Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Oneida and Vilas plan slow process for meeting NR 115 changes

Counties plan slow process for meeting NR 115 changes

By Kurt Krueger
News-Review Editor

Zoning officials in Vilas and Oneida counties aren’t rushing to put stricter shoreland zoning regulations in place, especially after legislators stripped flexibility from the revised NR 115 code.

Dawn Schmidt, zoning administrator in Vilas, said a late compromise forced by a legislative review committee suddenly prohibits sideways expansion of any structure located between 35 and 75 feet from the water — including thousands of houses that were legally placed under averaging.

“That last-minute ‘whammy’ means Vilas will be waiting the full two years to make its ordinance changes,” said Schmidt. “We want property owners to have all the opportunity possible to take advantage of the flexibility our ordinance currently offers, which includes sideways expansion up to 50% of the footprint.”

Though official publication of the revised NR 115 rules is expected around Feb. 1, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is giving counties two years to adjust their shoreland codes — a two-year window for replacement and expansion projects under existing rules.

Link to Vilas County News Review


Republican Women of the North, Northern WI, rwotnorth@gmail.com

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