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HomeMy WebLinkAboutForestry & Parks Committee - Minutes - 7/11/2016BAYFIELD COUNTY FORESTRY AND PARKS DEPARTMENT COMMITTEE MEETING July 11, 2016 County Board Room Members Present: Shawn Miller, Chairperson; Vice-Chairperson, Fred Strand; Harold Maki; Larry Fickbohm and Jeffrey Silbert Members Absent: None Staff in Attendance: Jason Bodine, Administrator, Steve Probst; Assistant Administrator; and Pat Bruno, Office Manager Others in Attendance: Joseph LeBouton, WI DNR Liaison, numerous members of the public. 1. Call to Order of Forestry and Parks Committee Meeting. The meeting of the Forestry and Parks Committee was called to order by S. Miller at 6:00 P.M. 2. Public Comment. S. Miller called for public comment. Pat Quaintance requested to be added to the August agenda. The Sportsmen Club’s concern is the policy relating to the public’s access to county forest land. Chris Bretting, representing the ABC Sportsmen, explained the projects, programs and benefits provided to the local area. Art Hyde, President of ABC Sportsmen Club, detailed some of the history of the shooting range and spoke regarding the desire to work with the County and the neighbors of the shooting range in the Town of Bell. The Club wants to keep the shooting hours from 8 to 8 and to build a berm on the northern/northwest side for noise abatement. Allan Pribnow explained the growing youth trap shooting sport. Trap shooting is now a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association approved school sport; however, the only hours for students from four high schools to practice is 6:30PM to 9PM. Cutting the hours could reduce the number of local teams. Brenda LaFrancois, a resident living approximately one mile from the range, referenced an email. She would like consideration of work schedules for the neighbors and restricted use of automatic weapons, cannons, and explosives. She gave an example of the past weekend’s sporadic and loud noises heard at her property during day and evening hours. No additional public comment was received. 3. Approval of the June 13 Meeting Minutes. MOTION: (Strand, Maki) to receive and place on file the June 13, 2016 meeting minutes. Carried. Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 2 of 4 July 11, 2016 Meeting Minutes 4. Monthly Financial Report. A. Forestry 1) Department Budget Update. June was a strong month with revenues at $2.75 million to date. Expenses are on target. J. Bodine added that the recreation program is busy. The Land Use Plan is set to expire at the end of 2019 and that includes the access management plan. Updates can happen at any time. J. Bodine stated that updates to various portions of the Plan could start as early as next year. 2) Shooting Range Rules and Regulations. Research by J. Bodine confirmed that that the lease agreement with the state is subleased to ABC Sportsmen for the management of the range. When changes are made to the lease, both the state and the club would have input. Currently, Bayfield County has no ordinances in place governing shooting ranges on county land which would need to be in place for Sheriff’s Department enforcement. Elements of an ordinance to consider would be hours/days of operation, types of weapons, ammunition and targets allowed, etc. State statutes regulating shooting ranges would also need to be considered. A newly proposed ordinance would have to be approved/reviewed by the zoning committee, then the full county board. J. Silbert would like to see cooperation between the club, neighbors and the county to come to an agreement outside of implementing an ordinance. H. Maki would like to see how the recent changes made by the club work out for a year. After discussion, the committee would like for the ABC Sportsmen and the range’s neighbors work out an agreement on items of concern to bring to the committee for consideration. An action item at the next meeting would be needed to address any expansion request made by the ABC Sportsmen Club. No action taken. 3) State Land Sale Update. There is no update at this time. J. Bodine is waiting to hear from the state regarding the minimum sale value for the property. B. Parks A lack of parking space was a problem during the 4th of July weekend at Twin Bear campground. The county owns a sliver of land on Hart Lake Road across from the park that could be developed for overflow parking. A trail cam set up at Delta Lake campground revealed an individual who is taking fees from the fee tube. It is suspected the same situation is happening at Big Rock Campground. To date, the suspect has not been apprehended but is identified. The fee tube has been moved at Delta Lake to a more visible location with surveillance warning signs added. C. Trails and Recreation ATV Trails Update The ATV Club is going to install a privy at a trail intersection south of Iron River and a Ruth Lake Road trail will be relocated. The approach to the Flag River Bridge is finished. Trails are holding up well. MOTION: (Silbert, Strand) to receive and place on file the July 2016 financial report. Carried. Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 3 of 4 July 11, 2016 Meeting Minutes 5. Recreational Use Agreement Renewal. North End Ski Club, Ron Bergin. J. Bodine received a request to renew a 10 year use agreement to operate and maintain trails and facilities on county forest land in the Town of Cable. J. Bodine recommends renewal and additional yurt and fat bike grooming language will be added. MOTION: (Strand, Silbert) to approve the renewal of the 10 year use agreement. Carried. 6. Utility Access Permit. Angela Dougherty. This access crosses 240 feet of county forest land and the request is to bury the utility next to the existing road. A road access permit is currently in place. MOTION: (Maki, Fickbohm) to approve the 10 year utility access permit. Carried. 7. Yurt Update and Pricing. J. Bodine referred to the photos. Construction is underway for the first of two 20’ yurts. The total cost for the yurts is expected to be around $60,000 to $65,000. The Bayfield yurt is currently under construction. The outhouse is partially constructed. It is expected the Bayfield yurt to be completed by the end of July and the Cable yurt build will begin early August. Michigan’s Porcupine Mountains yurt fee is $65/night; flat rate year around; and no electricity and no water. J. Bodine recommends following this model of a flat rate of $65/night for up to 6 people. The reservations and advertising will be through Airbnb strictly via credit card. The county is charged a 3% credit card fee per reservation and the user is charged a fee based on price paid to Airbnb. The Committee recommended J. Bodine set the rates and develop policies, rules and regulations. No action taken. 8. 2017 Budget. No action taken. H. Maki requested the department present information regarding oak stand management at an upcoming committee meeting. 9. Joseph LeBouton, DNR Representative. J. LeBouton has nothing to report at this time. 10. Adjourn Meeting adjourned at 7:05 PM. The next Forestry and Parks Committee meeting and timber sale bid opening will be held Monday, August 8, 2016 at 6:00 P.M. at Bayfield County Courthouse, County Board Room, 2nd Floor, 117 E. 5th Street, Washburn, Wisconsin. Submitted by, Pat Bruno