Kewaunee committee amends shoreland ordinance draft to add duplexes, define private clubs and send changes to County Board

Kewaunee County Land Conservation Committee members amended a draft of the county's shoreland zoning ordinance and voted to forward the revised Chapter 16 draft to the County Board for first reading.

The committee voted to add a statutory-style definition for private clubs, change the label “short-term rental units” to “short-term residential rental units,” accept a petitioner’s request to allow duplexes (with a definition to be provided by counsel) in the special-exceptions list in place of a broader “multifamily housing” entry, and to remove self-service storage facilities and business shops from the list of allowable special exceptions. Committee members and county counsel said the Department of Natural Resources has given preliminary approval to the updated language, and the committee directed staff to transmit the draft to the County Board with the committee’s amendments.

Committee members discussed the policy trade-offs in narrowing multifamily allowances to duplexes. Some members said duplexes are consistent with the petitioner’s request and with shoreland protection goals; others raised concerns that developers might seek fourplex or larger structures by a different petition later. County counsel said statutory and county processes — including public hearings between first and second readings — would allow additional review or referral back to committee if the County Board or members wished to amend the draft. The committee also confirmed an overlap rule: where land falls within multiple regulated districts, the most restrictive regulation will apply.

The committee made three formal motions on the item. First, it approved the petitioner’s request to add duplexes and to not accept self-service storage facilities and business shops as special exceptions. Second, it approved adding the private-club definition, inserting “residential” into the rental-unit label and adding duplexes with the definition to be supplied by counsel. Third, the committee voted to move the amended Chapter 16 draft to the County Board for reading and the required public hearing process.

Committee members said DNR review was largely complete and that the remaining technical wording would be finalized in the draft before publication and hearing. Members also discussed the procedural options once the draft reaches the County Board: the board could vote to adopt, amend on the floor, or refer the ordinance back to committee, and a public hearing is required between first and second readings.

The committee did not adopt a new statutory citation in the draft itself during the meeting; county counsel read a statutory definition that was considered when drafting the private-club language. The committee will forward the revised draft with the counsel-provided definition and schedule the required public hearing as part of the County Board process.

Votes at a glance - Motion to add duplexes (replacing multifamily housing) to special exceptions and to not accept self-service storage facilities and business shops as special exceptions: approved (voice vote). - Motion to add a private-club definition, add the word “residential” to rental-unit language and add duplexes (definition by counsel): approved (voice vote). - Motion to move the amended Chapter 16 draft to the County Board for first reading and public hearing: approved (voice vote).

Looking ahead The committee directed staff to finalize wording with county counsel and to arrange the County Board first reading and subsequent public hearing. County counsel and staff will finalize the draft language and coordinate timing for the County Board agenda and the required public hearing.