MADELINE ISLAND NEWS AND INFORMATION
TPC PUBLIC HEARING FEBRUARY 18, 2009
TOWN PLAN COMMISSION TAKES ANOTHER BEATING
UPDATED: FEBRUARY 26
POSTED: FEBRUARY 19
Carl Broberg and the TPC took another verbal beating at last night's public hearing. There was plenty of room at Town Hall this time as about 20 residents turned out to give comments and listen to others on proposed changes and additions to The La Pointe Zoning Ordinance and this time, nearly everyone got to speak as long as they wanted.
All seven TPC members were present but only of the Town Board of
Supervisors showed up. Town Board Supervisor and liaison to the TPC, Jim
Patterson, was not present.
At the beginning of the meeting, Broberg gave a short slide show presentation with facts and figures drawn from various sources including "The Comprehensive Plan". When questioned about this slide show and the information it contained, Broberg admitted that it was not available to the public as he had put the slide show together the night before the hearing. (Ironically, the background that Broberg chose for his presentation was a fireworks display!!!)
Afterward the slide show, the TPC took comments from the public. Broberg initially set limits of 5 minutes for people to speak, but as the hearing progress, people were allowed to speak as long as they wanted with many reading aloud their letters that they had prepared and had submitted to the TPC.
The reoccurring theme in all of the speakers were the lack of context in which these proposed ordinances and changes were presented. Nearly all of the speakers criticized the TPC for not providing documentation to the public with highlights and strike-outs; something that the public had voted for at the last Annual Town Meeting. Many of the speakers stated that without maps or documentation it was impossible to determine what was exactly being changed. Many speakers stated they were confused as to why they received a mailing from the Town as there was nothing in the mailing stating how these changes would affect their property.
Some accused Broberg of deliberately withhold information from the public to keep them confused, with one speaker citing a comment made by Broberg at TPC meeting about the public's "...constitutional right to get it wrong."
Speakers at the hearing included Tim "Red" Eldred, Paul Brummer, Bill Bussey (attorney), Joe McCarthy, Jay Westfield, Evan Erickson, Alan Fischlowitz, Beth Feishlowitz, Linda Gieir, Gary Russell, Warren Anderson, and Larry Whalen and Tom Nelson as well as others.
Many speakers stated that very little had changed asked the TPC to re-read their letters that they had submitted at the September public hearing as new members have come on board since the September public hearing.
Attorney Bill Bussey, representing property owners along the shoreline of Nebraska row, Sunny Slope Road, Chief Buffalo Lane and Old Fort Road, criticized the TPC for the language that they used in defining their proposed "Scenic Shoreline Preservation Overlay District". Bussey pointed out that most cities use roads for boundaries, not parcels as parcels can be subdivided, effectively changing boundaries and pointed out that the way the district is currently defined leaves out Nebraska Row entirely.
Citizens also raised objections to the camping ordinance which those who spoke about it felt was not needed and that Ashland County regulations were enough.
Despite the seriousness of the subject matter presented, some speakers still managed to inject some humor into the hearing with Bussey threatening to sing a section of the song "Old La Pointe" to convince the TPC to change the language of the "Scenic Shoreline Preservation Overlay District" to include Nebraska Row.
However, the highlight of the hearing was La Pointe bar owner Tom Nelson's "performance". Nelson pointed out a number of problems he perceived with these changes, citing language being proposed, such as "functional family" as "loopholes big enough to drive a bus through". Nelson offered to assist the TPC as a consultant to help show them their loopholes if he could drop of his empty glass bottles at the Madeline Island Recycling Center for free.
Nelson also criticized the Town Board of Supervisors for taking the Zoning Administrator out of the processes. Another speaker, Larry Whalen suggested that the Z.A. was recently taken out of the process because the Town Board did not like what she had to say about the proposed changes at the last public hearing. As part of her job description, Zoning Administrator Jennifer Croonborg had reviewed the original document prepared by the TPC and submitted a document to them with highlights, comments, and questions. Recently, the Town Board approved changes in the Z.A.'s job description which removed the Z.A. from the process of ordinance changes.
Two hours and twenty minutes into the hearing, Broberg attempted to silence Nelson who was speaking for the third time. However, Nelson refused to give up the floor. Broberg adjourned the meeting with a motion and walked away from the table while Nelson was still speaking.
UPDATE:
As promised:
Here are the audio recordings of the meeting.
Here are the letters written to the Town Plan Commission
Here is the slide show Broberg present.
We have yet to get the actual slide show in electronic format as the Town Board recently decided that Broberg did not have to submit electronic documents. However we have scanned the printouts for you. Unfortunately they are not in the same visual format as originally presented. What we have is what Broberg provided to the public.
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