Committee approves two accessory-structure CUPs placed across town roads to reduce lakefront impervious surface

The Sawyer County Zoning Committee approved two conditional use permits on June 11 allowing large accessory storage buildings to be sited across a public town road from the primary dwelling when that placement reduces impervious-surface impacts to the lake.

Jay (zoning staff) described CUP 25-040 (Charles and Mary Markham, Sand Lake) for a 40-by-40 (1,600-square-foot) storage building located about 490 feet from the ordinary high-water mark of Sissabaguma Lake. Jay said the placement across the town road would lessen impervious-surface impacts and would meet setback and lot-size requirements; the town board had approved the CUP and no objections were returned.

Charles and Mary Markham confirmed the building would be used mainly to store a recently purchased pontoon and other items and that locating the structure across the road preserves trees and reduces shoreline hardening on the lakeside lot.

For CUP 25-041 (Perry Nelson), Jay explained a 40-by-80 one-story storage shed could not fit on the lakeside portion due to setbacks and drain-field constraints; the proposed location would be approximately 486 feet from Nelson Lake’s ordinary high-water mark. Applicant Gary (Perry) Nelson told the committee he planned sidewalls of about 10–12 feet and that no loft or habitable area would be included.

Committee members moved to approve both CUPs with the staff-recommended conditions: no habitable area (beds, bedrooms, kitchens), no commercial operations within the accessory structure, size and one-story limitations, compliance with other laws and county land-use permitting. Roll-call votes recorded approval for both items.

Staff noted these approvals do not allow habitable use on the accessory buildings; rezoning and lot-splitting would be required to create a separate habitable parcel.