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Committee reviews proposed cleanup of county nuisance language; supervisors press for stronger agricultural protections
Summary
County staff proposed removing the standalone public nuisance chapter and cross‑referencing nuisance items to the human health hazard code, zoning chapters and state agencies; supervisors urged retaining clearer language to protect agricultural operations.
County staff presented a redlined crosswalk proposing to remove Chapter 22‑2 (public nuisances) and consolidate overlapping language into the human health hazard chapter (Chapter 16), zoning chapters (40 and 42) and references to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
The presenter and environmental services staff walked the committee through the crosswalk, showing where specific nuisance items (refuse, failures to maintain structures, discharge of toxic materials, abandoned vehicles, excavations, stagnant water and excessive animal numbers) would be addressed under the human health hazard code, zoning rules or DNR jurisdiction.
Several supervisors, led by Pam and Supervisor Olsen, said the proposed edits removed language that expressed the original intent of the nuisance ordinance and could harm agricultural operations — for example, manure storage facilities that by design may attract insects but are properly managed. Pam and Olsen asked that the more definitive intent language be preserved or moved into the human health hazard ordinance so agricultural operators would retain explicit protections and limitations.
County legal staff and other committee members explained the crosswalk rationale: the items are already enforceable under human health hazard, zoning or state (DNR) law, and removing redundancy reduces confusion. Corporation counsel and staff noted discretion in enforcement and court outcomes would remain; enforceability ultimately depends on evidence and prosecutorial discretion.
The committee agreed to have staff work with Supervisor Garvey (and legal counsel) to draft alternative language for specific items (waste accumulation, toxic discharge and other identified sections) and to bring suggested changes to the next meeting. Committee direction also included drafting a resolution or ordinance change for subsequent public hearing(s) if the human health hazard or zoning language is edited. No final ordinance change was approved at this meeting.
