Page 1 Wednesday, September 14, 2005 Board of Adjustment Columbia County Administration Building Portage, WI 53901

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1 Page 1 3:00 P.M. PRESENT: Douglas Richmond, Norman Wills, William Gretzinger, Carol Genrich-Dugan, Leon Heinze and Donald Berger PRESENT from the Planning and Zoning Office: Randall Thompson and Debby Olrick Notice of the public Hearing was read by Secretary Donald Berger. Chair, Carol Genrich-Dugan indicated that notice of publication was on file. She noted the procedure that would be used. All decisions will be made following the individual appeal. All testimony will be given under oath. The petitioner will speak first and then be given an opportunity for rebuttal. 1) An appeal by Randall and Jolynn Hill, Lodi, WI for a variance to Section of the Columbia County Shoreland Wetland Protection Ordinance to build a boathouse on property at W12674 Pleasant View Park Road, described as Lots 3 and 4, Pleasant View Park Plat, Section 11, Town 10 North, Range 7 East, Town of West Point. RANDALL HILL: Present. W12674 Pleasant View Park Road, Lodi, WI. Shows a drawing and explains his proposal. I purchased my home in June of last year with the intent to build a boathouse. I decided to put this in the cliff area to minimize the exposure. It reduces the footprint from the waterside. We live here year round. We re environmentally friendly people. We will stabilize the wall that s there. We will have a break in the 9 wall due to the safety hazard. The top of the boathouse will be one flush elevation at 13.5 feet. DON BERGER: Will the roof of the new boathouse be a patio or deck or something? RANDALL HILL: Yes, explains. The whole upper tier will be hand railed. The staircase that goes down the side we want to break up so it s not a safety hazard. We want it to blend in more naturally. From putting the septic tank in there s 80% - 90% fill. We want to get everything sloped for stability. We want to increase the detention pond and infiltration. Doing this I don t see that there will be any erosion problems. There is one cherry tree on top that is to be removed. On the eastern property limit there is one real

2 Page 2 nice tree at the corner of the deck, to the northeast we want to save. There is a birch tree that snapped off and we want to clean that up for the best chance of survival. NORMAN WILLS: You bought two lots side by side one year ago? RANDALL HILL: Yes, in June of We also bought three more. All are stand alone lots. The three lots are not combined. It s difficult to do across the right-of-way. These are five separate tax lots. DOUG RICHMOND: Variances are something we tried to stay away from, at least in West Point Township when I was on the Board. But the riverfront would benefit in this case rather than a stand-alone boathouse. It makes more sense to put it here. BILL GRETZINGER: Why have you not combined both lots? RANDALL HILL: No reason, there didn t seem to be any harm or benefit either way. CAROL GENRICH-DUGAN: It s more comfortable for us to have them combined. RANDALL HILL: We bought as much as we could. We moved from Foster s Back Forty. It s the only way I can tolerate being five feet from my neighbors. The three lots are tied up for a reason. CAROL GENRICH-DUGAN: There is no one here to be in favor or against. There are no Town Board members present but the Town voted in favor of the petitioner. Randy Thompson reads parts of the staff report. BILL GRETZINGER: There s a space where no trees or shrubs were planted on this lot, why is that? RANDALL HILL: This is the original location for the boathouse if the variance doesn t go through. It didn t make sense to spend the money. CAROL GENRICH-DUGAN: It s more aesthetic from the water, more green space.

3 Page 3 LEON HEINZE: We need to recognize the fact there is no hardship or anything unique about the property. He can build without a variance. The plan here is less obvious and won t cut off anyone s view. The variance is justified and I think we should grant it. NORMAN WILLS: I have trouble with going around the County Ordinance. The Ordinance is there for a reason. I m also concerned with the two separate lots. You may not own this forever. I do not feel that in good conscience I can approve the variance. CAROL GENRICH-DUGAN: I have trouble with that too. DON BERGER: I would mirror the same comments as Leon. It would be less obvious built into the hillside. I would make a motion to approve the petition including the recommendations and conclusions of the staff report. LEON HEINZE: I would second the motion. DON BERGER: A yes vote is in favor of granting the variance. Berger, yes; Genrich-Dugan, no; Wills, no; Gretzinger, no; Heinze, yes. Motion does not carry, variance is denied. RANDALL HILL: Could you make it conditional with combining the lots? DON BERGER: The vote has already been taken. We can t undo it. RANDALL HILL: There has been so much time, energy and money spent on this on my part and with the Town and County. I am really disappointed in the system. 2) An appeal by Andy Redman, Portage, WI for a variance to Section (b)(4) Side Yards of the Columbia County Zoning Ordinance to replace an existing home with a new home at N6624 Old River Road, described as Section A, Tract 37 of Blackhawk Park, Section 16, Town 12 North, Range 9 East, Town of Caledonia. ANDY REDMAN: Present. Andy Todd Redman, N6624 Old River Rd., Portage, Blackhawk Subdivision, Caledonia Township. I m planning to

4 Page 4 remove the existing three-section mobile home and replace it with a modular home on a full basement. It will be 66 wide and fall in the setback of 25. This would be a 24 setback so we need a variance of 1. The utilities locations would stay the same. This will have an attached garage. We showed this as 18 x20 but it was not adequately sized according to the builder so we increased it to 20 x22. You were at the site today and saw the railroad ties that are actually off the property lines. The stakes there were also off. The house will be a Wick home with 2 x6 construction on the walls. The basement will eventually be finished off. NORMAN WILLS: This is a quad modular house with 1800 square feet on the ground level and 1800 square feet in the basement also? ANDY REDMAN: Yes, it s a three-section home with a full basement and foundation. It will be a three-bedroom home and the septic system is sized for a three bedroom. NORMAN WILLS: This drawing shows a family room with a standard vaulted ceiling. Above it says a flat ceiling, which is it? Or is there something I m missing? ANDY REDMAN: All the ceilings are vaulted except the kitchen and utility room. I m not sure why it says flat ceiling there. CAROL GENRICH-DUGAN: No one is here except the petitioners to be for and against. Randy Thompson reads parts of the staff report. DON BERGER: Did this go to Caledonia? ANDY REDMAN: No, I contacted Jamie Ramsay and he said to go here, it was a County issue, not a Town issue. NORMAN WILLS: I would recommend this be approved as presented including the recommended findings and conclusions of the staff report. LEON HEINZE: I would second the motion.

5 Page 5 DON BERGER: A yes vote is to grant the variance. A roll call vote is taken. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Bill Gretzinger, seconded by Leon Heinze to close the public hearing. Motion carried unanimously. Public hearing closed at 3:50 P.M. 3:50 P.M. - Business Meeting following the public hearing. MINUTES OF AUGUST 10, 2005 Motion by Leon Heinze, seconded by Bill Gretzinger to approve the minutes. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Don Berger, seconded by Leon Heinze to close the monthly meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Meeting closed at 3:55 P.M. Respectfully Submitted, Donald Berger, Secretary Board of Adjustment Recording Secretary, Debby Olrick Administrative Assistant Cc: Board Members County Clerk Susan Martin Harlan Baumgartner