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To: Members of the Dane County Planning Commission From: Dean and Susan Demarais 5686 Bellbrook Rd. Brooklyn, Wi. 53521 re: Zoning petition/CUP#1466 Dear Dane County Planning Commission member, On Nov. 24, a public forum was held to discuss the pros and cons of the for mentioned zoning change. Due to the holiday season, my wife, myself and many of my neighbors were unable to attend to voice our disapproval. This letter is to convey my objection towards zoning petition/CUP #1466. My objections are two fold; 1) The land in question is considered wetland. In this age of environmental consciousness, some consideration must be given to the protection and conservation of this ever shrinking conservancy. In the U.S. alone, 140,000 acres of wetlands are destroyed each year negatively affecting whole communities of flora as well as game and non-game birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, fish and plants. About one-third of all threatened and endangered species need wetlands for some part, if not all, of their life cycle. Also, of the more than 800 species of protected migratory birds, 50 % depend on or frequent wetlands. The congregation has already shown a lack of concern for this fragile environment by clear cutting much of the wooded core of this pristine area in the premature preparation for the building of a "retreat" that is akin to a motel/hotel or camp. By my estimates (the Congregation could never supply the actual dimensions) the size of the proposed retreat will be nearly FOUR TIMES the size of the house that is currently on the property and estimated to be about 2200 sq feet. If allowed, the construction of this monstrosity and the subsequent year-round use by the congregations members will have nothing but a disastrous affect on the surrounding environment. 2) Because the land is surrounded on three sides by DNR/Public hunting land I feel it is, at the least, unsafe and, at the most, negligent to allow this "retreat" to be built on said premises. I personally hunt the lands surrounding this property along with hundreds if not thousands of fellow outdoors persons and (contrary to what the Reformed Congregation of the Goddess would like us to believe) we can not just focus on deer/gun season. Spring turkey lasts for more than 1 1/2 mo. in April and May and is notorious for accidental shootings. Squirrel, Grouse, Rabbit(Cottontail), and Crow begin the fall season around mid- September and are soon joined by fall Turkey, Jackrabbit, Quail, Pheasant, Raccoon, Fox and of course Deer(both bow and gun). Many of the above seasons last through the remainder of the year with some lasting until the end of February! Snowshoe Hare and Coyote are also present in this area and have YEAR ROUND SEASONS! The combination of being in such close proximity to public hunting land and nearly SIX MONTHS of open hunting for most game and YEAR ROUND for others, I think it is only a matter of time before someone on that property would be seriously or even fatally wounded. The Re-formed Congregation of the Goddess continues to try to create a diversion to overshadow the above concerns by screaming religious persecution. Please don't let these false accusations blindly influence or even put the fear of a "witch