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Staff proposes 25‑foot native shoreline buffer tied to sand‑blanket permits; board divided
Summary
Land‑services staff proposed making a 25‑foot native vegetated buffer the county standard tied to sand‑blanket or recreation‑area permits; commissioners raised enforcement and equity concerns and some signaled opposition ahead of public hearing.
Chris proposed consolidating shoreline vegetation standards and making a native 25‑foot buffer outside any approved sand blanket or shore recreation area a county standard for permit applicants. "What we want to do is get that area that that outside of that, within that 25 foot native vegetated buffer," he said, framing the change as a water‑quality and erosion‑control measure and citing a recent DNR study on vanishing shorelines.
Board members pushed back on whether the change would lower protections for natural‑environment lakes and on how it would be enforced. A committee member argued such a requirement should be voluntary or educational rather than mandatory: "I'd rather just see it be more of an educational and voluntary thing rather than... there's gonna be a fine," the member said. Another member pointed out the proposed rules would only trigger when landowners apply for new permits: "If you don't come in for a permit, nothing changes for what you have," staff clarified.
Staff proposed taking the change through the public comment process; the board directed staff to start the comment period and let the planning commission and public hearing process inform any final decision.
