A provision that was deeply opposed by two Northwoods county boards passed the State Senate version of the two-year budget and went to the Assembly.
May 29, Republicans, including Senator Tom Tiffany of Hazelhurst, put a provision in the budget which some felt greatly reduced local government's ability of regulate shorelines. It largely put a uniformity to shoreland zoning regulations at the DNR standards that some felt are much weaker than county codes. Tiffany said it was a matter of reducing regulation and protecting property rights.
Tiffany says the non-budget item in the bill left some, what he called, 'misperceptions'...
"....it's actually a modest change, it leaves a 75 foot setback. There are perhaps a couple little changes that could be made. Representative (Adam)Jarchow and I will look at that in the fall to see if we need trailer bill, make a few tweaks to that, make it better for those people concerned about it...."
The Vilas County Board voted 18-1 and Oneida County 14-4 to oppose the change in the rules governing shoreland zoning and sent letters to the state expressing their opposition.
