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Board approves site-plan amendment for Stutzman tourist home; members flag statewide septic review delays
Summary
The BZA approved an amendment allowing Irvin and Wanda Stutzman to sell a 2‑acre portion of a 49‑acre tourist-home parcel, and heard staff warn that a new state change-of-use septic review will slow tourist-home permitting statewide.
The Brown County Board of Zoning Appeals voted to amend the approved site plan for a tourist-home special exception so petitioners Irvin and Wanda Stutzman may sell a 2-acre portion of their 49-acre parcel. Staff recommended approval because the change will not affect the tourist home's operations or guest capacity and because prior special-exception conditions (water service from Brown County Water Company, property management, and prohibitions such as target shooting and lake use by tenants) will remain in force.
During the discussion, staff and board members turned to a broader procedural issue: the state now requires change-of-use reviews for septic systems tied to tourist homes, and the state contact advised county staff that applicants should seek state approval before local docketing. Staff warned that state review is centralized and slow — "months" — and that this change will slow the local review and docketing process for tourist-home applicants statewide. Board members discussed whether to continue conditional approvals during the state process or require state sign-off first; the board indicated caution and advised applicants about potential delays.
The board approved the Stutzman site-plan amendment on the condition that the original tourist-home requirements remain in place. Danielle conducted a roll-call vote and members voted yes; staff said the petitioners may proceed with the land transfer once conditions are preserved and county administrative steps are completed.
