If you have been paying attention, Americans way of “doing” vacation is changing. While some of us are still heading to the cabin or to our favorite resort for our get-aways, more and more of us are staying in an Airbnb/VRBO for our time away. We rent out someone's home and stay there for a weekend or a week enjoying all the amenities that they offer as well as all the privacy, too.
This past December, after several months of deliberation and public hearing, the City Council of Chetek adopted Ordinance 787A which sets the rules of operation of a home whose owner wants to rent out to guests on a short-term basis. Within the document are rules that govern things such as parking for their guests, the limit to how many overnight guests may be housed, the requirement of either the owner or their designated property manager to be within 30 minutes of the property while being rented out, plans to handle refuse, noise and other such matters.
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| Here's one within our city limits |
Prior to the adoption of this ordinance, a homeowner would approach the Plan Commission (PC) to apply for a Conditional Use permit for the same such purposes. This involved a public hearing at which the applicant would appear before the PC and make their request. At the same time commissioners could hear concerns their neighbors may have about the permit being allowed. A year or so ago for a period of time the PC was handling a new request nearly monthly (there are presently 10 licensed properties within the city limits). Given the fact that the State of Wisconsin will not allow us to limit how many short-term rental licenses we may issue, the council felt it was to time to craft an ordinance that would govern their operation. The goal was somehow to achieve a balance between a resident's desire to make extra income while at the same time maintaining the integrity of a neighborhood. Admittedly, that's probably a matter of perspective how successful we have been in doing so.
Our ordinance was based on a similar statute adopted by the City of Hudson. Hats off to Deputy Clerk Mark Eby and Fourth Ward Alderman Thea Hemple who worked closely with Building/Zoning Administrator Joe Atwood to craft a document that was approved 3-1 at the December 13, 2022 meeting.
License applications may be picked up at City Hall and must be approved by Building/Zoning Administrator Joe Atwood. At the present time, the license fee is $500 and is good for a period of one year from the date the license is issued.
Ordinance
788A: Detaching Territory from the City of Chetek
"Houston, we have a problem..."
This past April a local couple and their attorney approached the Common Council asking to detach property that they own from the city limits and attach it to the Town of Prairie Lake. Their reasoning was simple: when Highway 53 went in at its current location back in 1973 it essentially “detached” them from Chetek already. Prior to council approval, our guys would make the 7-mile round-trip once a week to pick up their garbage and be responsible to plow one half of the road (7th Ave) with the other half being the Town of Prairie Lake's responsibility. It makes fiscal sense on our part to approve detaching the property from the city and saves some wear and tear on our vehicles. What's more, it remains consistent with the decision we made a few years ago to detach an adjoining property that was also “cut off” by Highway 53. This ordinance was unanimously approved at the April 18, 2023 meeting.
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| It's a 7-mile round trip to get there and back again |
Ordinance
789A: aka “the Chicken Ordinance” (Amending Chapter 18, Section
1).
"With a cluck-cluck here and a
cluck-cluck there..."
Since elected mayor back in 2016, almost annually a resident of the city has come to a council meeting and requested us to reconsider our ban on having domestic chickens within the city limits to no affect. But when the cost of eggs spiked to $5/dozen earlier this year, the tipping point had been reached and with council approval Alderman Terry Hight began researching other municipalities who already have such an ordinance in place.
Among
our neighbors who already allow chickens are Barron,
Bloomer,
Cumberland, Ladysmith, Rice Lake and Eau Claire. Our ordinance was
modeled after theirs which include absolutely, positively NO
ROOSTERS, nor other fowl such as ducks, geese, turkeys, pheasants,
quail, peacock or (and especially) guinea hens. In other
words, this allows chickens and chickens only. In our case, a citizen
may house up to six chickens at their residence
provided their property is zoned R-1 (Single Family Residence) or A
(Agricultural District) (sorry, it's a no-go if you live in an R-2 or
higher property).
No means NO
An annual permit is required to house chickens at a cost of $25/year and governs things like the coop, the run or pen and the removal of manure as well as the need for the resident to register with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Deputy Clerk Mark Eby issued his first chicken license just last week. But if you're afraid that our city will be suddenly overrun with poultry, have no fear. Eau Claire, a city of nearly 70,000 people, has allowed chickens within the city limits for some time now and this year have only issued 14 licenses. I think we'll be okay. As the Chetek Alert put it, the city “clucked it's way” unanimously adopting Ordinance 789A at the May 9 meeting.
By the way, this isn't “chapter and verse” of the ordinances recently passed. It is a summary for the sake of review. Our on-line version of the Municipal Code is updated quarterly. At the present time only Ordinance 787A may be found at the City of Chetek's website under “View What's Changed."
Click on the green box for the actual verbiage
of the Municipal Code
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