Town of Germantown

Town of Germantown

Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

March 20, 2024

 

 

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

Absent:  Commission Chair Shannon Armel

Guests:  Resident Mark Loewe, 

   Germantown Resident/Emerg Mgmt Dir/Mauston Area Ambulance Assoc Dir Chris Leopold

 

 

–Call to Order

The Planning Commission meeting was called to order by Commissioner Keith Korbein at the Germantown Town Hall at 5:32pm. 

 

–Pledge of Allegiance

 

–Possible approval of the Minutes from the February meeting

Tamaya Loewe made a motion to approve the minutes of the February 21, 2024 Planning Commission Meeting with corrections to a typo of 108 that should be 180 and the missing word ‘and’ between January meetings referenced, seconded by Mick McCormick; motion passed 4/0.

 

–Discussion and possible approval of revisions to final PUD of Sand Point Lake

Can road names be shortened?  Those are part of what was originally approved.

No other discussion.

Mick McCormick made a motion to approve the revisions to final PUD of Sand Point Lake, seconded by Tamaya Loewe; motion passed 4/0.

 

–Work session continued on Short Term Rentals

Beach Lake was set up as a rental area.

 

Chris Leopold followed up with the concerns he submitted. Just wants to make sure regulations are in place to help with safety of renters and property.  The State does require items such as smoke/CO detectors and fire extinguishers to be in the rental and does inspect for these.

 

He would hope emergency contact information is posted/provided in each rental that includes the rental’s address, as many calls that come in from renters indicate the renters do not know the address of the property they are renting. 

 

Property owners also need to have the proper permits from the State and any inspections, of which the Town could require copies as part of their permit process.

 

His concern also includes how many people can occupy a rental; the state has their way of determining this, possibly by the number of bedrooms. 

 

With regard to campfires/bonfires, many non-residents have no idea if burn bans are on.  Property owners should be responsible for relaying that information to their renters.

 

He hoped that there would be a local property manager for each rental who could take care of matters for non-local property owners when emergencies arise.

 

Chris noted additionally that Pack-N-Play units are available in case a renter forgets theirs.  These are available for free and the property owner would then get to keep them for future renters with very young children.

 

Property owners should also have to provide proper insurance to cover their property as a rental. 

 

All agreed that a regulation process is needed; however, there still are concerns that a short-term rental ordinance will not be enforced.

 

Emergency calls usually are billed to the caller, who is usually the renter or property owner.

 

The ordinance would just regulate all STRs; there would be no grandfathered properties.

 

Could reach out again to the WTA for answers to some additional questions, as follows:

 

Concerns with the amount possible renting was discussed.  Is there anything we can do to prevent over-renting?  What happens when issues come up because of a large number of properties available becoming too transient, such as vacant or neglected properties, defaults on mortgages, and unpaid real estate taxes -especially if the market falls through, which potentially could affect whole neighborhoods that all rent?

 

Can you limit the number of short term rentals?  Or, maybe said this way -can you control how many STRs are being rented or available for rent by days, percentage, or development?

 

Can the municipality determine day 1 of the 365 days for clerk’s monitoring of when the clock starts on the 365-day period of when a dwelling may be rented?  Can it be pre-set to start at July 1 (like with liquor licenses so it is done basically once a year), rather than have an individual owner/manager notify the clerk when they start renting?   

 

To confirm, if an owner fails to renew their STR, then they would have to go through the whole application process again?

 

Is there a limit to fees that a municipality can charge -recommended vs state statutes/law?

 

Even though owners make money from rentals which becomes business income because they are in the business of making money on the property, STRs are not commercial properties, correct?  There is nothing that can make the renting of dwelling ‘commercial’?  Unless you operate another business out of that house?  Can you zone for them separately to make a rental district? 

 

Can a municipality only permit homeowners to STR if it’s their primary residence? 

(This would alleviate concerns of the problems irresponsible visitors typically create.  And the law SHOULD be applied equitably – meaning – that if a true STR of one’s primary home is considered residential vs commercial, then a home purchased for use primarily or exclusively as a STR SHOULD be considered commercial.  

People or entities could still purchase multiple homes they do not primarily reside in AND rent them out long term, or short term… in regions where our zoning allows for commercial. Then regions zoned for residential can remain what original/existing residents want and intended when they purchased their homes… safe, peaceful, bedroom communities!)

 

The City of LaCrosse is going through this process right now. Could reach out to them and ask them questions.

 

If the dwelling is in a development with a home owner association, the HOA should be able to tell which properties are rentals.  They could then report those to the Town to help the Town monitor and control the Town’s part in the rental process.

 

Tamaya would like to check more into the room tax to see how it could benefit the town vs the amount of work involved.

 

Definitely consider having serious penalties as a deterrent, so people would not want to break the ordinance.

 

–Adjourn.

Next meeting will be April 17, 2024 at 5:30pm.  Keith Korbein made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Mick McCormick; motion passed 5/0.  Meeting adjourned at 7:00pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Michaele R. Korbein

Deputy Clerk/Treasurer