Town of Germantown

Official Website of the Town of Germantown, Juneau County, WI

Planning Commission Meeting

MINUTES

Town of Germantown Town Hall
N7560 17th Avenue
New Lisbon, WI 53950
August 21, 2024

 

Present: Commission Chair Shannon Armel; Commissioners Keith Korbein, Gervase Thompson, Mick McCormick, and Tamaya Loewe; Zoning Administrator Dick Martin, and Deputy Clerk/Treasurer Michaele Korbein

Absent:  None

Guests:  Jim Hentrich of Castle Rock Hideaway Resort

 

–Call to Order

The Planning Commission meeting was called to order by Commissioner Shannon Armel at the Germantown Town Hall at 5:30pm. 

 

–Pledge of Allegiance

 

–Possible approval of the Minutes from July meeting

Keith Korbein made a motion to approve the minutes of the July 17, 2024 Planning Commission Public, seconded by Tamaya Loewe; motion passed 5/0. 

 

–Work Session on Castle Rock Hideaway

Jim Hentrich has been the new owner of Castle Rock Hideaway Resort since last December.  He provided drawings of what they propose to do on the four acres in the back of the property to expand their cabins to include 30 camp sites.  There is a total of 12 acres, which currently has 12 cabins along County Hwy G and half-way back by a pond that have existed since the 50’s.  The property is currently zoned commercial.  There is a septic for the cabins but the condition is not known or which cabins it is for.  Jim said he will get a plumber to check that out, as he is not sure it would be able or allowed to support the proposed campsites.  Shannon noted the proposal would not put them over density.  The proposal would require following the campground section of the zoning ordinance as well as the commercial district.  It will also need a conditional use permit and public hearing. 

 

–Work Session on Zoning Ordinance

A review and discussion from last meeting included the following to go back into the Zoning Ordinance.

 

The first was on setback averaging in the Shoreland Overlay District, specifically for subdivisions developed pre-zoning ordinance, such as Sandy Shores, Castle Rock Shores, and Castle Rock Gardens, to go into 3.07(3)(f) as follows:

 

f.)           Reduced building setbacks and existing subdivision.      A waterfront setback of less than that required by Section 3.07 (3) (a); 3.03 (5) (d); and 3.04 (5) (c) shall be permitted by the Zoning Administrator in an existing subdivision which was platted prior to the effective date of this ordinance.  This setback reduction is permitted where the platted lot size does not allow compliance with the setback requirements and where there is at least one main building on either side of the applicants lot, within 600 feet of the proposed site that is built to less than the required setback.  In such case, the setback shall be an average of the setbacks of the nearest main building (within 600 ft) on each side of the proposed site.  Any other setback may be permitted by the Zoning Board of Appeals under the variance review, Section 8.02.

  1. If an existing structure on a lot in one of these pre-existing subdivisions described above is destroyed or removed, it may be replaced using the same waterfront setback as the previous structure.
  2. 2. If an existing structure is set back farther from the water then the average of the setbacks of the nearest main buildings (within 600 feet) on each side, and the nearest main building on each side of the proposed site are both closer to the water, than the existing building may be expanded forward toward the water’s edge but no closer to the water than the main building on either side of the proposed site that has the greatest waterfront setback.

 

The second was adding back the definition of Town Center District into the Zoning Ordinance.  The thought was to not include it in the definitions, but rather insert it into that actual section directly following the first paragraph of 3.04 TC -Town Center District, as follows:

 

The area of this district is described as an area within the Town of Germantown, bounded on the north by the Little Yellow River, on the east by the big Yellow River  south to Shacks Road, on the south by County Highway G, and on the west by State Highway 58.

 

The third addition discussed to be added back to the Zoning Ordinance is Recreational Development District (previously in the 2006 version of the Zoning Ordinance).  It was noted that even though this was removed back in 2012, the zoning map was never amended to reflect the removal.  This will cover the state park and county park campgrounds and several other areas on the old zoning map.  The addition, in its entirety, can use the same numbering as that section in the zoning ordinance was left blank intentionally:

 

3.06     Recreational Development District

The purpose of this district is to provide for areas within the Town of Germantown where the open space and recreational needs, both public and private, of the citizens of the Town of Germantown, as well as the general public, can be met without undue disturbance of natural resources and adjacent uses.

 

                1)            Permitted Uses

  1. a)   All uses in this district are conditional uses.

 

  1. b) Accessory Buildings and minor additions up to 15% of the square footage could be granted as a matter of right so long as they are completely consistent with the underlying previously approved use.

 

                2)            Conditional Uses

  1. a) Archery ranges
  2. b) Bath houses
  3. c) Beaches
  4. d) Boating
  5. e) Conservatories
  6. f) Driving ranges
  7. g) Firearm ranges
  8. h) Go-cart tracks and race tracks
  9. i) Private golf courses
  10. j) Gymnasiums
  11. k)    Hunting preserves
  12. l) Ice boating
  13. m) Music halls
  14. n) Playfields and athletic fields
  15. o) Polo fields
  16. p) Public and private parks
  17. q) Riding stables and accessories
  18. r) Skating rinks
  19. s) Snowmobile courses
  20. t)    Stadiums
  21. u) Swimming pools
  22. v)    Zoological and botanical gardens
  23. w) Miniature golf courses

 

              3.)          Building Height

 

  1. a) No building or part of a building shall exceed 35 feet in height. TV antennas and towers are exempted from this standard provided that they do not exceed 50 feet in height.  TV antennas that exceed 50 feet in height may be allowed as a conditional use.

 

             4.)           Yards and Lot Size

 

  1. a) No building or structure shall be erected, altered, or moved closer than 10 feet to a lot line.

 

  1. b) Buildings abutting a navigable lake, stream or river shall be no less than 100 feet from the ordinary high water mark.

 

                5.)           Plans and Specifications to be Submitted to Plan Commission

 

To encourage a recreational use environment that is compatible with the residential character of the Town, zoning permits for conditional uses in The Recreational Development District shall not be issued without site plan review and approval of the Town of Germantown Plan Commission.  Municipality owned facilities shall be exempt from site plan review.

 

                6.)           State approved sanitary disposal systems are required for all development in this district

 

7.)           All recreational uses such as golf courses, hunting preserves, marinas, land and water recreational uses of a scale determined by the Town Board to substantially impact on Town services or property values will be conditional uses and will be required to use the PUD process to determine whether or not they should be allowed and the zoning standard which will apply to the development.

 

                8.)           The following recreational uses shall not be permitted in the Town Center Overlay District:

 

                – Hunting Preserves                                       

                – Conservatories                                                               – Private golf courses

                – Driving ranges                                                                 – Riding stables and accessories

                – Firearm ranges                                                               – Snowmobile Courses

                – Go cart tracks and race tracks                                  – Stadiums

 

 

 

The updates to the zoning map will continue being worked on.

 

An addition to the permit application process is everyone’s homework for the next meeting.

 

The Zoning Administrator left at this point.

 

–Work Session continued on Short Term Rentals

A proposal from Vierbicher to create a Short Term Rental Ordinance was received and is in the Town Chairman’s hands to find funding for this $3500 cost.  Vierbicher can include everything the committee has discussed so far that they want to see included in that ordinance.  Everyone present wanted to get going on this, as there was a close call just recently with another rental that could have been terrible like the fire that destroyed a rental and six lives in Morro’s Mile.  This committee has hopes to get this ordinance in place by early next year to hopefully prevent any other incidents.  Shannon will contact the Town Chairman on the status of the funding.

 

–Adjourn.

Next meeting will be September 11, 2024 at 5:30pm.  Keith Korbein made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Tamaya Loewe; motion passed 5/0.  Meeting adjourned at 6:48pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Michaele R. Korbein

Deputy Clerk/Treasurer