MINUTES

Town of Clover Plan Commission

April 4, 2023 7 pm

Historic Gym

  

Call to Order:  7 pm

Roll Call:  Beverly Steele, Chris Lehnert (vice-chair), Pete Berton, Keith Koenning (chair); James Stemwedel (absent)

Audience Attendance:  Jennifer and Robert Schierman

Approval of Minutes:  February 7, and March 7 meetings, approved by consensus.

 

Announcements:

 The ad hoc Plan Committee met on Monday, March 26, and finalized the survey to be available to approximately 600 landowners and residents.  The TPC reviewed the survey and survey process. Soon after April 5, each landowner will receive a postcard in the U.S. Mail directing them to the online survey.  Each individual may complete a survey when there is multiple ownership or renters.  Written surveys will be available at the Gym as an alternative to the online version.

 

New Business:

Class A Special Use Permit for one short-term rental in R-RB at 86640 Lenawee Rd by Robert and Jennifer Schierman.

The Schierman’s provided a statement in support of short-term rentals: 1) STR exposes future landowners to the area to explore where they want to buy land.  2) STR owners are paying taxes on their developed properties that contribute to the budget just like year-round residents and nonresident homeowners.  3) Year-round residents need accommodations for family and friends who come to visit, attend weddings, graduations, school & family reunions, and attend funerals.  4) STR tenants frequently bring additional tourists to Town with them who stay at the Town’s Campground. 5) Property values are driven by market forces, making STR’s expensive to license won’t make the cost of living more affordable.  6) The fact that some people must drive ½ hour to come to Town to work has nothing to do with the fact that there are STR;s operating here…I must drive ½ hour to get a gallon of gas to mow my lawn and drive an hour to work a job that supports my standard of living.  7) People choose to live in our area because they love the area, not because it is convenient to get to work.  8) Having an annual driveway requirement is an unnecessary overreach to “generate funds for the Fire Department” when hundreds of other driveways will go uninspected, and the Fire Department can generate the same amount of funds by sponsoring one bake sale.  9) The Fire Department needs to be prepared to respond to anyone in crisis who is living in Town, visiting from near or far, eating in restaurants, traveling through Town, at a Town meeting or function, experiencing a crisis in an adjacent Town, or passing by in a boat and should not look to the STR License as an opportunity to generate funding.  10) STR’s don’t demand more services than year-round residences.  11) Fees collected by the Town should reflect the cost of delivering services and should not be imposed “because the Town can,” as has been expressed. 12) Vacation homes, including some STR’s, have historically been what is driving the development in our area and help shoulder the tax burden.  13) Year-round residents are not a large enough population to keep our local businesses open all year long, STR’s bring additional customers to the area who visit our communities’ businesses.  14) Historically, there were more “Mom & Pop Resorts” with accommodations for visitors, those resorts are gone, and we still need accommodations for visitors.

The chair thanked the Schiermans for their comments.  It is valuable for the TPC to hear from community members on both sides of issues.  While at present State law does not allow for restricting the number of STR’s, if in the future the law changes, community opinion and factual data will be important.

Consensus recommendation to the Town Board: This permit is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan’s support of recreational housing and tourism.  Conditions:  1) This permit is not transferable if the property is sold.  2) Prior to advertising and rental, the property owner must have a Wisconsin Tourist Rooming House License issued by the Bayfield County Health Department, and a Town of Clover initial short-term rental license.

•  Class A Special Use Permit for grading more than 200 square feet within 1,000 feet of Lake Superior for shoreline protection (riprap) at 14400 State Hwy 13 by Jeff Mader, Ervin Kraft, AMI Consulting Engineers, authorized agent.

Consensus recommendation to the Town Board:  This permit is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.  The Plan does not make specific reference to riprap but generally encourages single family housing and protection of the lakeshore.  The authorized agent shall comply with all DNR rules and regulations.

 

Future Business:  None

 Adjournment:  7:20 pm

 

 

Minutes prepared on April 5, 2023 by the Plan Commission Chair, Keith Koenning, and questions may be directed to him at keith.koenning@gmail.com or 715-774-3475.

 

Minutes posted on the Town’s website, herbsterwisconsin.com.