Sawyer County Zoning Committee approves multiple pit renewals, an accessory-structure permit; tables burial-plot request and camping-cabin ordinance discussion

The Sawyer County Zoning Committee on an agenda meeting considered a series of conditional-use permits and zoning updates, approving multiple nonmetallic mining permit renewals and several accessory-structure requests while tabling a proposed private family burial plot and a proposed change to the county's camping-cabin rules.

Committee members approved backdated five-year renewals for multiple nonmetallic-mining sites and several accessory-structure conditional-use permits after staff recommended renewals and, in some cases, modest adjustments to operating hours or conditions. The committee recorded motions and roll-call votes on each renewal and on accessory permits; where the town boards had acted, town recommendations were incorporated into the record.

The renewals covered pits used by town highway departments and private owners, including the Haystack Road Pit (Town of Winter/Sawyer County Forest Crop), John Jack Cranberry Farms (Bass Lake), Chippewa Trail Pit (Hayward), Peninsula Pit (Hayward), Sissabaguma Pit (Sand Lake), Harris Sand Pit (Town of Hunter) and the Futurewood pit (Coudreaux). Conditions the committee placed or retained include: compliance with NR 135 reclamation plans; adherence to plan-of-operation hours; compliance with Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Chapter 30 requirements; and a requirement that a nonmetallic-mine transfer form be filed if a property changes hands. For county-operated pits, staff proposed backdating renewals to the original expiration dates because the department's tracking spreadsheet had not been updated; the committee accepted backdating in the cases presented.

The committee also approved an after-the-fact conditional-use permit for an 8-by-25-foot deck attached to a recreational vehicle on vacant land (CUP 25-003) with the staff-recommended conditions, despite written objections from a neighboring property owner. That permit included the standard condition that a principal dwelling land-use permit be applied for and built within three years, and that failure to build the principal dwelling would lead to citation and removal of the accessory structure.

The committee tabled a high-profile request from Eugene Burt for a perpetual private family burial plot (CUP 25-004) after extended testimony from the applicant, town officials and citizens and detailed legal guidance from county counsel. Counsel advised the committee that the state statutory definition of 'cemetery' (Wis. Stat. ch. 157) and related administrative rules might apply and that the committee needed additional factual information about compliance with state requirements before deciding. The committee voted to postpone the Burt application to the next zoning meeting and asked staff and legal counsel to assemble the state requirements and any precedent materials.

Separately, the committee opened discussion of proposed ordinance language to allow camping cabins with water, plumbing and heat in licensed campgrounds (two draft options had been circulated). After public comment and committee discussion that raised concerns about shoreline density, the legal status of an earlier 30% park-model cap in the county code, and the need to coordinate with other ongoing shoreland/density work, members voted to table any ordinance change and asked staff and counsel to return with additional legal and implementation analysis.

Votes at a glance (selected items and outcomes): - CUP 25-003 (Jacob and Sunny Bissonette): Approved, motion by Dale Magnuson, second Marshall Savitsky; roll call 4'to'1 (Kaye Wilson voted no; others yes). Conditions include: after-the-fact land-use permit and principal-dwelling build requirement within three years; accessory structure restricted to existing 8x25 footprint; meet setbacks and conservation requirements. - CUP 25-004 (Eugene Burt, perpetual family burial plot): Postponed to next zoning meeting for legal/state requirement review (motion to postpone carried by roll call). - CUP 25-006 (Haystack Road Pit, Town of Winter/Sawyer County Forest Crop): Renewal approved with staff conditions (backdated to 02/15/2024); motion by Kaye Wilson, second Dale Magnuson; unanimous roll call recorded. - CUP 25-011 (John Jack Cranberry Farms, Bass Lake): Renewal approved with hours and crushing limits retained and financial-assurance condition noted; motion to approve carried by voice/roll-call as recorded. - CUP 25-012 (Chippewa Trail Pit, Hayward): Renewal approved; applicant agreed to narrower crushing hours (7 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday'Saturday) and a 4-week annual limit; committee accepted modified conditions. - CUP 25-013 (Peninsula Pit, Sawyer County): Renewal approved; crushing removed from the application per applicant; committee approved staff conditions. - CUP 25-014 (Sissabaguma Pit, Sawer County Forest Crop): Renewal approved; crushing hours amended to 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday'Saturday, with a 6-week annual limit (applicant-supported modification). - CUP 25-015 (Harris Sand Pit, Hunter): Renewal approved; financial-assurance requirement confirmed on file ($3,000 recorded); motion carried. - CUP 25-016 (Futurewood Corp., Coudreaux): Renewal approved with conditions including blasting restricted to hours of operation and town-requested removal of blasting rights on future sale; motion carried.

What the committee asked staff to do next: assemble the state statutory and administrative requirements applying to private burial sites and family burial plots (Wis. Stat. ch. 157 and related DHS/DSPS administrative codes), and draft clearer ordinance language or options for camping cabins and park-model limits for formal referral to towns if the committee wishes to pursue amendments.

Why this matters: The renewals preserve operations used for road maintenance and private aggregate needs; the Burt burial-plot case raised unresolved legal questions about home burials and county authority vs. state statutory oversight; and the camping-cabin discussion touches zoning, shoreland protection, and how licensed campgrounds may evolve in response to market demand. The committee's decisions set operating constraints for pits and establish a timetable for staff to provide legal clarity about burial plots and campground standards.

Ending: The committee completed the majority of the published agenda, postponed the Burt burial-plot item and ordinance revisions on camping cabins for additional research, and generally accepted staff-recommended conditions on pit renewals and accessory permits. Staff and county counsel were asked to return with written guidance and background materials at the next meeting.