Oneida County Board of Adjustment upholds home-occupation permit for Minocqua property

The Oneida County Board of Adjustment voted 3-1 on May 14, 2026, to uphold the county’s approval of home-occupation permit #2501153 for property owner David Hermes at 8284 Wildwood Drive in the Town of Minocqua, rejecting an appeal filed by William W. Bennewitz.

The motion, offered by board member Jeff Verdoorn and seconded by Dan Chronister, was "to uphold the county’s position to issue the permit and to uphold the permit as written and issued." The roll call vote recorded Verdoorn "yes," Chronister "yes," Vice Chair Mike Pazdernik "yes," and Chair Guy Hansen "no." The motion carried and the permit remains in effect.

Appellant William W. Bennewitz told the board the home-based business at 8284 Wildwood Drive does not meet the standards for a permitted home occupation and described the application as inconsistent, incomplete and misleading about the scope of activity. Neighboring property owners, including Wendy Bennewitz, told the board they had observed traffic, noise, and equipment stored outdoors that they said disrupted quiet enjoyment and posed safety concerns.

Property owner David Hermes described his work as a caretaker for nearby properties and said many images captured on game cameras depict his personal equipment and vehicles rather than commercial activity. Hermes said he sometimes uses a riding lawn mower to reach other properties to reduce vehicle trips on Wildwood Drive and submitted neighbor survey responses he said supported his service as an asset to the neighborhood.

Karl Jennrich, Director of Planning and Zoning, outlined the department standards for issuing a home-occupation permit, described enforcement actions taken following complaints, and said the department believed the permit was issued in accordance with the county ordinance. Land Use Specialist Scott Ridderbusch explained revisions and the use of whiteout on the application record raised during the hearing.

Vice Chair Mike Pazdernik reported on the morning’s onsite inspection and said boundary, right-of-way and ordinary high-water-mark indicators were not present on the site but that those absences were not material to the board’s findings. Neighbor Lorri Deal told the board the road is public and intended for public use.

After closing the public portion, the board discussed enforcement options and whether the permit had been issued in error before voting to uphold the permit. Chair Guy Hansen adjourned the meeting at 2:15 p.m.

The hearing record identifies the appeal as Appeal No. 2600098 and the subject permit as home-occupation permit #2501153 for property described in county records as Government Lots 6 and 7, Section 13, T39N, R5E, PIN MI-1750-14, Town of Minocqua.