agricultural to Residential/Agricultural to construct a home on.  Mary is the daughter of the seller, Frank Schauf.  The Town of Ithaca has approved the request and the town is here to get the county approval to pass it onto the next county board session.  Motion by Wunnicke, seconded by Marshall to send the request for the rezoning to the next county board session.  Motion carried.

           

End of Public Hearing 10:15 a.m.

 

Item #11          Friends of Richland County vs Richland County – Pedley stated that she had received a copy of a letter that Attorney Jay Robb, who represents Steve and Cindy Schmitz, sent to the Court of Appeals, but other that that there is nothing new to report at this time.  She will keep the committee advised if anything occurs.

 

Item #12          Zoning Violations – Pedley stated she had call Attorney Wilbur last week but has not hear back from him yet.  Havlik stated that the siding has been removed from the old trailer and the insulation is just hanging there flapping in the wind.  Discussion continued with the board and Richard Wastlick, the town chairman.  There were concerns that some of the junk on the property had been buried.  The zoning committee has no control on that.  Buried junk is controlled by the DNR.  Pedley stated she would have Corporation Counsel, Ben Southwick write a letter to Attorney Wilbur stating they have until August 1, 2006, to have the old mobile home gone from the property.  If it is not removed by that time the county will have Corporation Counsel start legal proceedings to have it removed. 

 

Item #13          Discussion and possible action on refunding petition fees -  Pedley stated she put this on the agenda to get the opinion of the committee on possibly refunding a portion of the fee once that paperwork has been started and the fee paid for a rezone or a conditional use permit.  It was the feeling of the committee that the office should not refund any portion once the application has been made and the petitioner has paid the fee.  The office has done their part and the petitioners should not ask for the petition until they have most of their requirements together.

 

Item #14          Report from the zoning administrator – 2005 Sanitation Audit – Pedley stated she had not received the report back from Duane Steiner yet, so has nothing to report at this time.                       . 

 

Item #15          Tri-County Airport Ordinance – Pedley stated she had mailed out the latest draft of the airport ordinance.  Motion by Havlik, seconded by Clausius to approve the airport ordinance.  Motion carried.

 

Item #16          The next meeting will be July 10, 2006 at 9:00 a.m.  Motion by Wunnicke, seconded by Marshall to adjourn.  Motion carried.