City Council

TOWN OF VERMONT PLAN COMMISSION MEETING 4017 County Hwy JJ, Black Earth, WI 53515 Monday, June 23, 2025, 6:00 P.M. Call to order and posting certification Tim called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. The meeting was properly noticed: posted on the front door of the Town Hall, posted on the town website, and emailed to the online subscribers. Present: Tim Pierce, Diane Anderson, Dean Bossenbroek, Jim Elleson, Polly Kawalek, Doug Meier, Max Scoll Approval of agenda Doug moved and Jim seconded a motion to approve the agenda. Carried 7-0. Approval of May meeting minutes Doug moved and Jim seconded a motion to approve the May meeting minutes. Carried 7 -0. Public input/general comments Mark Haukoos shared an experience he had with his property for the benefit of the new members of the PC. Richard Anderson, 4551 Pleasant Valley Road, Rezone application • The Anderson’s are asking for a land division creating 4 lots and a rezone. • The town has been inconsistent with a rezone that does not include a building site and driveway. • Examples are: o Gordy Brunner, we required a driveway and homesite to approve a rezone. o Tom Grenlie did some land divisions and a rezone was approved without a driveway and building envelope. o Justin Schaefer already had a driveway and was replacing the house. The PC decided that a site visit was not required. This was questioned by the County when issuing a zoning permit. Tim wrote a letter to the County explaining our position and a zoning permit was issued. o For Darrin and Janelle Zimmerman, the zoning permit was issued without a driveway permit. • Our policy is that we require a building envelope and driveway to approve a residential rezone. • This safety mechanism is in place 99% of the time where the County would not issue a zoning permit without a driveway permit. • Richard Anderson is restoring the entire valley into a prairie and savannah and will donate the land to a foundation that they have created, and it will give them tax savings in the future. • Queston: Do we need a site visit and a building envelope and driveway? • This is a policy question, and do we want to make an exception? • Jim said we could treat this as a regular rezone and make it clear in the minutes that there is no approved driveway and building site approved. • Normally a conservation easement would be established, and this would extinguish the development right. • Deed restriction would be the best to extinguish the development right. • This rezone would take another 35 acres out of Farmland Preservation. • Tim will talk to Roger Lane at the County to see what deed restrictions are available for this type of situation. • We need a plan for this issue so that we can codify it and put it in our ordinance or land use plan for future use.  County proposed blanket rezone for Vermont • We are not supportive of the zoning change to NR-C on lines 11 and 17. • This will go through the town board and will be on their agenda. • Landowners will get notice from the County, • The zoning change is voluntary on the part of the landowner. Chapter 7 Land Division Ordinance revision We will discuss this at the next meeting. Comprehensive Plan review • Max reported on the difference between the County and town plans. • Some of the differences were: o Definitions were no longer on a definition page in the County version and were spread out in different areas of the document. o Cooperation did not appear in the County plan. o Additional residences were not in the County plan. o Lighting had been rewritten. o Signs had been shortened. o Ridgetop Protection was rewritten. • There we no major omissions in the county version of our plan. • Our next step is to read, see if we agree, and have policy discussions. Agenda items for the next meeting. Richard Anderson Rezone Chapter 7 Land Division Ordinance 9719 Windy Acres possible site visit Comprehensive plan Marc Brody dedicated turnaround. Next Meeting Date. Monday, July 28, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. Adjournment Jim moved and Polly seconded a motion to adjourn. Motion carried 7-0. Meeting adjourned at 7:46 p.m. Diane Anderson, Planning Commission Secretary