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GRANT COUNTY
CONSERVATION SANITATION AND ZONING DEPT
150 West Alona Lane, Suite #1, Lancaster, WI 53813 608/723-6377 X4
May 22, 2017
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Lynda Schweikert, and I am the Administrator of the Conservation, Sanitation
and Zoning Department, here in Grant County. I am writing to you today to inform you of a
rezone process taking place that includes your property. At the June 8t5, 2017 Conservation
Sanitation, Zoning Committee meeting, we are holding a public hearing to propose a rezone
of your property from Farmland Preservation (FP) to Residential 1 (R1).
In 2011, Grant County revised its zoning ordinance and maps to convert from Exclusive Ag
Zoning into Farmland Preservation. In this process, many non -farm properties were
converted to the Farmland Preservation zoning district. As can be assumed by the name,
Farmland Preservation (FP) zoning district is very restrictive to new development. Any
property zoned FP and not associated with agriculture, requires a rezone request to allow an
addition on a home or construction of an accessory structure before a zoning permit could be
approved.
As you could imagine, the realization of this fact took several landowners by surprise, since
their small residential property was never considered agriculture in the first place. In an effort
to place these parcels in a more appropriate zoning district for its current use, we have
revised the zoning maps and will be asking the County Board for a blanket rezone in June.
We have been working with the townships affected, since January of this year. Having them
examine their zoning maps and indicate which parcels should be eligible for this blanket
rezone amendment. Criteria that we looked at for the blanket rezone are as follows:
Size — Parcels too small to sustain an agriculture use
® Use — Previously Residential Use, not Agriculture
• Location — Parcels not associated with a larger Ag operation. i.e.: siblings or
children associated with farming
So, what does this mean for you?
1. There is no cost to you for this amendment. The County will incur all cost for
the publication and printing of updated materials.
2. This letter is for informational purposes only. You do not need to do anything,
but wait for the blanket rezone to occur in June, unless you wish to remain in
Farmland Preservation zoning.
3. This should have no effect on your taxes. Taxes are set by the Town Assessor
based on use, not zoning.
4. And finally, if you wish to learn more about the process, we will be holding an
informational meeting prior to the public hearing on Thursday June 8t" at 12:00
pm in room 264 of the Administration Building, 111 S Jefferson, Lancaster, WI
53813. (Public Hearing will follow at 1 pm)
If you do wish to remain in Farmland Preservation zoning or have questions on the process,
please contact our office prior to the meeting so that we can remove your parcel(s) from the
rezone amendment or address any concerns you may have. Our number is 608-723-6377
#4.
If you wish to view the proposed changes to the township maps, they are available at the
Conservation, Sanitation and Zoning Dept, 150 W Alona Ln, Lancaster, WI 53813; or online
at www.co.grant.wi.gov (Departments) (Conservation, Sanitation and Zoning).
In summary, this rezone amendment is being done to avoid future zoning delays if you
choose to build/expand on your current parcel for your current use in the future. However, a
zoning permit will still be required before any construction on your property occurs. This
letter was not meant to scare or alarm anyone, it was only meant to inform you of the
revision, since most were unaware that the change had occurred in 2011. With this letter, we
are making an effort to get as much information out there, in regards to county zoning, so as
to alleviate confusion and delays in the future.
Sincerely,
Lynda Schweikert
Administrator, CSZD
Grant County