Dear Lake Resident:
This is the third Email Update. The first two reported on steps by the POA’s Response Committee (POA) to manage the proposal by Cedar Community (CC) to expand their retirement home operation.
I stepped down from that committee on Nov. 4. Any future updates will come from the committee Co-chairs (Dave Baldus and Steve Simon). So this is a final “sign off” update of my own.
On September 5, the POA met with CC’s Executive Director, Lynn Olson, who expressed strong interest in creating and granting a conservation easement. On Sept. 7, the POA met with the CLCF executive committee, which agreed to explore accepting that easement.
Through September and early October, with input from the POA and CLCF, CC worked to draft an easement, including protection for 72 shoreline acres and constraints on boats and piers. The discussion presumed that the lake community might also accommodate CC (supporting limited “uphill” expansion, and in other ways).
On Oct. 16, the CLCF Executive Committee met with the POA and announced that they were not prepared to accept and hold the easement. On Oct. 23-24, the CLCF leadership held further meetings, with the Ozaukee-Washington County (OWLT) executive director, and with the Rehabilitative District (PRD) Chair. Out of these meetings emerged a new concept: using a Site Development Agreement (SDA), since a conservation easement was no longer on the table.
As contrasted with a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), an SDA is a comprehensive approach to planning, commonly used by many municipalities in Southeastern Wisconsin to govern large development projects. It could include provisions to limit boats and piers and protect the shoreline. It could be thought of as an easement-plus-CUP, negotiated and enforced by the Town.
On November 2, leadership from all four groups (CLCF, OWLT, POA and PRD) met and explored this option. Each group agreed to consult with their own boards, seeking authority to work with CC within an SDA framework. The PRD Board voted “yes” on Nov. 20. OWLT is willing to participate in an advisory capacity. The POA Board will vote at their Dec. 2 midwinter meeting. I have no information about CLCF action.
That’s where things stand on Thanksgiving, 2017. It’s increasingly clear that resolving this issue will be a marathon, not a sprint. From September to April I’m mostly in Maryland. Despite two trips to Wisconsin this fall, I don’t feel I’m effective in contributing to the POA committee. But the committee has my enthusiastic support, and I believe that an SDA approach might allow the lake to achieve some of our goals.
Many thanks for your concern for our precious lake!
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