NR115
This story is from out of Janesville, Wisconsin.
Wisconsin's lakes and rivers belong to all state residents, not just those with the finances to enjoy waterfront property.
While Minnesota may be known as the "Land of 10,000 lakes," Wisconsin has more than 15,000. And because our waters help make the Badger State such a great place to live, work and play, regulators must strike a balance by protecting them without placing undue burdens on shoreland owners.
The ongoing construction boom is leaving giant homes on seemingly every remaining speck of privately owned shoreland. Studies show that a large home can dump many times more phosphorous and sediment into a lake than an undeveloped lot.
Meanwhile, Madison is dealing with weeds and algae blooms that can kill fish, pets and even people. At times, the blooms leave the city's prized lakes as little more than places for bigger and bigger boats to ride atop for weekend-long parties.
Enter NR115, a set of proposed rules governing everything from setbacks for buildings to shoreline buffers and types of vegetation. The rules have undergone numerous rewrites. Large crowds have offered the Department of Natural Resources feedback at public hearings.
The shoreland zoning standards haven't changed since the 1960s. That's why Sen. Neal Kedzie, R-Elkhorn, chair of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, sees a need for review.
Kedzie says the rules won't affect most property owners unless they want to change existing buildings or structures. Those constructing new homes, adding driveways or decks or wanting to expand existing buildings can do so. But if hard surfaces exceed 20 percent of a property's square footage, a 35-foot buffer of native shoreland vegetation must be planted near the water.
Still, the specifics of NR115 are complicated. Readers of the Gazette's opinion pages may recall recent charges and countercharges about the details in op-ed columns from the Wisconsin River Alliance and Wisconsin's builders and Realtors associations.
The apathetic can ignore the debate and let the DNR enact whatever rules it wants. Yet if you own shoreland property or enjoy time on the water, we urge you to pay attention. After all, many people criticize the DNR-some for being too protective of resources, others for allowing environmental damage. You don't have to look any further than the Rock-Koshkonong Lake District, where a majority of residents voted July 30 to fight the DNR's limits on the lake's water level.
Yes, our shoreland rules are long past needing an update. Just how far restrictions go may well be up to you.
August 10, 2005 9:08 AM | Category: Politics