Town of Germantown

Town of Germantown

Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

January 10, 2024

 

 

Present: Commission Chair Shannon Armel, Commissioners: Keith Korbein, Tamaya Loewe, Gervase Thompson, Mick McCormick, Deputy Clerk/Treasurer Michaele Korbein

Absent:  Zoning Administrator Dick Martin

Guests:  Chris Renner, Pat Pavloski, Brad Pavloski, Dorothy Ryan, Ken Jax, Barb & Jerry Vannatta, and six other residents

 

 

–Call to Order

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

 

–Pledge of Allegiance

 

–Possible approval of the Minutes from the December meeting.

Gervase Thompson made a motion to approve the minutes of the December 6, 2023 Planning Commission Meeting as presented, seconded by Keith Korbein; motion passed 5/0.

 

–Discussion and determination of changes and additions to Sand Point Lake PUD

Chris Renner reviewed the proposed changes.  Density would change with adding the Sullivan, Harvey and Burtner properties on County Road G; it would be going from 1.14/acre down to just under .8/acre.  Only 14 lots would be added.  Several cul-de-sacs would be shorter, and several others would become through-streets.  Larry Koopman of Lampert-Lee will be contacted to review the submittal paperwork. Discussion continued. Members agreed they do not want to rush through the process, as they want to do this right. The question is, where to begin with these changes to the PUD.  Gervase Thompson made a motion, seconded by Tamaya Loewe, that the changes and additions to Sand Point Lake PUD constitute substantial change to the PUD and to begin at the last final PUD to go forward; motion passed 5/0.                                                         

 

–Staff meeting for Olympic Builders for a potential campground

No paperwork was presented for the meeting. No one from Olympic Builders was present for this discussion.  Conversation among the committee members included that the old 1996 version of the Zoning Ordinance and the current version from 2021 both prohibit campgrounds in Town Center.  Question on how much and where any green space would be. State Statutes put a limit on number of campsites per acre.  General consensus would be for no campground to go in Town Center.

 

–Work session on Short Term Rentals

Short term rentals are not commercial, even though owners make money renting them, as they are not used for anything outside of the normal use of a house. This was the response given by a Wisconsin Towns Association attorney to a short term rental question posed during a question/answer session at a WTA convention.

 

Inspections from Department of Revenue, State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Fire Department, and owner’s insurance company may be needed by the property owner.

 

Discussed charging for the permit to use a property; really should not make money on it but should be designated toward expenses such as EMS, Fire, and Police to help offset costs of the increased services and patrols due to short term rentals.

 

General feeling among the committee members is that the WTA’s sample of a short term rental ordinance is simple.  We would need to check with WTA on a sample permit application.  When applications are submitted, a list should be provided to say where applicants can go/who to contact for any required inspections.

 

Question on getting room tax on these properties, too.  It was noted that room tax money has to be split 70% toward tourism, with the Town receiving the other 30% that could be applied to the budget – which is not much to the Town.

 

Brad Pavloski indicated he could provide a list of owners he knows who already do short term renting to start the town out if the ordinance passes.

 

Questions that would need to be addressed for the ordinance include:

  –What about enforceability?  In the beginning a grace period could be offered since it would be a new thing but give a time period to come into compliance.

  –Cost would be at the office level:

  –Cost of enforcement of the ordinance?

  –How would the turnover of renters affect permitting and enforcement?

 –How would you limit rentals per building -by number of bedrooms or bathrooms?

  –Noted that for properties rented through Airbnb and VRBO, they already ask some of those questions at application, which would help with regulating.

  –What about vehicle parking -would it have to be off-street parking, how many vehicles, and what about trailer parking? Could this be regulated by ordinance, such as two off-street parking per property/

  –Could time shares be prohibited?

  –Could a limit be placed on number of days rented, such as 6 days to no more than 28 days?  What about 180 days?

  –Can an owner build a house for the sole purpose of renting as a short term rental?

 

 –Adjourn.

Next meeting date is a public hearing for the rezoning for Sand Point Lake PUD on January 24, 2024 at 5:30pm.  Keith Korbein made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Mick McCormick; motion passed 5/0.  Meeting adjourned at 6:23pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Michaele R. Korbein

Deputy Clerk/Treasurer