August 31, 2000 

Land Use Minutes

The meeting began at 7:30 p.m.

Present:  Dean Culbertson, Paul Tassoul, Jim Ecker, John Julius, Shirley Schuette, Ken Zilisch, Stan Buman, Roger Weihing.  Randy Strey came late.  Shirley Solem and Barry Witthuhn were excused.  Facilitator Dave Muench, Administrator Dave Tebo.

Dave Muench began by explaining the next step.  We now need to form small groups for further research.  This is the Beginning of the end or the beginning of the beginning.  It is the beginning of our time to develop a strategy.

            GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

·        Regulatory strategies and design, zoning, density, East Central Requirements for our Comprehensive Plan and the Town Board expectations (prime soils, 80/20, etc.). – This strategy is to be worked on by the entire group.

·        Conservation Subdivisions – (do these help maintain rural character?) - Small group

·        PDR/TDR/Farmland – (easements, credits, land trusts) – Small group  

·        Environmental corridors (steep slopes, natural areas, wetlands, forested and scenic areas) – Small group

The group, as a whole, has had speakers come in and talk on various topics.  Small groups will now be formed and they will then come back to the whole group with a report on what we could do on each topic such as in a conservation subdivision – where they should go, what is the lot size, how do they function.  These ideas are to be Greenville specific.    Dave Muench stated that the general public may want to get in a group.

Greenville Vision

• Maintain rural character
• Open space and recreation
• Managed growth

The various committees need to keep this vision in mind during the course of their discussions.

Zen Miller from Outagamie County spoke briefly on the economy of agriculture in Outagamie County.

• 1,630 farms in the County – 400 of them dairy farms.
• 289,000 acres being farmed177 acres is the average size farm
• $87 million is generated from dairy
• 23.6 million from field crops
• 6.2 million from vegetable crops
• There are more than 50 cows per square mile
• Outagamie County is 39^th for dairy cows
• 17,200 lbs milk produced per cow
• We rank in milk production anywhere from 9^th to 12^th

Lowell Klessig from UW Stevens Point spoke on "Sprawl vs. Farmland".

1.         There is no easy way to maintain rural character.

When it comes to land use, everybody is right and everybody is wrong.  

• Citizens feel sprawl is the worst possible way to use the landscape (right); regulation alone will not stop sprawl (wrong).

• Real Estate agents feel development will help their situation and the economy (right); it is wrong when they argue there will be a housing shortage if we don't develop.

• Farmers feel it is right if they can subdivide their farmland because it is part of their retirement plan; it is wrong to think that land is a simple commodity.

The public has a legitimate interest in what we do with private land.

• Town Boards feel economic development can increase the standard of life (right); economic values are the most important value people hold (wrong).

Farms and businesses are good for services.  Existing homes do not pay for themselves, existing homes subsidize them.

2.         There are many values of farmland other than just producing food.

Average Annual Farmland

Conversion to non-farm uses in Wisconsin         

                 1983-87           27,000 acres converted

                 1988-92           64,000 acres converted

                 1993-96           78,000 acres converted

Primary Social Goals (needs)

(How Farmland can help) 

• Economic opportunity  (income to provide for food, clothing, shelter)
• Environmental security  (do things that hurt and help)
• Aesthetic opportunity (need contact with nature)
• Collective security (food)
• Cultural opportunity  (dictates who we are and where we are going)
• Educational opportunity
• Emotional Security  (togetherness)
• Individual Freedom (makes it difficult to do land use planning)
• Recreational opportunity 
• Spiritual dimension

Pillars of Character

• Trustworthiness
• Responsibility
• Loyalty
• Civic virtue
• Respect
• Justice and caring

"That land is a commodity is the basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected in an extension of ethics."

Summary

Tools –             Ways to subsidize farms

                        Education

                        Technical Assistance

                        Tax Reform

                        Subsidy

                        Regulation

What kind of society do we want to live in?

                        PDR/TDR

                        Land banking

                        Land trust

What kind of society do we want our grandchildren to grow up in?

Independence 

Interdependence 

We need to switch from independence to interdependence.

Members were given the opportunity to sign up for a small group to begin work on the various issues.  These groups will need to meet a number of times and all will report back at the next meeting to be held on Thursday, September 21^st. 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.