Plan Commission Minutes

Town of Washburn

Outdoors at Closed Landfill Site

Sunday, July 12, 2026

 

Commission members present: Cyndi Belanger (secretary), Kim Bro (chair), Tim Schwenzfeier (vice chair), Caroline Twombly.

Commission members absent: Seth Vasser (town board representative).

Others present: Peter Olson attended the site visit for his driveway.

 

1. Chairman Bro called the meeting of the Commission to order at 8:05 P.M. and verified its legal notification (posted at Town Hall, Tetzner Dairy on July 9 and Town website) on July 10, 2026.
2. The minutes of the November 2, 2025 meeting were approved (Tim moves, Caroline seconds).
3. Prior to the meeting, the Commission conducted a site visit for Bridget and Peter Olson to construct a driveway to their 15-acre property ~76300 McKinley Road. Peter was present for the site visit. He had installed metal posts making the proposed location of a 30-foot by 18-inch culvert in the road ditch and extended a string 240 feet east into the woods to the end of the proposed driveway. He had marked a tee turnaround prior to the end of the proposed driveway. The proposed driveway descends on a gentle grade. The south side of the drive drains to a steep ravine that drains to Thompson Creek, a trout stream. The north side drains to the east and eventually flows to the ravine some distance past the end of the proposed driveway. The proposed driveway crosses transitional (sand-over-clay) soil near the road and eventually leads to clayey soil to the east. The applicants plan to construct a residence in the future and will apply for another driveway permit when they identify a house location and apply for a County land use permit.
4. Prior to the meeting, the Commission conducted its annual site visit to the closed Section 29 landfill and completed the landfill maintenance checklist. The landfill area had been mowed during the week prior to the site visit. In 2024, the City of Washburn added soil from the West Bayfield Street excavation on the east side of the landfill cap and filled the deepest area of subsidence on the east side of the clay cap. The Commission estimated that approximately 4,500 cubic yards of appropriate clean soil are needed to fill the remaining areas of subsidence in the clay cap over the landfill. These areas inhibit the flow of surface water off of the cap and may increase the infiltration of water into the underlying solid waste. Trees are rooted in the clay cap on the west and north sides and compromise its effectiveness. The driveway leading to the west groundwater monitoring well is overgrown. There is some gullying in the new fill that was added to the clay cap. The caps over the three monitoring wells are securely locked.
5. The Commission approved (Tim moves, Caroline seconds) the minutes of the June 7, 2026 meeting.
6. The commission reviewed the driveway permit application for Bridget and Peter Olson to construct a driveway to their 15-acre parcel at ~76300 McKinley Road in an Agriculture 1 zoning district (in S½ NW¼SW¼ Section 36 T.49N R.5W; Tax ID #39325). The Commission recommends (Cyndi moves, Tim seconds) that the Town Board approve the driveway permit. The proposed driveway meets the roadbed, drainage, visibility, and turnaround requirements of the driveway ordinance, and is located in an area that accommodates the erodibility of the clay soils (Objective 8.2 & p. 7-5). The development retains the natural wooded character of the area (Objective 8.4). The proposed culvert in the road ditch appears far enough from the road to provide an adequate turning radius onto the road.
7. The Commission recommends cutting of woody plants growing on the west and north sides of the landfill cap, mowing of the steep west side of the clay cap and mowing of the access road to the west monitoring well. When appropriate clean clay soil is available from the East Bayfield Street reconstruction, approximately 4,500 cubic yards will be needed to fill remaining areas of subsidence in the cap. The recent mowing removed flower heads of exotic, invasive weeds at the landfill site. Perhaps, the site should be mowed two times per year to remove flower heads that form later in the summer.
8. Kim and Caroline reported on a June 25 public meeting that the County held on the preparation of a countywide bicycle and pedestrian plan. They reported to the planning consultant (Northwest Regional Plan Commission) on the recommendations in the Transportation chapter of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan.
9. The next meeting will be Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 7 PM.
10. The meeting adjourned at 8:13 P.M. (Cyndi moves, Caroline seconds).

 

Kenneth Bro, Chair, Town of Washburn Plan Commission (July 14, 2026).

Approved August 4, 2026.

 

Plan Commission Report

 

The Commission recommends that the Town Board approve the driveway permit for Bridget and Peter Olson as proposed in their application. The Commission recommends cutting woody vegetation on the west and south sides of the landfill clay cap and mowing the driveway path leading to the west monitoring well.