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Lakes Groups Organizing To Fight Shoreland Zoning Changes

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The leader of a state lakes group says opposition is mounting to a change in Wisconsin's shoreland zoning rules.

The budget signed by Gov. Walker eliminated county control of shoreland zoning, instead reverting to less restrictive state rules. This produced blowback from the Vilas and Oneida county boards who voted by wide margins to oppose the changes, fearing more development and lower water quality.

Recently the Plum Lake Association in Vilas County said they were working toward revoking the change.

Michael Engleson is Executive Director of Wisconsin Lakes, an umbrella group working to protect state waters. He says opposition to the change will likely greet legislators...

"....as the legislators went off to their home districts, now that things are ramping up in (Madison) again, there's a little more motion about trying to get some or hopefully all of those provisions repealed...."

He says groups in areas with highly developed shorelines in southern Wisconsin are also opposed....

"....the Rock Lake Improvement Association in Lake Mills passed a resolution a couple of weeks ago to the shoreland based on a property rights idea that taking away local control was taking away the ability to control their own property...."

Engleson says lakes groups from all over Wisconsin, including heavily developed southern lakes, are also opposed to the changes. State Senator Tom Tiffany said the effort was to provide greater uniformity to the rules and to preserve private property rights.

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