Alex Kozlowski, the Sawyer County zoning and conservation administrator, told the county board the zoning office issued a record number of permits in 2025 and stepped up enforcement activity to address noncompliance.

Kozlowski said the department issued "162 order for correction letters" in 2025 and achieved about "75% compliance" with those notices, while issuing 14 citations last year. He described the typical enforcement approach as issuing an order for correction first and reserving citations for more egregious cases.

To expand detection of unpermitted structures, Kozlowski described plans to compare 2025 aerial photos with 2020 imagery using an AI overlay to identify structures that lack permits. "My plan is to then use an AI overlay as part of a 2025 aerial and a 2020 aerial that will then showcase additional structures that were placed on a property," he said.

Board members asked how the county handles inoperable or unlicensed vehicles. Kozlowski said there is no fixed numeric limit if vehicles are screened from all views of a property; he said an unlicensed vehicle can trigger an order for correction or be considered a junkyard if not screened. "If you screen it, there is no max," he said, adding the county will generally allow time for owners who are working on vehicles before pursuing enforcement.

The zoning office also described operational constraints created by winter weather and noted some enforcement deadlines are set for spring (for example, May 1) when removal or access becomes feasible.

The board did not take separate action on zoning enforcement at the meeting; the report was entered as information and staff answered supervisory questions.

Ending: The zoning department said it will implement the aerial/AI comparison in 2026 as part of its stated enforcement goals and will continue to rely on orders for correction followed by targeted citations when necessary.