Zoning committee approves multiple conditional use permits for shipping containers and accessory structures

The Sawyer County Zoning Committee on Feb. 18 approved a series of conditional use permits (CUPs) that allow shipping containers to remain as storage and granted at least one accessory‑structure CUP, each with staff‑recommended conditions.

Conditional Use Permit 26‑003 (Town of Edgewater, owner Raymond Vanway) was approved to allow two shipping containers on a 40‑acre parcel for storage, subject to standard conditions in the staff report: no habitable areas within containers, no commercial operations inside containers, compliance with setbacks and requirement to obtain a Sawyer County land‑use permit. The Town of Edgewater had recommended approval.

CUP 26‑004 (owners Daniel and Jamie Kokesh/Kokish) to allow a 30‑by‑24‑foot garage on vacant land prior to construction of a primary dwelling was approved with conditions requiring a land‑use permit and time limits for building the principal structure.

CUPs 26‑005 and 26‑006 (Carl and Maria Frederick) were approved for placement of three shipping containers on agricultural/forestry parcels. Staff noted only one container was visible from the road on one parcel and that an order‑for‑correction deadline applied to an on‑site semi‑trailer; staff said the department would work with applicants on compliance timeframes before pursuing citations.

Earlier in the meeting the committee approved CUP 25‑052 (Anton and Debbie Fent) to allow an accessory structure across a town road from the primary dwelling, with planning conditions including a deed restriction so parcels could not be sold separately and a limit that the structure not exceed 1,200 square feet and 18 feet in height unless the Board of Appeals grants a variance.

For each case staff reiterated that a land‑use permit must be obtained after committee approval and that the CUP runs with the property. Where enforcement or cleanup deadlines were set (for example, the removal of a semi‑trailer), staff said they would consider reasonable extensions where applicants actively work toward compliance but could pursue citations if compliance did not occur.

The committee’s votes were taken by roll call for each CUP, and staff noted towns had participated in the recommendation process for several of the cases.