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Committee approves two rezonings in Emerald and Rush River
Summary
St. Croix County’s Community Development Committee unanimously approved two rezoning requests July 9: a 6.14‑acre parcel in the Town of Emerald from R‑1 to R‑2 to create a second residential lot, and a 40‑acre parcel in the Town of Rush River from AG‑1 to AG‑2 to allow a second lot. Both approvals followed staff recommendations and town endorsements.
The St. Croix County Community Development Committee on July 9 approved two rezonings that will allow property owners to split parcels and create additional lots.
In the first case, staff described a request to rezone 6.14 acres in the Town of Emerald from R‑1 to R‑2 to permit creation of two residential lots — one to retain the existing home and accessory buildings and one to create a new dwelling lot. A county staff presenter said the Town of Emerald had recommended approval and that the parcel is not in active farmland; staff noted the county’s comprehensive plan and natural resource management plan did not conflict with the change. Applicant Ken Rachner told the committee he and adjacent landowners have signed an agreement to share driveway access and that he plans to sell the lot containing the existing buildings to family while building a new home for himself on the remaining lot. “We have a paper drawn up with their signatures … it will be a shared driveway,” Rachner said.
Committee members questioned setback and access details; staff confirmed a required 5‑foot setback for the accessory structures and said the certified survey map and town review will finalize access permits. After discussion, a committee member moved the ordinance amendment to rezone the Emerald parcel, a second was made, and the motion carried unanimously.
The committee then considered a request to rezone 40 acres in the Town of Rush River from AG‑1 to AG‑2 to allow creation of a second lot. Staff said the owner proposed selling a 3‑acre lot with the existing house and retaining the remaining 37 acres; the town planning commission and the county’s farmland preservation mapping supported the change. Committee members reported site visits and raised no objections. A motion to approve the rezoning passed unanimously.
Both rezonings follow required next steps: applicants must submit certified survey maps for town and county review and obtain any required permits. Staff said notices had been published in the Hudson Observer and abutting property owners notified; no public comments on either application had been received by the public‑notice cutoff time.
The committee’s unanimous votes move the items forward for any remaining administrative steps required before the county board acts or plats are recorded.
