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I Dane County Planning and Development Department o ( ,41114 Room 116,City-County Building,Madison,Wisconsin 53703 1- Fax (608)267-1540 Planning /� 51 (608)266-4251,Rm.116 December 22, 2014 Records&Support (608)266-4251,Rm. 116 Steve Johnson 413 Allen St Zoning Cambridge, WI 53523 (608)266-4266,Rm.116 (delivered via email) Dear Steve, Attached is a density study you requested for property owned by Robert Johnson family in section 1 of the town of Christiana. The property is located in the town's Agricultural Preservation area, where the density of non-farm residential development is limited to 1 lot (a/k/a "split") per 35 acres of land owned as of May 3, 1979. The property was formerly owned by Fred and Dona Merg and totaled approximately 150 gross acres as of 5/3/79. However, since 1979 roughly half of the Merg farm has been annexed into the village of Cambridge. As specified in the town plan, only the acreage remaining in the town is to be considered when calculating the original farm size and eligible splits. Approximately 70 acres of the original farm remains in the town. As indicated on the attached density study, it appears one (1) possible split remains available to the property. One prior split was taken, as follows: • Lot 4 of CSM #11614 (Levake property). Note that CSM #11614 expanded the size of the original Levake parcel from 2 to 4.43 acres. The original 2 acre Levake lot was created from the original Johnson farm under CSM 10979 in February 2004. The expansion in CSM #11614 extended into the Merg farm, and appears to trigger the town's policy on counting commercial rezones as a split. The town plan includes the following policy regarding splits for commercial development: "CSM lots (land divisions) for commercial uses created after the date of adoption of this plan amendment [1/14/2003] shall count against the density policy. (Zoning lots, not separate parcels, created for commercial uses shall not count against the density policy. Note that all residential lots and dwellings created after 5/3/79 count against the density policy.)" Please note that this density analysis does not guarantee or preclude town or county approval of a particular land division, rezone, or development proposal. The Town of Christiana reviews all applications to rezone property, and apply interpretations, standards and criteria as set forth in their respective comprehensive plans to guide their decisions. Such standards include considerations for soil type, environmental features, site characteristics, compatibility with neighboring uses, proposed location of driveways and utility extensions, and proposed lot size and location. In addition, all rezones are subject to county Zoning Committee, Board, and Executive approval. A copy of this density study is being provided to the town of Christiana for their records. If you have any questions about this density analysis, please contact me by email at allan@countyofdane.com, or by phone at 267-2536.