Committee approves Trenton land-use amendment and related certified survey maps with conditions

The Washington County Land Use and Planning Committee voted to recommend a set of actions to conform the county comprehensive plan and to approve two certified survey maps for parcels in the Town of Trenton that include shoreland areas.

Jamie Ludovic, chief community development officer, explained the package is intended to make four parcels on the north side of a larger property consistent with a Town of Trenton land-use update and allow certified survey maps (CSMs) that average about 1.5 to 2 acres per lot within the shoreland district. He said the county’s role was prompted because the parcels touch the county Shoreland District and must be consistent with the county comprehensive plan for the land division to be legal.

The committee held a public hearing that had been properly noticed; no public speakers or written comments were recorded at the meeting. The county’s regional reviewers supported changing medium-density residential to suburban-density residential for the portion of the property at issue but advised against converting isolated natural resource areas to suburban density because the county’s comprehensive plan states those areas should be protected. Jamie said the isolated natural resource area still allows some development, such as five-acre single-family lots, but staff recommended only the medium-density-to-suburban-density change for the county amendment.

Committee actions recorded on the record were the following (all motions carried):

- A resolution to adopt amendment 2025-2 to the county multi-jurisdictional comprehensive plan (land-use map change from medium-density residential to suburban-density residential for the county portion) — motion passed by voice vote (ayes have it).

- A resolution/ordinance amendment to make the county land-use map consistent with that change — motion passed (motion by Supervisor Krebs, second by Supervisor Pridemore; committee approved by voice vote).

- Approval of two certified survey maps recorded earlier at the register of deeds (CSM 70-398 and CSM 73-399) for the lots within the shoreland district — the committee approved the maps subject to conditions: (1) any building activities within the shoreland district must obtain all required shoreland permits; (2) applicants must obtain a stormwater management permit or an approved waiver; and (3) the comprehensive-plan amendment must be formally adopted by the County Board (projecters were told they must wait until county board adoption before selling parcels). Jamie said the developer paused sales and other activities when county staff identified the oversight and has cooperated with county review.

Staff emphasized that the county’s approval is required for parcels that fall within the county Shoreland District even though other municipal approvals (Town of Trenton and City of West Bend) had been obtained earlier; because the shoreland portion touches the county’s jurisdiction, county review and approval are necessary for legal land division documentation.

Committee members asked procedural questions and were assured the timeline and sequencing of the resolution, ordinance and land-division approvals had been handled correctly: the comprehensive-plan amendment must be adopted before the county can legally approve the land division within the shoreland district. The committee’s approval will be transmitted to the County Board for final action; staff noted the County Board meeting on Aug. 14 was the next step.

No enforcement action was undertaken against the developer beyond the requirement to pause sales until county approvals are completed.