Dane County zoning panel approves multiple rezones and two conditional-use permits; several petitions postponed

The Dane County Zoning and Land Regulation Committee on May 27 approved multiple rezoning requests and two conditional-use permits (CUPs), and postponed several other petitions pending further town review.

The committee approved a conditional-use permit for Payne & Dolan to host an approximately 7.5-acre solar array on leased quarry property in the Town of Vienna, authorized a revised CUP and new safety conditions for Warmbelly Noble LLC’s event operations in the Town of Cottage Grove, recommended adoption of an amendment to the Town of Cottage Grove comprehensive plan, and approved a county resolution to accept donated funds to help property owners file discharge documents removing discriminatory covenants.

Committee action affected more than a dozen individual rezoning petitions during the meeting. Several petitions were approved with standard conditions — chiefly recording of a certified survey map (CSM) and deed notices where development rights are exhausted — while a number of petitions were postponed to allow towns to complete companion reviews or to permit applicants time to revise site plans.

Payne & Dolan solar array

The committee approved a CUP for Payne & Dolan to host a customer‑sited solar array owned and operated by Wisconsin Power and Light on property near County Highway I in the Town of Vienna. Staff said the array would occupy roughly 7.5 acres of a larger, more than 150‑acre parcel and produce nearly 1.5 megawatts. The Town of Vienna recommended approval with no conditions; county staff recommended approval subject to 13 conditions, including a site‑specific decommissioning requirement that equipment be removed and the site restored when the lease ends.

Holly Merson, representing the applicant, said the facility would be fenced, planted in pollinator vegetation and screened by berms, and that access would use the existing quarry/asphalt plant entrance. "The site is planted in pollinator vegetation," Merson said. She also said Alliant Energy (referred to in the staff discussion) would coordinate high‑voltage testing with nearby farms.

Warmbelly event operation

The committee also approved an amended CUP for Warmbelly Noble LLC, which operates seasonal events in the Town of Cottage Grove, with 26 conditions intended to address traffic safety, lighting and parking. Staff reported that Warmbelly has operated events with peak daily attendance figures comparable to past expectations — the record attendance cited by staff included roughly 800 attendees at an opening festival and about 1,400 on the busiest day last season — and that the revised proposal would add leased parking, including temporary grass parking, and shorter, downcast lighting where needed.

To address traffic concerns raised by the county highway staff, the CUP requires the operator to hire a traffic control officer (a county sheriff detachment or similar) to direct traffic at the nearest county highway intersections for Saturday events in October and for any event with expected attendance of 1,500 or more. Owner Francis Wisniewski confirmed the business uses timed ticketing and said ticket sales provide advance notice of large crowds.

Other county actions and petitions

- The committee recommended approval of OA‑40, an amendment to Dane County Code (Chapter 82) incorporating revisions to the Town of Cottage Grove comprehensive plan. Senior planner Majid Allen summarized three principal changes: (1) adjusting a transfer‑of‑development‑rights (TDR) ratio from 8:1 to 10:1; (2) clarifying a quarter‑mile exemption for TDR applicability; and (3) limited, conditional language to allow holding tanks in constrained commercial/septic areas where necessary and accompanied by soil studies and other safeguards. Staff recommended forwarding the ordinance amendment to the County Board.

- The committee approved 10+ rezoning petitions with the routine condition that the applicant record a certified survey map (CSM) and, where applicable, a deed restriction documenting exhausted development rights. Approved rezonings included petitions filed by James S. Slattery (Rezone 12155), Johnson 2012 Trust/Donovan Johnson (12156), Erin and Aaron Ramberg (1200161), Ronald and Sherry Lund (12162), Bob Rock (12165), a blanket rezone for Timberlane Preserve parcels in Town of Middleton (1200166), and others. Several petitions were postponed — including Norbert Repka (12157), Tim & Jory Properties (1200158), the Eylenfeldt companion petitions (1200159 & 1200160), the Meyer subdivision rezone (1200163) — while applicants take town actions or revise plats/site plans.

- The committee approved a county resolution (Res. 2025‑43) to accept donations from the Wisconsin Realtors Association to cover filing fees for property owners who choose to record documents renouncing discriminatory covenants. Staff said an initial pledged check of $3,000 would cover the first roughly 100 filings (a $30 register‑of‑deeds filing fee per document) and the association indicated it could provide additional funds up to $10,000 more if demand warrants.

Votes at a glance (selected items)

- Rezone petition 12155 (James S. Slattery, Roxbury): approved (motion carried unanimously; staff condition: record CSM). - Rezone petition 12156 (Johnson 2012 Trust, Town of Oregon): approved (subject to deed notice recording as recommended by town and staff). - Rezone petition 12157 (Norbert Repka, Town of Verona): postponed at applicant request to allow town consideration of minor zoning variation and to enable applicant to return with revised lot configuration. - Rezone petition 1200163 (Roger J. Meyer Revocable Trust, Town of Middleton): postponed to allow applicants to revise plat to meet Chapter 75 frontage/access requirements. - CUP 26‑60 (Payne & Dolan / Wisconsin Power and Light, Town of Vienna): approved (recommended by staff with 13 conditions, including decommissioning and site restoration); committee approved and accepted staff conditions. - CUP 26‑57 (Warmbelly Noble LLC, Town of Cottage Grove): approved (committee adopted staff findings and 26 conditions, including required traffic control officer on peak event dates and 2‑year review). - OA‑40 (amend chapter 82 to incorporate Cottage Grove comp plan changes): recommended to County Board for adoption (motion carried). - Res. 2025‑43 (accept donation to cover filing fees for discriminatory‑covenant discharge forms): recommended to County Board for approval (motion carried).

Committee next steps and context

Several petitions were postponed to the committee’s June agendas while town planning bodies complete companion reviews or applicants revise surveys, plats or site plans. Staff repeatedly noted that recording a certified survey map and, where applicable, deed notices are required to finalize many of the approved rezonings. The committee’s next scheduled meeting was announced as June 10, 2025.

Ending

The committee’s actions advance several development and conservation items to later steps — either to the County Board or back to applicants for follow‑up. Staff contact points and next meeting dates were provided during the hearing for parties seeking further information.