HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022 Comprehensive Planning Committee - Minutes - 5/17/2023
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Bayfield County Clerk
Lynn M. Divine, County Clerk
Kim Mattson, Accountant Jeran Delaine, Deputy Clerk
Gail M. Reha, Bookkeeper Paige Terry, Clerk III
Ph: 715.373.6100 ● Fx: 715.373.6153 ● Email: Lynn.Divine@bayfieldcounty.wi.gov ● 117 E. Fifth Street, PO Box 878, Washburn, WI 54891
Minutes of the:
Comprehensive Planning Committee Meeting
May 17, 2023 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Held in the Bayfield County Board Room, Courthouse Building, Washburn, WI
& Remotely
The meeting of the Comprehensive Planning Committee was called to order at 10:00 a.m. by Committee
Chairman, Steve Sandstrom.
Members Present: Jim Crandall, Ruth Hulstrom, Mark Abeles-Allison, Emily Nelson, Steve Sandstrom,
Megan Mader, Charly Ray, Mary Dougherty, Kellie Pederson, Jason Laumann (virtually), Cole Rabska
(virtually), Nicole Boyd (virtually), and Paige Terry
Members Excused: Lynn Divine, Ben Dufford, Douglas Smith, Jason Bodine, Bob Anderson, Barb
Thorpe, and Keith Koenning
Others Present: Clem Larson- Northwest Regional Planning Commission GIS Specialist, Kim Bro- Town
of Washburn Planning Commission, Bruce Moore- Member of the Chequamegon Chapter of the Citizens’
Climate Lobby (virtual)
Introductions: Introductions of the committee members were made.
Public Comment: Mike Radke, Bayfield, expressed concern regarding page 22 of the draft plan located
in the Agricultural, Cultural, and Natural Resources section which states, “public forest primarily for
timber resources and other forest products, recreation, fish and wildlife, and wilderness opportunities.”
Radke explained that the current wording appears to overemphasize timber harvest and resources over
recreation and asked that the committee consider rewording the sentence in a way that would place more
emphasis on recreation over harvest.
Kim Bro, Washburn, expressed concerns regarding possible hazardous topics that should be included in
the Hazard Mitigation section of the plan. Bro suggested a map identifying high fire-prone areas be
moved to the hazard mitigation section from the Agricultural, Cultural, and Natural Resources section;
and a map that identifies closed/abandoned landfills located in groundwater recharge areas.
Discussion and Possible Action, Minutes April 26, 2023: Motion by Abeles-Allison, seconded by
Pederson to approve the minutes from the April 26, 2023, Comprehensive Planning Committee. Motion
carried.
Existing Land Use Map Amendments/Corrections Update: Nelson reported that the deadline for
towns to complete the exercise was the previous week and stated that the web map has been updated
based on feedback that was received. Clem Larson with Northwest Regional Planning Commission
reviewed some of the updates that have been made to the web map and stated that he is not accepting
any more changes at this time but may open the map back up for updates in the future if desired.
Pederson asked how many updates were received. Larson replied approximately 300 updates were
submitted from an estimated five towns or less. Crandall stated that he noticed that some of the changes
for the Town of Drummond have yet to be made. Larson informed Crandall that he would revisit the
changes that were submitted by the Town of Drummond and make the necessary changes. Bro stated
that he had concerns regarding the treatment of the agriculture/residential and forest/residential lots and
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spoke on the difference between these two classifications. Laumann explained that the problems Bro is
referencing would not be covered by the existing land use map and explained the purpose of both map
classifications.
Future Land Use Mapping Updates: Larson reviewed which towns have completed the exercise and
which have not. Larson stated that the extension the committee previously asked for would allow the
committee to extend the future land use mapping exercise to allow the towns more time to complete
their exercise. Laumann recommended giving the towns an additional 30 days to complete the exercise.
After discussion and amendment, a motion was made by Abeles-Allison, seconded by Hulstrom to extend
the future land use mapping exercise by 30 days to give the towns more time to complete the exercise
and to require committee members to reach out to the towns that have not completed the exercise to
ensure that they are aware of the extension and know to complete the exercise. Motion carried.
Bro explained that confusion occurs in the towns where individuals automatically assume that the land
use refers to zoning and do not understand that the topics are separate. Bro also spoke on the importance
of preventing the fragmentation of forest and agriculture lands. Laumann explained that one purpose of
the land use exercise was to determine if the discussion regarding land fragmentation was warranted.
The following individuals volunteered to contact the remaining towns:
Charly Ray – Bayview
Mark Abeles-Allison – Port Wing
Paige Terry – suggested that the County Clerk contact Keystone and Barksdale.
Ruth Hulstrom – All remaining towns
Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Public Participation, Hearing, and Adoption:
a) Dates and Times:
b) Presenters:
c) Formats:
Pederson stated that she found the public comment format, which lacked back and forth conversation, to
be meaningless in acquiring substantive public input and suggested an open house that would allow the
committee to engage with the public. Laumann informed the committee that the scope of work for the
project did include one open house. Extensive discussion took place regarding open house meeting
formats available to the committee. Multiple committee members suggested holding multiple open
house meetings in separate areas of the county that would include a presentation, review of the draft
plan, and a possible Q&A section. Suggested meetings places include the Town of Cable, Town of Iron
River, and the County Board Room which would have a virtual meeting option as well. Laumann
recommended that the committee defer setting dates for open house/public participation meetings to
next month’s meeting as the extension for the project was just granted so the NWRPC will need to
revise their timelines for the project. The committee decided to hold off on setting dates and times until
the next meeting.
Ray asked when the Hazard Mitigation, Land Use, and Implementation elements would be available
online. Nelson replied that the Hazard Mitigation element would be added soon, the Land Use element
would not be able to be completed until after the future land use mapping exercise deadline is met, and
work on the Implementation element is ongoing. Pederson questioned what the work group assignments
were for the next meeting. Nelson answered that the work groups should review the Hazard Mitigation
element, work on the “when” and “who” portions of each element’s implementation and revise the
“future needs” and “policies” portions of each of the elements. Nelson stated that she would send out
links of each of the elements and reminders to each of the work groups.
Pederson asked if the strategy plans would also go live on the NWRPC website. Laumann advised that
the committee wait to publish the documents until the committee as a whole has revised the documents
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and approved their publication. Discussion took place regarding adding the strategy plans to the website.
After extensive discussion, it was decided that the strategy plans would not be added to the website for
now.
Resources
Comprehensive Planning Calendar:
a) June 21, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
b) July 19, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
Next Meeting:
a) Thursday, June 21, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. in the County Board Room.
Adjournment:
There being no further business to come before the Bayfield County Comprehensive Planning
Committee, Chairman Sandstrom adjourned the meeting at 11:33 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
LYNN M. DIVINE
Bayfield County Clerk
LMD/pat