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Votes at a glance: ERC approves four rezones, a preliminary plat and motions on zoning drafting
Summary
At its Aug. 5 meeting, the Marathon County Environmental Resources Committee approved four private-property rezones, a preliminary plat, and moved to draft additional zoning code updates and the animal-waste ordinance. All motions passed on voice votes; roll-call tallies were not recorded in the hearing transcript.
The Marathon County Environmental Resources Committee voted on a series of land-use items and committee directives at its Aug. 5 meeting. The committee approved four rezone petitions presented by staff, approved the preliminary plat named “Bowers County Plat, Second Edition,” and directed staff to draft revisions to the animal-waste ordinance (separate article). All motions passed on voice votes; the transcript records approvals without numerical roll-call tallies.
Votes at a glance
- Edwin and Lydia Yoder (Tim Vreeland, petitioner): Rezone from FP (Farmland Preservation) to RR (Rural Residential) and GA (General Agriculture) in the Town of (named in staff report). Motion to recommend approval to the Marathon County Board of Supervisors carried on voice vote (mover: Supervisor Kroll; second: Supervisor Kurth). Staff recommended approval; town board recommended approval. (Staff report: parcel split — ~31.572 acres to GA and 4.698 acres to RR as reported in the staff packet.)
- Claire and Susanna Weaver: Rezone from LDR (Low Density Residential) to GA (General Agriculture) in the Town of Wayne. Motion carried on voice vote (mover: Supervisor Drabek; second: Supervisor Schornberg). Staff and town recommended approval; staff noted the town’s resolution and staff findings support recommending approval to the County Board.
- Andrew and Paul Butchkoski (Tim Vreeland, petitioner): Rezone from GA and NC (Neighborhood Commercial) to RR and GA in the Town of Reed. Motion carried on voice vote (mover: Supervisor Kroll; second: Supervisor Miller). Staff recommended approval; town recommended approval.
- Steven and Karen Coonsie (Adam Munt, petitioner): Rezone from FP (Farmland Preservation) to LDR (Low Density Residential) in the Town of Hall. Motion carried on voice vote (mover: Supervisor Schonberg; second: Supervisor Drabek). Staff recommended approval; town recommended approval. Staff noted the parent parcel meets farmland-preservation size thresholds and only 0.75 acres will be converted to LDR.
- Bowers County Plat, Second Edition (Town of Spencer): Preliminary plat approval. Staff reported compliance with state statutes and county subdivision standards; sanitary department approved based on soil suitability information provided. Motion to approve the preliminary plat carried on voice vote (mover: Supervisor Drabek; second: Supervisor Schornberg). Staff noted lot numbering continues from a prior plat and a recent certified survey map recorded July 1.
Other motions & committee direction
- The committee made and passed a motion directing CPZ staff to draft the proposed animal-waste ordinance revisions (winter-spreading permit, Feb–Mar seasonal limitation for medium farms, and riparian-buffer measures) and present a draft for committee review this fall (mover: Supervisor Kral; second: Supervisor Mueller). That action is a direction to draft and not a final ordinance; staff will conduct outreach and pursue any required state-agency concurrence before County Board consideration.
How votes were recorded
Most motions were approved by voice vote and the transcript records passing motions with the phrases “All those in favor, say aye… Opposed? Motion carried.” The transcript did not include roll-call tallies with counts of yes/no votes for these items.
What was in the staff reports
Staff reports accompanying each rezone listed parcel descriptions, the statutory township/section/range land descriptions, adjacent-notice procedures (300-foot mailings), publication in the Wausau Daily Herald, town-board recommendation dates, and staff findings of fact concluding that each petition met rezone criteria and district standards for frontage, access and dimension. For the Yoder petition staff reported conversion of approximately 31.572 acres to general agriculture and about 4.698 acres to rural residential.
Next steps
Rezone approvals at the ERC are recommendations to the Marathon County Board of Supervisors; staff told the committee that if the County Board approves the rezones, the affected towns should update their comprehensive plans to reflect the change where applicable. The preliminary plat approval allows the developer to proceed with next-stage subdivision work subject to the conditions and final approvals required in county subdivision ordinances.
