Town of Germantown

Planning Commission Meeting

MINUTES

Town of Germantown Town Hall
N7560 17th Avenue
New Lisbon, WI 53950
March 24, 2021
5:37 p.m. 

Present: Commission Chair Shannon Armel, Commissioners Gervase Thompson, Keith Korbein, Ken Jax, Zoning Administrator Dick Martin, Deputy Clerk/Treasurer Michaele Korbein

Absent: Mick McCormick

Guests:   None

Call to Order

Planning Commission meeting was called to order by Chairperson Shannon Armel at the Germantown Town Hall at 5:37 p.m.

Pledge

Possible approval of meeting minutes.

Ken Jax made a motion, seconded by Keith Korbein, to approve the February 10, 2021 minutes.  Motion passed 4-0.

Work session on golf carts ordinance.

Discussed language presented in the proposed new ordinance on golf carts as simple and easy to understand.  Add to Section 1 that ‘golf carts do not qualify as a low-speed vehicle as per WI State Statutes 571.500.  Gervase Thompson made a motion, seconded by Keith Korbein, to approve the proposed language on the new Golf Cart with the addition to section 1 that ‘golf carts do not qualify as a low-speed vehicle as per WI State Statutes 571.500, which will go to the Town Board for approval.  Motion passed 4/0.

Discussed having penalties noted in this golf cart ordinance be put in the Fee Schedule.  Ken Jax made a motion, seconded by Keith Korbein to approve adding the ‘$100 per offense plus any damages’ for golf carts to the Fee Schedule to also go to the Town Board for approval.  Motion passed 4/0. 

Work session on fireworks and fireworks ordinance.

Discussed proposed changes to current Fireworks Ordinance #38 with the new proposed ordinance, and changes to the new proposed ordinance:

-Change title of 38.1 -add in ‘Sale, Use, and’ right before Possession of Fireworks. 

-Change ‘may require’ by removing the word ‘may’ and adding an ‘s’ to require.

-Add in a section regarding ‘A parent or guardian who allows a minor to possess or use fireworks (not including those for which no permits are required) is subject to a fine as found in the Fee Schedule’. 

Ken Jax made a motion, seconded by Keith Korbein, to approve the amended fireworks ordinance as proposed and presented with the additional changes noted above, which will all go to the Town Board for approval.  Motion passed 4/0. 

Discussed the penalty section of the fireworks ordinance in the Fee Schedule.  The $10,000 listed for liability insurance would not cover anything, and the ordinance already requires $5,000,000 insurance, so discussed removing only that part.  Discussed penalties -could be changed to $500 first offense, $1000 subsequent.  Also need to include $1000 for parents of minors who use/possess fireworks.  Ken Jax made a motion, seconded by Keith Korbein, to approve changing the penalties to $500 for first offense and $1000 for subsequent offenses, $1000 for parent/guardian who allow a minor to possess or use fireworks, and to remove the reference to $10,000 in liability insurance, to also go to the Town Board for approval.  Motion passed 4/0.

Work session on camping and camping ordinance.

Tabled.

Work session on signs and sign ordinance.

Strength will be in the definitions.  We will use what we currently have and improve on that, rather than start new.  Sign ordinances from New Lisbon, Mauston, and Elroy can be reviewed as examples, and we may be able to pull info from them that would help ours.

Adjourn.

Next meeting will be April 21, 2021 at 5:30pm.

Ken Jax made a motion, seconded by Gervase Thompson, to adjourn at 6:45pm.  Motion carried 4-0.

Respectfully Submitted,

Michaele Korbein

Deputy Clerk/Treasurer