Dane County  
Minutes - Final Unless Amended by  
Committee  
Board of Adjustment  
Consider:  
Who benefits? Who is burdened?  
Who does not have a voice at the table?  
How can policymakers mitigate unintended consequences?  
Thursday, April 24, 2025  
6:30 PM  
Hybrid Meeting: Attend in person at the City  
County Building, Room 354.  
A. Call To Order  
Chair Long called the meeting to order at 6:30pm and introduced the members of the  
Board.  
Also present: Staff: Assistant Zoning Administrator Hans Hilbert.  
4 -  
Present  
Secretary SUE STUDZ, ALEXANDER ELKINS, GEORGE CORRIGAN, and AL  
LONG  
B. Public Comment for any Item not listed on the Agenda  
No public comments were made.  
C. Consideration of Minutes  
Minutes of the March 27, 2025 Public Hearing  
Board of Adjustment  
1. 2025  
MIN-015  
Sponsors:  
Attachments: 03-27-2025 PH Minutes  
STUDZ to approve the minutes. Motion carried.  
4 - STUDZ, ELKINS, CORRIGAN and LONG  
Ayes:  
Minutes of the April 10, 2025 Site Inspection Meeting  
2. 2025  
MIN-016  
Attachments: 04-10-2025 SI Minutes  
STUDZ to approve the minutes. Motion carried.  
3 - STUDZ, CORRIGAN and LONG  
1 - ELKINS  
Ayes:  
Abstain:  
D. Public Hearing for Appeals  
1. 2024  
BOA-008  
Appeal 3734. Variance appeal by Chad Wiese for a variance from the minimum  
required front yard setback as provided by Section 10.102(9)2.b. Dane County  
Code of Ordinances, to permit proposed detached residential garage 2272 County  
Highway AB, being Lot 14 Washington Park, Section 23, Town of Dunn.  
Board of Adjustment  
Sponsors:  
Attachments: Appeal 3734 Staff Report  
Minutes of VAR3017  
Town Board Meeting - April 15 2025 - Minutes  
Kami Export - Dane-County-Variance-Application (2)  
Wiese - 2272 County Highway AB - Board of Adjustment Pre-App  
Letter  
24-1251_Civil Design-Site Plan_2025  
Proposed Garage 2272 Cty Hwy AB  
VARIANCES REQUESTED: Purpose: Construction detached residential garage  
Setback from Road Variance:  
Minimum setback from right-of-way required: 42 feet.  
Proposed Setback: From front lot line: 22 feet.  
VARIANCE NEEDED: 20 feet.  
Assistant Zoning Administrator (AZA) Hilbert presented a staff report reporting facts of  
the case.  
IN FAVOR: Chad Wiese, owner, spoke in favor of the variance request and answered  
questions of the Board.  
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR’S COMMENTS: Hilbert relayed that the Zoning  
Administrator had no comments.  
OPPOSED: [None. The Chair stated no rebuttal was needed.]  
Facts of the Case:  
Existing:  
•
Property contains an existing single family residence and small storage shed.  
Proposed  
•
Owners propose to remove small storage shed and construct a detached residential  
garage partially within the required front setback of the property.  
Zoning Notes:  
•
The required setback to buildings from a county highway is 42 feet from the  
right-of-way line.  
•
The property is subject to shoreland zoning regulations as it is entirely within 300 feet  
of Lake Kegonsa.  
•
Variance 2318 granted in 1992 for adjacent property to the south to construct a  
detached garage 2 feet from ROW line of CTH AB  
•
Variance 3028 granted in 1999 for adjacent property to the north to construct an  
attached garage 32 feet from ROW line of CTH AB.  
Numerous other variances exist within the immediate area due to proximity to County  
•
Highway, Lake Kegonsa, and changes in natural topography.  
History  
•
1998, permit DCPZP-1998-02463 issued for addition of screen porch over a wood  
1999, variance 3017 to allow greater than 50% improvement to non-conforming  
deck  
•
structure (related to 1998 zoning permit)  
2021, permits DCPSHL-2021-00053 & DCPZP-2021-00245 issued for replacement of  
deck and steps  
•
•
Violation History: None.  
COMMUNICATIONS:  
Town of Dunn: 3/3/2025 acknowledgement; 4/15/25 Board recommendation of approval.  
Dane County Highway Department: No concerns, as location of access to County  
Highway will not change.  
Conclusions:  
1) Unnecessary Hardship: It would be unreasonable burdensome to not afford the  
property owner use of the property in ways afforded to neighboring properties who have  
previously been provided even greater relief from the ordinance due to unique property  
limitations.  
2) Unique Limitations of the Property: The steep topography, and sandwiching between  
a County Highway and Lake Kegonsa hamper development and creates difficulty in  
mitigating stormwater runoff.  
3) No Harm to Public Interests: Adjacent development exists closer to the highway  
right-of-way than is being proposed. Neither the Town nor County Highway Department  
raised any concerns with the proposed location.  
STUDZ to grant variance of 20 feet from minimum required setback to a County  
Highway. Motion carried.  
4 - STUDZ, ELKINS, CORRIGAN and LONG  
Ayes:  
2. 2024  
BOA-009  
Appeal 3735. Variance appeal by Lake Land Builders (Chad Strutzel, Agent) for a  
variance from the minimum required side yard, and maximum height and area of a  
boathouse as provided by Sections 10.251(5)(b)2.b. and 11.03(2)(c)1., Dane  
County Code of Ordinances, to permit reconstruction of boathouse at 3228 Aalseth  
Ln, being Lot 2 Camp Dewey, Section 25, Town of Dunn.  
Board of Adjustment  
Sponsors:  
Attachments: Appeal 3735 Staff Report  
Town Board Meeting - April 15 2025 - Minutes  
Dane-County-Variance-Application  
Town of Dunn Preapplication Variance Letter  
Boathouse plans  
Prelim GECP 12-16-24  
3735 Written public comments_consolidated  
VARIANCES REQUESTED: Purpose: Construction of boathouse  
Setback from side yard:  
Minimum setback from right-of-way required: 2.5 feet.  
Proposed Setback: From front lot line: 0 feet.  
VARIANCE NEEDED: 2.5 feet.  
Maximum height of a boathouse:  
Maximum height allowed: 12 feet.  
Proposed height: From OHWM: 13.8 feet.  
VARIANCE NEEDED: 1.8 feet.  
Maximum area of a boathouse:  
Maximum area allowed: 450 square feet.  
Proposed area: 580 feet.  
VARIANCE NEEDED: 130 feet.  
Access and Viewing Corridor Width:  
Maximum corridor width: 19.278 feet.  
Proposed width: 24 feet.  
VARIANCE NEEDED: 4.722 feet.  
Assistant Zoning Administrator (AZA) Hilbert presented a staff report reporting facts of  
the case.  
IN FAVOR: Chad Strutzel, Lakeland Builders, owner, spoke in favor of the variance  
request and answered questions of the Board.  
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR’S COMMENTS: Hilbert relayed that the Zoning  
Administrator had no comments.  
OPPOSED: [None. The Chair stated no rebuttal was needed.]  
Facts of the Case:  
Existing:  
•
Owner has obtained a shoreland zoning permit to remove and replace the residence  
on the property.  
Proposed  
•
Owners propose to construct a boathouse in the same size and location of a  
previous boathouse. The proposed size and height exceed the limits of the ordinance.  
Zoning Notes:  
•
Boathouse is defined as a permanent structure used for the storage of watercraft and  
associated materials and includes all structures which are totally enclosed, have roofs or  
walls or any combination of these structural parts.  
•
A boathouse is an exempt structure if it is:  
o
o
o
o
•
Located entirely above the ordinary high water mark  
Entirely within the access and viewing corridor  
Does not contain plumbing  
Is not used for human habitation.  
An exempt structure is exempt from shoreland setback regulation.  
Boathouses shall:  
•
o
o
o
•
Have a footprint no greater than 450 square feet.  
Not exceed a height of 12 feet measured from the ordinary high water mark.  
Be located entirely within the access and viewing corridor.  
Accessory structures on lots less than 60 feet in width shall be setback at least 2.5  
ft from side and rear property lines.  
History  
•
•
2019: Permit DCPSHL-2019-00052 issued to repair existing retaining wall  
2025: Permit DCPSHL-2025-00008 issued for the removal and replacement of a  
residence  
•
Violation History: None.  
COMMUNICATIONS:  
Town of Dunn: 3/10/2025 acknowledgement; 4/15/25 Board recommendation of approval.  
Conclusions:  
1) Unnecessary Hardship: Strict compliance with the ordinance would cause unneccary  
disturbance of the shoreline and would likely result in additional variances being  
requested simply to stabilize the site due to removing the remains of a legal  
non-conforming structure. It is reasonable to allow a property owner the ability to replace  
a structure within an existing footprint.  
2) Unique Limitations of the Property: The previous boathouse was constructed on the  
side property line. The remaining portions of the foundation act as retaining walls to the  
benefit of both property owners.  
3) No Harm to Public Interests: Granting of the variance will not result in any change  
impacting the public compared to what has previously existed for many years.  
CORRIGAN to grant, in part, the requested variance including 2.5 feet of side yard  
relief, 130 square feet maximum size of a boathouse relief, and 4.722 feet of  
maximum width of the access and viewing corridor relief. No relief was granted  
to the maximum height of a boathouse. Motion carried.  
4 - STUDZ, ELKINS, CORRIGAN and LONG  
Ayes:  
E. Appeals from Previous Meetings  
Written decision of Appeal 3727. Administrative appeal by Maier Farms Real  
Estate LLC.  
1. 2025  
ACT-002  
Board of Adjustment  
Sponsors:  
CORRIGAN to approve the written decision of appeal 3727, as amended. Motion  
carried.  
4 - STUDZ, ELKINS, CORRIGAN and LONG  
Ayes:  
F. Reports to Commitee  
Hilbert informed the Board that May meetings would not be necessary, but they would  
have business before them in June. The June agenda will also include an opportunity to  
review and suggest changes to the rules and procedures of the Board.  
G. Other Business Authorized by Law  
H. Adjournment  
STUDZ to adjourn. The Board adjourned by voice vote at 8:27 pm.