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Ntr.„, 6>c „114 rlor 314 Kent Lane, #202 JAN 2 51994 Madison, WI 53713 January 24, 1993 DANE COUNTY LAND REG. ?REC(RD Lyman Anderson, Chair Zoning and Natural Resources Committee Room 116, City-County Bldg. Madison, WI 53709 Subject: Zoning Petition #5829 - To remove 1.8 acres from Wetland Overlay District Dear Zoning and Natural Resources Committee: I regret that my wife and I were unable to attend the January 11 hearing on this matter as our newborn son had heart surgery. Peggy (my wife) and I own the adjoining property zoned RH-2. I would like to take this opportunity to offer some points of concern that may help the committee in the decision-making process. Our primary two concerns are: 1) The negative impacts of the driveway-bed on the function of this wetland ecosystem; and 2) The practicality of constructing a driveway through a wetland. The area identified is indeed a wetland, meets all of the operational definitions of a wetland, even though it has been "unsuccessfully ditched. This wetland is part of a flood-plain complex of the Koshkonong Creek Watershed and is a valuable ecosystem. This wetland serves to reduce agricultural run-off from heavy rains, traps nutrients, supports unique plant and animal species, and stabilizes base-flows of the Koshkonong Creek during late-summer, low-flow periods. The water quality of the Koshkonong Creek is directly affected by its adjoining wetland or the lack there of. This wetland is supported by soils classified by the U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service as very poorly/poorly drained and is supported by wetland vegetation. The soils in the proposed area are classified as Houghton Muck and Hayfield silt loam. These soil types appear typical of wet meadow wetlands and are hydric. For example Peggy and I planted 2' Tamarack seedings on the edge of the wetland this past summer. The Tamarack's (a typical wetland species) all died during the wet month of June because the whole trees were completely underwater (water levels were just below my waistline)! Admittedly, 1993 was a wet summer, but in August of 1992 the wetland soils were also saturated (walking through it in August was like walking on a sponge). This wetland was impaired when the previous owner constructed ditches(I suspect it was ditched for the purpose of three consecutive agricultural seasons of till so it could be enrolled in CRP for $$). The wetland has not been tiled, and future restoration is still possible. Construction of drive-way beds through the wetland I believe will sacrifice any possibilities for future restoration.