Local officials generally pleased with changes to proposal
By Patricia Bogumil
Editor
Sometime in 2014 – likely this month or next – the Wisconsin Legislature will take up proposed shoreland management rule changes approved in December by the state Department of Natural Resources Board.
The rules now awaiting action by the Legislature are outlined in Natural Resources Chapter 115 (NR 115) in the state’s administrative code.
Some original parts of these new rules had been vigorously opposed in Racine County. The new revamped version is getting a much better reception locally.
But nothing is over and done until the state Legislature signs off.
Officials here had objected to the extra work and costs the new rules would place on county planning and development staff – as well as hardship to local residents who’d have to jump through a bunch more hoops and pay more fees to improve their properties.
Plus, the original ideas just did not fit well in a county like Racine, where much of the shoreland property is served by sanitary sewers.
The new-and-improved revised proposal now ready for review by the Legislature is, by far, the best version her office has seen in the past several years, said Julie Anderson, director for Racine County Public Works and Development Services.
“We fought hard for it,” commented Waterford Town Chairman Tom Hincz.
Racine County, the towns of Waterford, Burlington and Norway, and the Waterford Waterway Management District, all went on record objecting to the earlier proposed changes.
Then, all though 2013, representatives attended meetings and coordinated information as the issue moved forward to the DNR board for its favorable Dec. 13 vote.
“It’s nice to know that the DNR is listening to us on these issues and taking our information into consideration,” said Jim Ladwig, the Racine County Executive.
“Here in southeast Wisconsin we’re not dealing with the same situations as in northern Wisconsin, so giving us flexibility is very important.
“I appreciate the DNR’s willingness to listen and work with us and realize one size does not fit all.”
All along, the DNR’s main objective has been to protect water quality of lakes and streams, and the new provisions in the rule mean changes to rules that will impact property owners, said Anderson.
The new language addresses properties that are sewered, which the previous versions of the rule did not, she noted.
“This will help Racine County in many ways since our inland lakes are served by sewer and are densely developed. We really emphasized this particular point with the DNR leadership and Secretary Cathy Stepp.”
Another important change in the new proposal extends the implementation deadline to May 2016, Anderson noted.
“There is a lot of work to do with bringing ordinances in line with the revised regulations, as well as to educate riparian landowners about what the revised rules involve for them personally and financially,” Anderson explained, in remarks she offered to the DNR Board in Madison before its December vote.
In late 2015, Racine County will be receiving new, high-resolution aerial photography, Anderson said. This should aid in conducting analyses of land impacted by NR 115.
The revised shoreland rules will allow counties more flexibility on how the new regulations will be designed and administered, added Anderson.
But they do not allow counties to be less restrictive than what the state requires.
She said the DNR plans to provide counties with a model ordinance they can use as a guide in developing compliant ordinances.
“The DNR has to approve our revised zoning ordinance, and they will make sure it complies with the revised regulations,” she commented.
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