Zoning committee delays vote on updated citation ordinance to allow further review

The Sawyer County Zoning Committee voted to postpone consideration of a proposed amendment to the county zoning citation ordinance until the next monthly meeting to allow staff time to confirm where the schedule belongs in the county code and to compare citation amounts in neighboring counties.

Zoning staff presented a red-lined draft that updates ordinance cross-references (to the consolidated county code) and proposes raising deposit amounts for violations (a suggested $100 increase across many items). Jay (zoning administrator) said the last full update was in 2013 and described the change as part of an effort to strengthen enforcement and encourage compliance. He said recent citations have required remedies beyond fines, such as replanting vegetation or removing structures.

Committee members and members of the public asked for additional review. Resident Linda Zilmer urged staff to confirm the proper Municode location for the schedule and noted previous changes by past county administrators; committee members asked for comparisons to adjacent counties and suggested larger increases may be appropriate. The committee voted to postpone the amendment for one month so staff can return with additional information and to ensure department heads receive emailed comments that go to zoning staff as well as committee members.

The motion to postpone was made and seconded; the committee approved the postponement by voice vote.

Staff said the draft will be sent to towns for review and that the item will return to the zoning committee with comparative citation data and confirmation of the proper code location.