August 14, 2018 – Town of West Bend, WI – A full house during Monday night’s Town of West Bend Board meeting.
There were a couple of hot-topics on the agenda. Town Chairman Jim Heipp asked to table action on the closing of boat ramps in the town. “We’ll put it on hold until further notice,” said Heipp.
Citing a lack of communication from the Department of Natural Resources and attorneys regarding public access Heipp called to table the action.
Heipp cited a couple statues from the DNR regarding public access and said he received a notice from the board’s attorney that the statutes weren’t clear to them either.
“We’re going to put our decision on closing the ramps on hold until we get further information from the DNR,” he said.
Town Supervisor Jeff Geib seconded the motion. Supervisor Frank Carr was the only dissenting vote.
“My reading of that DNR requirement has to do with permanent closings and not temporary closings,” said Carr. ”It seems quite clear to me in the regulation that is a permanent closing and not a temporary closing. So that’s why I’m voting against the tabling because I don’t believe it applies in this set of circumstances.”
Heipp said he wants to have further discussion and more facts before making a decision.
Other highlights from the meeting:
–Rental properties on Big Cedar Lake: Town of WB is zoned R-1 residential. Town will have to look at businesses being run and renting out their docks. Heipp said this was a zoning ordinance and a violation of town code. “We’re going to have to figure out how to enforce that because you people have way, way too many boats on that lake,” said Heipp. “And the boats aren’t people who are lake residents or people who are just coming in on Saturday and Sunday.”
-Fleet Farm access on County Hwy Z: Fleet Farm laid out designs with the West Bend Plan Commission last week regarding its new 190,000-square-foot store on Highway 33 and County Hwy Z. During the pitch to the city Fleet officials said they would only have access roads off Highway 33. During Monday night’s Town Board meeting Heipp said the city, state, and county are satisfied with that plan however the DOT wants an access road off County Hwy Z. That plan is still in discussion.
The Chairman was WRONG about the number of boats NOT belonging to the residents. There are 900 resident owners on Big Cedar Lake…. and most properties have MORE than 2 boats …… figure 1 pontoon…. one ski boat…. one fishing boat….. one boat for the kids….. one boat for the parents….. including Jet Skis and Kayaks ….. calculate 4-5 boats per resident and you come out with 3600 – 4500 boats JUST FROM THE RESIDENTS! The rental docks only add at most 40 – 50 boats so your ordinance directed at the businesses will do NOTHING to address the glut and irresponsibility of your residents. YOU are trying to regulate a residential problem by punishing the general public…… your TOWN BOARD… and the board of the Cedar Lake property owners need to stop blaming the public for a problem YOU have never addressed. Seems like a limitation of how many boats and piers a property owner can have should be where YOU are regulating. STOP BLAMING THE PUBLIC!
This is the first I’m hearing about any proposed boat ramp closures. I gather this is on Big Cedar, but not sure if this includes other lakes/ramps. Which ramps do they want to close and why. What exactly is being proposed? Where can i find out more info?
The ramp closures will take place when the parking stalls are full. Mind you there are 3 launches and only parking at ONE f them so HOW this is going to be done in a FAIR manner NO ONE KNOWS! I attended one of these meetings and the REAL problem is that the lake has 900 property owners and if each owners has 4 boat….. that’s 3600 boats on the lake! NOT counting the boats that come to the yacht club or that rent spots at the piers of the commercial places like Timmers…. Cedar Community…. and the Linden Inn. The “ordinance” that is proposed will affect the 35 boats allowed to use the public launch and will do NOTHING TO RESTRICT THE OTHER 3600+ BOATS That could use the lake without restrictions! I am POSITIVE NOW that the Cedar Lake property owners have LOST THEIR MINDS! The DNR is NOT RESPONDING because they have never heard of anything so ludicrous! I DO hope the boards who put this into place will BE SUED….. and ALL THE PROPERTY OWNERS OF BIG CEDAR LAKE WILL HAVE TO PAY THEIR “FAIR” SHARE OF THE LAW SUIT….. BESIDES REMOVING THE “CHAINING” RESTRICTION OF THE PUBLIC ACCESS!