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Minocqua Plan Commission Rejects Hotel Plan

Town of Minocqua.org

MINOCQUA – The Minocqua Plan Commission has voted against a 9-unit hotel that a developer wants to build along U.S. Highway 51 just north of the Island of Minocqua.

Tuesday was the second time the plan commission has taken up a conditional use permit (CUP) application by GPS, Inc. (owner Glenn Schiffmann of Eagle River). As before, commissioners were not happy with the number of parking spaces, nor their placement, as proposed by Schiffmann. Commissioner Mark Pertile made the motion to recommend denial of the CUP. He cited the nine general standards the county uses to consider a CUP. The 4-1 vote saw Bill Stengl as the lone dissenter.

The plan commission’s recommendation will undoubtedly weigh heavily on the town board’s deliberations when it takes up the application at its next meeting. Stengl is a town board member, as is town chairman Mark Hartzheim, who chairs the plan commission.

According to the CUP application, the hotel would be located on two lots that formerly housed Bay View Inn and Mom’s Laundromat. Co-applicant Trygve (Trig) Solberg is listed on the application as Bayview Motel, LLC. Solberg owns both lots and had asked Schiffmann to develop the half-acre property, Schiffmann said Tuesday.

Parking issues unresolved

Jim Rein, of Wilderness Surveying, submitted a new CUP application on behalf of Schiffmann. The county zoning staff contends that even with the newly added three parking spaces, the 17 spaces in the updated plan fall woefully short of what’s required under Oneida County’s zoning ordinance. Additionally, two of the spaces don’t meet the required size limits. “At this time, (zoning) staff does not believe the amount of parking provided complies with (zoning ordinance chapter) 9.77 and believes 30 parking spaces are required (3 for each unit and 3 for employees),” said the staff report given to commissioners.

There was general consensus, even from Rein and Schiffmann, that trailer parking would be difficult because of the limited space available. After Schiffmann suggested the trailers could be parked elsewhere, Hartzheim said, “I do care where the trailers go because that is our problem. We are the ones who will be saddled with complaints.” Pertile said the vehicle parking on the lower level potentially infringes on the town road’s right-of-way. The town’ attorney is reviewing the map and legal description of the right-of-way to determine the boundaries. Pertile suggested moving the parking spaces closer to the building than currently allowed by county code; not withstanding that the county’s planning and development committee would have to waive that requirement.

Piers another unknown

Still unsettled are the number of Lake Minocqua piers that would be allowed across Lakeview Drive. The CUP shows six piers; the county zoning is unsure about that number. The staff at present believes there are three legal pre-existing piers, not six.

County zoning director Karl Jennrich said his office is still waiting for Schiffmann to offer photographic proof that there were six piers in use since April 2012. If so, they could possibly be allowed as “legal, pre-existing” status. However, the county official noted if the two lots are combined, then their “legal pre-existing” status goes away and the 170 feet of frontage would allow only four piers. As designed, the project lends itself to future condominium ownership, it was noted in the earlier meeting. That’s because the units would have walk-in closets and food pantries—features unusual for motel and smaller hotels.

Schiffmann also said reducing the number of units was not in the works as Solberg paid $750,000 to acquire the two properties and needed all nine units to make it financially worthwhile. Both the Bay View Inn and the Laundromat have been demolished. Schiffmann asked rhetorically if the commissioners would rather look at “the holes” if the hotel was turned down.

From the audience, nearby homeowner Mike Meyers reiterated his objections to the parking plan. Despite a promise of a “right-turn only” signage on the upper level, he said, renters (or owners) would undoubtedly attempt left-hand turns against U.S. Highway 51’s heavy summer traffic. Among the general standards referenced by Pertile, is this one: “Whether adequate measures have been or will be taken to provide ingress and egress so as to minimize traffic congestion in the public streets."

Hartzheim offered Schiffmann an opportunity to bring back another updated plan with the commission’s concerns addressed, but Schiffmann didn’t appear receptive to the offer. Thus, Hartzheim asked for an “up or down” vote on the CUP recommendation to the town board. After the town’s review, the CUP application would move to the county for a public hearing and a decision by the committee afterwards.

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