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Marathon County ERC recommends approval of two rezones in McMillan and Spencer
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Summary
The Environmental Resources Committee recommended that the County Board approve two zoning changes: a Rural Residential to Rural Estate rezone in McMillan for Herbert and Shirley Jepsen, and an Urban Residential to General Agriculture rezone for Marrowood Farms Inc. in the Town of Spencer.
The Marathon County Environmental Resources Committee on Sept. 2 recommended that the County Board approve two separate rezoning requests, one in the Town of McMillan and one in the Town of Spencer.
Both matters reached the committee after staff reviews and municipal recommendations. County staff told the committee the Jepsen property in McMillan met the size, frontage and dimensional standards for a change from Rural Residential to Rural Estate and that the Town of McMillan recommended approval. For the Marrowood Farms petition in the Town of Spencer, staff said the request to change from Urban Residential to General Agriculture was submitted so the owner could combine parcels and meet setback requirements for an addition; the Town of Spencer also recommended approval.
Staff said legal notice for each hearing was published in the Wausau Daily Herald and that adjacent property owners within 300 feet received mailed notice. Garrett Poggle, land use specialist, presented the staff reports and read the site descriptions and planning findings for each petition.
Committee members asked technical clarifying questions during both hearings. One member asked why the Marrowood parcel was being rezoned from UR to GA; staff explained the rezoning would allow combining the lot with an adjacent farm parcel to meet setback requirements for a planned house addition. No members of the public spoke for or against either petition during the hearings.
After deliberation, the committee voted to forward both rezoning requests to the Marathon County Board of Supervisors with recommendations of approval. The committee’s recommendation follows its review of the findings of fact, conclusions of law and the towns’ resolutions.
The committee chair closed each public hearing after confirming there were no speakers and the committee took formal motions to recommend approval.
Votes at the committee level were taken on each item and motions carried.
The County Board will take final action at a future meeting; staff recommended that, if the board approves the rezonings, the affected towns update their comprehensive plans as applicable.
