Laserfiche WebLink
• <br /> • <br /> II. ANALYSIS <br /> A. Purpose of original restrictions <br /> There is no record of the Town of Roxbury's intent when it originally requested that the <br /> mobile home park be limited to seasonal use. Regional Planning Commission staff recall <br /> that this reflected the existing, nonconforming use in operation at the time of the original <br /> petition, and that the Town was concerned about snowplowing and winter access to the <br /> holding tanks serving the mobile homes. These would appear to still be legitimate <br /> concerns, as the approved condominium plat includes a number of substandard width <br /> roads. <br /> B. Environmental concerns <br /> The Dane County Parks and Open Space Plan includes the area surrounding Fish Lake as <br /> a Resource Protection Area, which would appear to be incompatible with year-round <br /> residential use. Fish Lake is a cold water fishery, and the Wisconsin Department of <br /> Natural Resources reportedly has some concerns about this proposal. As of this writing, <br /> we were unable to contact DNR Southern Region staff for their comments. <br /> In general, conversion from seasonal to permanent use can be expected to have the <br /> following environmental impacts: <br /> 1) Year-round occupancy will hasten removal of natural vegetation and will <br /> encourage the use of larger permanent structures, paved parking lots and streets and other <br /> impervious surfaces. This, in turn, is likely to lead to increased runoff, sediment and <br /> pollutant loading into Fish Lake. <br /> 2) The use of salt and sand on roads and driveways in the winter poses an additional <br /> runoff risk that could affect water quality. The condominium plat, as approved, includes <br /> no stormwater or runoff controls. <br /> 3) Larger,permanent structures are likely to have a greater visual impact when seen <br /> from the water or from the opposite shore,particularly when the leaves are off the trees. <br /> 4) Year-round occupancy may also encourage heavier boating or recreational use of <br /> the lake itself,resulting in potential impacts related to water quality,wave action, air and <br /> noise pollution and pier construction. <br />