Piers

You can play a role in shaping Wisconsin’s pier regulations for the long term. Before the summer is over, take a look around the lakes and rivers you enjoy using. Think for a moment about how you want those shore lands to look 10, 20, 30 years from now. How would you suggest we balance each waterfront owners’ right to place a pier and enjoy their shoreline, while protecting the habitat and natural scenic beauty for future generations? What should be the maximum size limit for piers to be exempt, or to qualify for a permit? Should new piers be treated differently than existing piers? What kind of pier development should require a permit or a public notice, and opportunity for comment? Are there locations where a pier should not be allowed at all to protect sensitive habitat? Are there new trends with waterfront use that we should anticipate in pier rules? How much is enough?

Now take another moment, and turn your answers to those questions into input. DNR wants ideas to help develop common-sense permanent pier rules – rules that are easy to understand, and rules that protect the habitat and beauty of our lakes and streams. DNR will hold open houses and public hearings this fall at several locations around the state – watch your local newspaper, Lake Tides, and the UWEX Lakes or DNR websites to find out where, and to learn more about how you can submit written input or speak at the hearings.