With all the talk of “saving our lakes” how can something like this be a serious proposal? Thanks to John Hendrick and Ron Kalil for passing along this information:
Ron Kalil’s message below describes an effort to repeal part of the county shoreland zoning ordinance and loosen the regulations on new houses on small lots near lakes and streams. The only public hearing before this passes the county board is Tuesday.
John Hendrick
—–Original Message—–
From: Ronald KalilSent: Fri, 23 May 2008 2:59 pm
Subject: Ordinance Amendment 2Dear Friends and Neighbors,
In January of 2007, the Dane County Board of Adjustment made a decision that affirmed the County’s shoreland zoning regulations concerning construction on lots in shoreland regions of the County. The Board declared that all lots in the shoreland region, regardless of when they were recorded, must meet the area, width, density and coverage requirements specified in the County’s shoreland zoning chapter, Chapter 11. Older substandard lots (lots that do not meet the current zoning requirements for a building site) that were recorded before the current zoning regulations were adopted no longer would be “grandfathered” as building sites. Instead, a variance granted by the Board would be required to build on such lots.
The decision by the Board was adopted by Dane County Zoning and has been in effect since January of 2007. The decision was not intended to nor has it stopped the construction of houses on substandard lots in shoreland regions of the County. Instead it has provided an opportunity for a case by case review by the Board of Adjustment of proposed construction on such lots.
Review by the Board of Adjustment of construction on substandard shoreland lots may be eliminated if Ordinance Amendment 2 (attached) is adopted by the County Board. The Amendment strikes the current area, width, density and coverage standards specified in Chapter 11 and substitutes instead a uniform coverage requirement for all shoreland lots and specific area and width requirements for newly created and substandard lots. The standards in the Amendment for newly created lots in the shoreland region conform to current zoning regulations. However, the specifications for substandard lots are new and would allow construction to automatically take place on lots that are small in size (10,000 sq.ft., 65 ft. wide) if not served by a sewer or even smaller in size (7,500 sq.ft., 50 ft. wide) if served by one (Please see attached Amendment for details.). To put the effect of Ordinance Amendment 2, if approved, into perspective, the small undeveloped lot (Lot 7) on Arboretum Lane that was proposed as a building site by GCK Investments would almost automatically qualify as a building site if Ordinance Amendment 2 is adopted.
As is the County’s practice, Ordinance Amendment 2 has been assigned to two subcommittees of the County Board and to the Lakes and Watershed Commission for review, a public hearing and a vote. The votes made by these Committees and the Commission then will be presented to the County Board when Ordinance Amendment 2 is introduced for discussion and a vote by the Board.
This coming Tuesday, May 27, the Zoning and Land Regulation (Z&LR) Committee will hold a public hearing on Ordinance Amendment 2 when it meets at 7:30pm in Rm 201 City County Building. The agenda for the Z&LR Committee meeting is attached. As you can see, Ordinance Amendment 2 is near the end of the meeting’s agenda and probably will not be heard until approximately 8:30pm. If possible, please plan to attend the Z&LR Committee meeting and be recorded on paper or speak in opposition to Ordinance Amendment 2, which if passed by the County Board will be step backward for water quality in the County.
Sincerely,
Ron Kalil
On Behalf of the Officers and Members of the Board of the Arboretum Neighborhood Association.
