Your Input Wanted on State Shoreline Protection Proposals


Your shoreline is likely the most valuable and fragile natural resource on your property. This winter, the Wisconsin DNR wants to hear from you on how best to protect shoreland across the state, while giving property owners some flexibility. The DNR has scheduled a series of public forums, where you can learn about and respond to a variety of ideas and preliminary proposals.

Topics for discussion may include things like minimum lot sizes, the amount of hard surfaces (like asphalt driveways) allowed, non-conforming buildings and rules for set-backs and shoreland buffers.

The DNR says, "the preliminary proposals focus on better protecting the primary buffer, the area immediately next to the water’s edge that is most critical in protecting clean water and natural scenic beauty and in providing habitat. At the same time, the options would make it easier for people who own homes built before the state standards to maintain, repair, and spruce up their homes.

The proposals remove cost limitations on repairing or maintaining nonconforming structures that do not meet current standards. Current state standards and most Wisconsin counties limit the amount of structural repairs, expansions and improvements on nonconforming structures to 50 percent of the structure’s current equalized assessed value.

The advisory committee has proposed getting rid of the 50 percent rule and allowing unlimited ordinary maintenance and repairs to nonconforming structures. The goals is to make it easier for homeowners to do basic, common sense remodeling projects, such as updating kitchens and bathrooms.

Expansions also would be allowed for structures in the secondary buffer; however, the committee proposes that in exchange for this gain, people pursuing a project requiring a permit would be required to preserve or restore native vegetation in the primary buffer to offset both past and potential future environmental impacts to the shoreland area."

Here's a list of dates and places for the listening sessions:

November 11 – Spooner Agricultural Research Station, W6646 Hwy. 70.
November 12 – Lake Tomahawk, Sloan Community Center, Rainbow Road.
November 13 – Eau Claire, DNR Regional Headquarters, 1300 West Clairemont Ave.
December 1 – Onalaska City Hall, 415 Main St.
December 4 – Grand Chute Town Hall, 1900 Grand Chute Blvd.
December 5 – Crivitz Village Hall, 800 Henriette Ave.
December 9 – Madison, Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection Central Office, the Board Room, 2811 Agriculture Dr.
December 11 – Waukesha County Courthouse, Room 350, the County Board Room, 515 West Moreland Blvd.

The DNR says, "Each public listening session will be conducted in the afternoon and the evening on the same day at the same location with the same schedule. From 2 to 3 p.m. and from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., people can view displays on the proposals, ask questions of DNR staff and advisory committee members, and offer their feedback in writing.

From 3 to 4:30 p.m. and from 6:30 to 8 p.m., the public can listen and ask questions following presentations by DNR staff and university experts or advisory committee members shoreland issues and the preliminary proposals.

From 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and from 8 to 9 p.m., people can step up to the microphone and provide feedback on the preliminary proposals. Audiences members will fill out slips to speak and depending on the number of speakers, time will be allotted accordingly."

For more specific directions on the meetings and information about proposals developed by an advisory committee, visit the Wisconsin DNR website, here. You may also read about these proposals and respond directly to Toni Herkert at Toni.Herkert@dnr.state.wi.us or mail your comments to her at Wisconsin DNR, WT/2, Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921.




Posted: Mon - November 3, 2003 at 09:36 PM      

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