Oneida county residents will get a survey in a few weeks to give their thoughts on rules concerning boathouses and piers. At a meeting Wednesday, the same committee said they wouldn't add language to code that would allow mining in forest areas.
Supervisor Billy Fried has expressed a view that Oneida county should not have it's own rules over piers, deferring to the more lax DNR rules. He says the rules make it difficult to place piers. He also objects to the Oneida county rules where investigations are prompted by complaints...
"....if we want to be in the pier business and the county wants us to enforce it, I look at a staff that has been reduced, certainly has its hands full with a lot of things. It's like, "hey, let the DNR enforce it. If they want to write rules and adopt the rules, let them(enforce them)...."
Dan Butkus from the town of Crescent disagreed, saying the rules should stay. He says he recently went through the process to get a pier and didn't find it difficult. He also says the number of complaints under the current law is small..
"....I talked to Planning and Development. There were, on average, 8-12 complaints a year. Think of it, all the lakes, all the lots, all the piers. 8 to 12 complaints...."
The Planning and Development committee voted to have staff put the survey together with some modifications. The committee would like to have some feedback before a public hearing on the issues is held later this year.
The committee also left stand current language which doesn't allow mining in forestry districts.
