Plan Commission Minutes

Town of Washburn

Across from 29945 Wannebo Road

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Members present: Kim Bro (chair), Cyndi Belanger (secretary), Jim Park (town board representative), Hallie Sandberg, Tim Schwenzfeier (vice chair).

Others present: Mike Harvey (town road superintendant), Adam Vlasaty (owner’s agent/contractor).

1. Chairman Bro called the meeting of the commission to order at 4:20 P.M. and verified its legal notification (posted at town hall and Tetzner Dairy) on March 6, 2024 and on town website.

2. The minutes of the November 5, 2023 meeting were approved (Tim moves, Hallie seconds).

3. Prior to the meeting at 4:00 P.M., the commission conducted a site visit with Adam Vlasaty, the owner’s contractor. According to the contractor the adjoining property owner (Kevin and Jacquie Tetzner) had agreed verbally that morning to a land trade that would extend the Kebbekus property westward in return for an equal amount of the east portion of the Kebbekus parcel. The Tetzners own neighboring property on both the east and west sides of the Kebbekus parcel. The proposed driveway would enter the Kebbekus property at the west boundary and extend to a proposed structure (32’x48’) in the southwest corner of the parcel west of a ravine containing a tributary of Thompson Creek, a Class I trout stream. The entire area of the parcel and adjacent land is level, forested clayey soil and steep ravines of clayey slopes. The entire area is wooded with second-growth trees and shrubs.

4. The commission reviewed the driveway permit application and preliminary development plan for Katherine and Peter Kebbekus on their 5-acre parcel in an Agriculture 1 zoning district (S½SE¼SE¼SE¼ Section 2 T.48N R.5W; Tax ID# 30587 NW of Wannebo Rd at Bjork Rd.). The owners propose a driveway base of 2-minus gravel topped with six inches of medium well-graded, crushed, fractured rock. A 40-foot x 18-inch diameter culvert is proposed for the road ditch. The proposed a tee turnaround would extend onto the property to be acquired from the adjacent landowner. The commission determined that the proposed layout would meet the drainage, visibility, roadbed, and turnaround requirements of the driveway ordinance. The layout is sufficiently distant from the ravine to protect the vulnerable slopes (Policy 8.2.a) and accommodates the erodibility of the clayey soils (Plan pp.7-22 & 8‑24). Because the owners will retain a natural vegetative screen between the proposed building and the town road, the proposed development will maintain the scenic, forested character of the area (Policy 8.1.e). The commission recommends that the town board approve the application (Cyndi moves, Tim seconds), contingent on the acquisition of the adjoining land to the west, providing a 40’x18” culvert in the road ditch and providing a 2-minus gravel base over the clayey soil.
5. Kim mentioned that the town board is seeking a source of clay soil to fill the depression in the landfill’s clay cap.
6. The commission discussed informational the handout Kim excerpted from University of Wisconsin specialists on steps to assure safe development near erodible clay bluffs such as that near streams in the town. It provides advice that is not encompassed by current state and county regulations.
7. Kim mentioned that, now that the update of the county comprehensive plan is complete, the Northwest Regional Planning Commission will contract to assist the town with its update in the fall of 2024. Meanwhile, the town can hold community meetings to identify the key revisions needed for the plan.
8. The commission selected Tuesday, April 2, 2024 7:00 P.M. for the next meeting at the town hall. If there is business to be conducted.

9. The meeting adjourned at 4:55 P.M. (Hallie moves, Cyndi seconds).

Draft submitted by: Kenneth Bro, Chair, Town of Washburn Plan Commission (March 12, 2024).

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Plan Commission Report

The commission recommends that the town board approve the driveway permit for Katherine and Peter Kebbekus contingent on the acquisition of the adjoining land to the west, providing a 40’x18” culvert in the road ditch and providing a 2-minus gravel base over the clayey soil..