Meeting called to order by Chair Bob MacIntosh at 6:00 pm.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

ROLL CALL-Elsie Jensen, Paal Hansen, Mike Donnick, Bob MacIntosh, Harley Trosch, and Tawny Booth were all present. Also present were Jim Wisneski, Jess Smith, Pat Virtues, Ann Hogan, and Kitti Orchel.

CERTIFICATION OF OPEN MEETING LAW-Minutes and Agendas were posted in all three places and on the web site.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES- Paal Hansen moved to approve as printed and Mike Donnick seconded. Motion carried.

OLD BUSINESS

NEW BUSINESS- Jim Wisneski from Hidden Bear Trail ATV Club gave an update on Mountain Lakes Road ATV Connector with Forest Service was approved in August 2010 to begin hopefully next year from Thelen Lake Rd, there is an old forest service road from hwy 32 that connects to the snowmobile trail going to maiden lake, trail would then go behind town hall, halfway bar, across Island Lake rd and Star Lake Rd to Mountain Lake Roads running as far as T and 64, future plans will be to run past hwy 64 and connect with Townsend snowmobile trails. There is a Grant available for about $22,000 that they can get for the work that needs to be done on this Connector Trail in order to make sure the trail is safe for ATV travel.
Jim Wisneski from Hidden Bear Trail ATV Club presented the survey results for ATV Road Access conducted on Sunrise Lake area. The following roads were surveyed Stoehr Road, Zack Court, Sunrise Lake Rd, Groh Lane, S. Sunrise Ct, Sunrise Circle, Sunrise CT, Definn Drive, N Sunrise Ct, Kraft Lane & McCauley Creek Rd to Stoehr Rd. There were 123 surveys mailed with a return of 82 (66% return), of the 82 returned 53 were in favor of ATV travel (65%). By opening these roads the property owners will be able to access the Nicolet State Trail via Sunrise Lake rd, to old 32, to Loon Rapids and then to the Nicolet Trail. Planning Commissioners will review the results and give their recommendation at the December Planning Commission meeting.
Jess Smith-Northeast Surveying on Land Division for 15595 Maiden Lake Road. They are working for Attorney Mark Bartels who is representing the property owner Elizabeth Olson and what she would like to do is divide into four parcels. One being on Maiden Lake, second lot being between Maiden Lake Rd and Winslow Lake Lane and lots 3 and 4 on the other side of Winslow Lake Lane. They had to apply for a variance on lot 1 with the county because the lot doesn't have 20,000 sq foot minimum, 100 ft of water frontage, and does not maintain 100 sq feet wide at the building site. Not much the land owner can do with out changing any property lines within that line, however, dedicating more roadway to the town. The Planning Commission recommendation to the Town Board is to approve the land division for 15595 Maiden Lake Road and be put on the December Town Board meeting agenda. Motion by Harley Trosch, seconded by Paal Hansen, all in favor.
Pat Virtues was present to discuss tourist towns, tourist rooming houses, short term rentals, or cabin rentals (reference Chapter DHS 195 Hotels, Motels, and Tourist Rooming Houses). They are starting to be more prominent or an issue. They have always been out there, but people are now using the web to advertise for these. They do get the complaints that those who are advertising and the Zoning needs to make sure that they are abiding by the rules and regulations of the Zoning. They look at cabin rentals similar to hotel/motels as does the state for licensing that they have to follow some licensing requirements for health, food and everything else for accommodations. The county does follow suit and tries to enforce zoning. But it is to some extent commercial use and right now there are some avenues to come into compliance with that or have them go through the proper zoning change which would be to a commercial type district that is not what everyone really wants along the lake. Now they do have a couple commercial zoning districts one is restricted commercial and one is neighborhood commercial which are pretty combatable to each other, the other is general commercial, obviously you would not want general along the lakeshore property does open a lot of other permitted uses. The restricted or neighborhood would be a better fit because you can make it more specific to that type of use. This is where we have been directing people. If they get a tip about website advertising for these type of rentals the zoning will make them take the website down and stop advertising. Pat handed out an article from Lake Tides on Short-Term Lake Home Rentals and Emerging Issue that states renting out the lake home to a stranger for a week can be seen as a relatively painless way to raise money for taxes and other expenses, but there may be others who end up paying a price. Neighbors, area businesses, and the lake resource itself could potentially suffer from the changes brought about by short-term rentals.
NR-115 Shoreland Zoning- Pat Virtues handed out another article from Lake Tides titled NR 115 Shoreland Zoning Working our Way to Healthier Waters. Wisconsin Shoreland Protection Program provides the minimum requirements that counties must follow to ensure compliance with state statutes and administrative codes. After seven years of debate and public input the key rule in this program NR 115 was updated in 2010. Counties now have until February 2012 to modify their ordinances to comply with the new rule. In addition to the rule, the DNR has updated its model shoreland zoning ordinance that provides an example of the language counties can use to make sure their changes are consistent with the new rule. At a minimum, counties must revise their ordinances to meet or exceed the new standards identified in NR 115. Since the code replaces or modifies some of the old statewide standards, all current ordinances will need some modification. "Keep what you have" is one of the main points of the new NR 115. Vegetation removal the new law requires the preservation of trees, shrubs and understory, eliminating existing "loopholes" that in effect allowed clearcutting. Legal pre-existing structures expansions of an existing home closer than 75 feet from the water is allowable under the new NR 115 in some cases, a property owner can build a second story or otherwise add-on vertically, if their existing house is at least 35 feet back from the water. Height restrictions the new law limits the maximum vertical height of a shoreland structure to 35 feet; previously, there was no maximum.
The Commissioners recommended the Town not contribute toward gypsy moth spraying. Should the Commissioners also make a recommendation regarding Town's financial participation regarding invasive species (milfoil), as that is a comparable issue? Which species are we going to say yes to or no to the Planning Commissioners would not be able to do that we need to look at those exceptions that something is critical and to the best interest of the community by saying yes that is what we need to deal with and not have a broad blanket. If the lake associations request the Town to help finance with the removal of the invasive species then we would look at it at that time. There is also grant money available to help fund for gypsy moths or other invasive species.

ANY AND ALL OTHER BUSINESS - Report from 6 Town Board Meeting One of the main issues was the municipal court. Gillett and Wabeno have a municipal court. Many of the 6 towns are leaning towards joining the municipal court in Gillett which would set it up so local law enforcement when established as a place to go, without a court system police can't do anything in regard to ordinance. Townsend is starting a police department; they purchased a squad car and will be utilizing Wabeno Court System.

NEXT MEETING-December 28th, 2010, 6:00pm

ADJOURNMENT-Paal Hansen moved to adjourn and Harley Trosch seconded. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:38pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Tawny Booth, Secretary