TOWN OF CONCORD PLAN COMMISSION MINUTES

May 22, 2024

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. with Plan Commission members Jim Gilbert, Sally Williams, Kim Miller, Dave Wegner, and new member Tony Metzger present.

Sally Williams stated that the meeting had been properly posted.

Jim Gilbert made a motion to approve the minutes from April 24, 2024 meeting, second by Kim Miller. All approved. Motion passed.

Jim Gilbert made a motion that Dave Wegner act as chair for this meeting. Second by Kim Miller. All approved. Motion passed. Ted Miller will appoint a permanent chair at the next Town Board meeting.

Item 1:  Review request tabled at the April meeting - Scott & Joyce Schiefelbein request to rezone from A-1 to A-3 from parcels 006-0716-2212-000 & 006-0716-2213-000 and from A-T to A-3 from parcel 006-0716-2221-005 to create a 2.2-acre lot at N6002 Grey Fox Trail.

There was a lengthy discussion and neighbor input at the April meeting. Mr. Schiefelbein is unable to attend tonight’s meeting due to a death in the family. He asked that the commission go ahead and vote on the survey that he presented at the April meeting. The commission agreed that since everything was discussed last month, we could vote without Mr. Schiefelbein present. Jim Gilbert made a motion to approve the request for the 2.2-acre A-3 lot as presented. Second by Tony Metzger. All approved. Motion passed.

Item 2: Request by Chris Heinecke to rezone approximately 1.6 acres from A-1 to A-3 to be added to an existing 2-acre A-3 lot for a total lot size of 3.66 acres. Property is at W2245 County Road B, parcel nos. 006-0716-1813-005 & 008. This is in keeping with the town plan. It does not create a new lot but uses non-prime acreage to create a larger non-prime lot. Kim Miller made a motion to approve the request as presented. Second by Jim Gilbert. Motion passed.

Item 3: Request by Ben Kacheris to subdivide an existing 6-acre A-3 lot to create 2 additional A-3 lots (a 1-acre lot and a 2-acre lot) at N5517 Pioneer Dr., parcel no. 006-0716-2913-002. The ability to subdivide A-3 lots created prior to 2000 was approved by the County Board in March 2024.

Public comment was given. Eight residents along Bakertown Rd. and Pioneer Dr. spoke in opposition to the request. All had safety concerns about the proximity of the new lots to the intersection of Pioneer Dr. and Bakertown Rd. This is a 4-way stop and is difficult to see when approaching from the west and north. Pioneer Rd. is very busy in the morning and it is common for cars to run the stop sign. There was also concern about the creation of 2 new lots from a relatively small parcel giving a “subdivision-like” effect to the area. The increased density of development would take away the rural feel. One neighbor was concerned about runoff from the property with additional leach beds. Neighbor Rececca Sprague had also e-mailed comments in opposition to the request.

The committee discussed that the Town Board voted (November 2023) against the county amendment to allow A-3 parcels created prior to February 2000 to split. This proposal is contrary to the intent of the Town Comprehensive Plan as the plan is already more restrictive than the county plan regarding creation of A-3 lots from A-1 parcels. It makes no sense for the town to open up the potential for more lots to be created by allowing splits from A-3 parcels as this policy may have far more impact on development density. This decision will set a precedent for future such requests and could open the door for many more A-3 lot splits if approved. Sally Williams made a motion to recommend denial of the request, second by Tony Metzger. All approved. Motion passed.

The Plan Commission will seek guidance from the Town Board regarding future A-3 lot split requests and on the idea of amending the Town Comprehensive Plan to address this issue.

 

Item 4: Continued discussion of Town Ordinances Ch. 9:

There was brief discussion on the noise ordinance.

New Business: Town chair Ted Mueller requested that the Plan Commission discuss the following:

• Charging for review of a petition – Some municipalities charge $200.
• How to enforce culvert placement when new driveways/ development occurs. What paperwork can we use and should a fee be charged. Timing of a driveway/ culvert inspection.

With no further business, Jim Gilbert made a motion to adjourn, second by Kim Miller. Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Sally Williams, secretary