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Town of Geneva Meeting Minutes
Sep 29, 2009

TOWN OF GENEVA
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PUBLIC HEARING AND
PLAN COMMISSION AND TOWN BOARD JOINT MEETING
SEPTEMBER 29, 2009

Open house for the Comprehensive Plan began at 6:00 p.m. This was an opportunity for the public to view the plan and ask questions. Open house concluded at 7:00 p.m.

Chairman Lauderdale called the duly noticed and posted meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. In addition to Lauderdale, in attendance were Supervisors Fahey, Kukla, Kamps (also Plan Commission Chair) and Millard, Administrator Downing, Plan Commission Members Schmidt, Thometz, Loomer, Anton, and Cocroft, Plan Commission Secretary Van Lue, along with Laura Burgbacher from SEWRPC, and Neal Frauenfelder and Nancy Russell from Walworth County. Clerk/Treasurer Kirch took the minutes of the meeting.

Motion (Millard/Kukla) to open the public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan at 7:00 p.m. Approved 5 0.

Steven Jacques of N4347 Bowers Road had a couple of areas of concern: 1) what is labeled on the map as “Ore Creek” is really a drainage ditch. Ore Creek is located elsewhere on the map in Sections 12 and 1. Would like name removed from the map; 2) an area designated as isolated natural resource in Section 13 along Bowers Road has been historically farmed and is agricultural land. Admitted this area hasn’t been farmed in a while. Would like the isolated corridor designa¬tion removed. Frauenfelder stated that the underlying zoning remains the same as it is now. Part of the land is already zoned low-land resource conservation district C-1 and C-4. Part is zoned A-1. Isolated resource areas were designated by the Regional Plan Commission. Zoning rules the land use, with zoning and the DNR regulating unzoned and unmapped wetlands with their statutes and administrative policies. Changing a wetland designation would have to be done by the DNR. SEWRPC will do a wetland delineation if requested.

Bruce Gebert of W3626 Springfield Road requested a change in zoning for the properties located in the NE corner of Section 21 and the NW corner of Section 22 squaring up the zoning changes in both of those sections by continuing to the other major artery for development of the area and changing from agricultural to suburban density residential (2.3 to 4.9 acres per dwelling) to the northern Section lines. Already close to sewer-serviced area. Questioned why this zoning wasn’t extended and changed. Lauderdale stated this was discussed at previous meetings and the general consensus was not to plan for those areas at this time. Frauenfelder reviewed the process used for projection of anticipated housing needs and population growth rate. Plan Commission Member Schmidt stated that for the record, he agrees with Gebert and this was brought up previously and he couldn’t understand why that section wasn’t included, especially with the commercial that would end up being in the middle of all that. With the requested zoning, would only have 33 homes on 120 acres. Plan can be adopted this evening with such an amendment.

Motion (Kamps/Kukla) to close the public hearing at 7:42 p.m. Approved 5-0.

Roll Call taken. All Town Officials listed above are in attendance. Motion (Kamps/Millard) to approve the agenda. Approved 5-0.

Neal Frauenfelder, Walworth County Land Use and Resource Management Department, gave a presentation on the Comprehensive Plan. Fact Sheet No. 1 and Appendix A-4 were available at the meeting. The Walworth County Board will formally act on the plan on November 10, 2009. Thirteen Towns are participating on the technical advisory committee to develop the plan, along with five County Board representa¬tives. Town used the 1997 plan as a starting point. The planning process, along with how to amend the plan, was reviewed. Amendments can be considered on an annual basis. Plan Commission Member Schmidt left the meeting. Laura Burgbacher from SEWRPC reviewed the plan, focusing mainly on the land use elements. Development could accommodate 1,950 new homes. Safety feature built-in for an extraordinary public need whereby the plan could be amended outside of the annual process. Would required a 2/3 majority vote by the County Board.

No public comments.

Motion (Cocroft/Thometz) to approve Resolution #189 adopting the Comprehensive Plan by the Town Plan Commission. Approved 5-0-0. Motion (Kamps/Millard) to approve Ordinance #70 to adopt the Comprehensive Plan by the Town Board. Approved 5-0-0. Motion (Fahey/Kukla) to adjourn at 8:16 p.m. Approved 5-0.

_______________________________
Chairman Lauderdale

_______________________________ _______________________________
Supervisor Kamps Supervisor Millard

_______________________________ _______________________________
Supervisor Fahey Supervisor Kukla

Respectfully submitted,

_______________________________
Debra L. Kirch, CMC/WCMC
Clerk/Treasurer

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