July 13, 2000  

Land Use Meeting

Environmental Considerations When Trying to Manage Growth

The meeting began at 7:30 p.m.

Committee Members Present:  Dean Culbertson, Paul Tassoul, Jim Ecker, Roger Weihing, Barry Witthuhn, John Julius, Jason Weiss, Stan Buman, Bill Leslie. Shirley Solem and Shirlee Schuette were excused.

Town Administrator, Dave Tebo and Facilitator, Dave Muench

The first speaker of the evening was Mike Dresen, Land Use and Natural Resources Policy Specialist from UW-Extension – Stevens Point.  Mr. Dresen spoke on environmental land uses, planning options and property rights.

·        Environment

·        Economy

·        Quality of Life

These are inseparable issues.  They are linked and vital to each other.

            A Natural Resource Inventory for The Town of Greenville

·        Surface waters                                      

·        Wetlands

·        Ground water

·        Woodlands (unmapped)

·        Soil (farmlands)

·        Sand & gravel

·        Air

·        Others?

There are a few holes in our inventory that need to be addressed.  We need to talk about how to manage these resources (i.e. ground water quality & quantity).  Our resource inventory included woodlands, but they were not addressed in the plan.  We need provide criteria for why we are protecting our resources and why we value them.  This helps to defend our ordinances.    

            These Resources Support the Vision Developed for the Town

·        Rural character

·        Healthy place to live

·        Good economy & land values

·        Recreational opportunities

·        Aesthetic opportunity

Recreational resources need to be addressed in our plan.

            General Environmental Management Tools

·        Regulations

·        Education

·        Community fiscal planning

·        Incentives

·        New technologies

Don’t concentrate on one or two tools.  To have a comprehensive program, USE THEM ALL!!!!   We need to continually reinforce reasons for planning.  Municipal services may encourage or discourage development.  If you make a conscious decision not to provide services, development will not happen.

            Environmental Management Concepts

·        Ecosystem management

·        Watershed scale management

·        Environmental impact assessment - Build into development process.  Assess as particular projects

·        Environmental impact - Avoidance/mitigation – can manipulate or avoid.  Mitigation can cause problems

·        Environmental corridors and reserves

Avoid fragmentation of resources.  Link them (i.e. wetlands with woodlands).

·        Multiple use management

Consider how we can provide public and private facilities using our natural resources.

            Environmental Management Concerns

·        Density of development

·        Pattern of development

·        Land disturbing activities

Water resources in particular is a problem

·        Runoff

Mechanism that moves surface water.  Needs to be managed lot by lot.

·        Environmental buffers

·        Environmentally sensitive areas

Not identified well enough in our plan.  Need more identification.

            Intergovernmental Relationships

·        Constitutionally enumerated and reserved powers

·        Superceding and concurrent jurisdiction

·        Mandated and delegated responsibilities

·        County and town roles in comprehensive planning (State, “Smart Growth” initiative)

·        County and town roles in comprehensive zoning -Statutory preference for counties

            New Approaches in Environmental and Land Use Management

·        Conservation subdivisions (Cluster development)

·        Purchase of development rights/transfer of development rights

·        Dwelling density standards

·        Impact assessments and fees

Government Creates Private Interest in Land

·        Recognition of title

·        Rules for dispute resolution

·        System of property description

·        Etc.

Government Interest in Private Lands always include:

·        Eminent domain

·        Taxation

·        Escheat

·        Regulation 

Alternatives

·        Injured parties sue for money damages

·        Etc.

The second speaker was Dave Marcouiller, Natural Resources Economist UW-Extension/Madison.  Mr. Marcouiller spoke on measuring the value of natural resources.

            Rural Character (What Is It and Why Is It Important?)

·        Defining rural character

Represents open space, aesthetics and less crowded living.  It often involves the presence of a working landscape (farming and forestry).  It is difficult to measure.  It helps to explain the recent growth trends experienced throughout rural America.

·        Assessing the value of rural character

-         Non-market good.

-          Not directly related to any operating market.

-          It is difficult to evaluate. 

-         Measured using State and revealed preference methods.

-         Isolate effect of rural character on other more marketable goods

-         Real estate value can be used as a proxy for this concept  

·        Implications of rapid change

·        Maintaining rural character

Economic growth is good but has some specific problems that can destroy rural character.

A quick snapshot reveals the demand for residential properties increased dramatically.  Since 1993 total sales in Greenville has grown 140% over a six year period.  The sales price of residential homes in Greenville has grown from $115,000 in 1993 to $150,000 in 1999.  Development is increasing into rural areas.  Ratios of residential assessments lag in residential property assessments.  This can be due to many things.  Increases in market prices greatly exceed historical trends. 

High real estate demands affect the rate of agricultural and forest land conversions.  The demand creates pressure to convert agricultural and forest lands if they are available.  Use value for land becomes less profitable as compared to speculative value.  Farmers hold out for speculative value.

            Maintaining Rural Character

·        Encourage profitable farming

·        Focus residential development on less productive soils

·        Cluster residential development

·        Maintain scattered woodlands as woodlands

·        Balance tax base expansion with cost of service provision

·        Balance benefits to some with the needs of all

The last speaker was Annette Weissbock, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources – Green Bay.  Ms. Weissbock spoke on the importance of the environment in planning (German Experience)

Ms. Weissbock described a typical community in Germany.  They look at:

·        Expansion

·        Economy

·        Natural Resources

We need to think about these as they did.  We need to be pro-active. 

Ms. Weissbock described the community of Unterschleissheim that is located outside of Munich. This community is similar in size to Greenville.  They have a population of 25,000 and it is 3,555 acres in size.  They have a business park that is important with a community connection.  They have a BMW dismantling center and a recycling center.  There are 14 farmers cultivating 1922 acres of land that amounts to 54% of their land use.  They maintain schools, hold community events, attract industry and have subways and trains for public transportation.

Landscape plan:  to achieve goals of environment and landscape protection within building and development plans.  This includes tree protection, prairie and moss landscaping and brooding site protection.  No pesticides are used in green spaces.  They take an inventory of things and see how they fit together.

There is a basic understanding that humans need a natural environment to survive.  Natural areas in Unterschleissheim are a sense of pride.  Their protected areas are accessible to the public through walking and biking trails.

            Greening the Infrastructure – What They Have Done

·        All public parking – porous construction materials – pavers instead of asphalt or concrete.

·        Renaturization of local stream, reclamation of local sand/gravel pit

·        Greenway – 6 acres between the city center and community lake.  Part of the greenway system acts as a buffer between the highway and residential area.

·        New cemetery – prairie plants, native trees, wood coffins only – no plastic in/on coffin or deceased person, no plastic plants, no pesticides.

·        Conversion of a 27 acre farm to parklan 

Their Land Use Plan

·        Prime agricultural land stays agricultural land

·        Greenways, open space between communities – You know where a community begins and ends

·        Native trees and shrubs

·        Landscape ecology in regional planning

·        Expansion of public transit.

There is a lot of infill and vertical development rather than spreading into the open areas.

The committee members were asked by Dave Muench to write down the answers to these questions:

              What environmental factors are most important to Greenville? 

How can valued areas be best protected?

Public Input

·        Protect agricultural land

·        Stop development – putting homes in rural areas

·        Rights of home owners to grow native areas

·        Greenville should ban lawn chemicals

·        Waterway buffers

The committee members were given a homework assignment.  Each member was given a camera.  They are to take pictures of “rural character”.  This does not need to be limited to Greenville.  When their film is finished, they are to return the cameras to the Town Hall.  This assignment is due by the August 24^th meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:40 p.m.

Deborah Wagner, Town Clerk