Dane County zoning committee approves renewal for short-term rental permit in Town of Middleton

The Dane County Zoning and Land Regulation Committee on April 8 approved renewal of Conditional Use Permit (CUP) 26‑53, a short‑term rental permit for property owned by Melissa Halbach in the Town of Middleton. The committee took up the item after a March 25 public hearing that generated opposing comments from neighbors and considered an additional letter submitted after the hearing.

The renewal request would have changed two aspects of the existing permit: reducing the minimum guest stay from five nights to three nights and moving from annual permit renewals to a five‑year expiration. The Town of Middleton had previously approved a CUP for the property with 27 conditions; the town preserved a five‑night minimum and set a three‑year renewal cycle. At the county meeting staff noted the March 25 hearing record, Halbach’s response letter (included in committee packets), and one additional public comment received after the hearing.

Committee members discussed neighbor concerns raised in public comments, which staff summarized as traffic‑safety issues, possible neighborhood disruption, and changes to neighborhood character tied to a shorter minimum stay. Supervisor Jerry Bollig moved to accept a late letter from Mark Struthers into the record; the motion was seconded and carried. Supervisor Don Posler moved to approve CUP 26‑53 with the committee’s findings of fact and the conditions presented; a second was given and the motion passed on a voice vote.

The committee recorded that the original permit had first been approved in 2022 and that the county materials referenced eight findings of fact and a set of conditions associated with the permit (the packet shows the conditions under which the committee approved the renewal). Staff noted the applicant was available on Zoom for questions and that the Town of Middleton’s approval vote on their conditional use action was 4‑1.

No changes to county ordinance language or additional county conditions beyond those in the committee packet were adopted during the meeting. The committee did not take additional public testimony during the April 8 meeting beyond accepting the late submission into the record.