ELLSWORTH – For those living in the extraterritorial zoning area in the towns of Trimbelle or Ellsworth, an amendment has been made to the zoning ordinance regarding the sizes of unattached garages and sheds that residents are allowed to have.

According to UW-Madison Extension, villages have a 1.5-mile extent of zoning control outside their corporate boundaries if the proper cooperative steps with the adjoining township are fulfilled. This allows the village to exercise land use control over new development that could be considered incompatible with the village’s future growth.

Some township residents wanting to build unattached garages or sheds in the ETZ have been denied permits by the village’s plan commission because of the zoning ordinance’s allowed garage sizes.

After a Joint ETZ meeting, representatives from the village plan commission and towns of Trimbelle and Ellsworth voted unanimously to amend the ordinance regarding unattached garages in the ETZ.

“This will allow people in the ETZ to build larger sheds,” Village Administrator Clerk/Treasurer Brad Roy said.

In the village and on lots 1.5 acres or less in the ETZ, unattached garages are permitted up to 864 square feet. Following a tiered system, the following sizes are now allowed:

• On lots 1.51 to 3 acres, unattached garages will be limited to no more than 1,600 square feet with side walls no higher than 16 feet.
• On lots 3.01 to 5 acres, unattached garages will be limited to no more than 2,500 square feet with side walls no higher than 16 feet.
• On lots greater than 5 acres, unattached garages shall have no size limitation.

Trustee Andrew Borner was fully supportive of the amendment.

“We’ve been having two separate people who have postponed their shed building for this very reason, so it’s good we finally came to a conclusion,” Borner said.

The amendment passed unanimously.

Other business

The board approved the following applications for street use permits:

• Ellsworth Fire Association parade, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 13 on Chestnut, West Woodworth and Grant streets.
• Ellsworth Farmer’s Market, Thursdays June 1 through Sept. 28, North Crosscut Avenue from Wall Street to Highway 10, for vendors and food trucks.
• American Legion Post 204 Memorial Day parade, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 29. The parade will follow Oak, Main, Chestnut and Hillcrest streets.

The board approved the following licenses and permits:

• Temporary Class B/Class B Retailer’s License for the Pierce County Fair wine and beer judging, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Aug. 10, located in the Home Economics Building at 364 N. Maple St.
• Temporary Class B/Class B Retailer’s License for the Pierce County Fair Grandstand seating area and Beer Garden noon to 10 p.m. Aug. 10, and noon to 11 p.m. Aug. 11 and 12, and noon to 4 p.m. Aug. 13.
• Temporary Class B/Class B Retailer’s License for the pre-fair Chris Kroeze concert, 5 p.m. to midnight July 28 at the Pierce County Fairgrounds.
• Temporary Class B Premise extension permit for Just Ka’s at 325 W. Main St., 5 p.m. Friday, June 9 through 5 p.m. Sunday, June 11. 

The board accepted the resignation of Katy Melstrom from the Community Development Authority. Melstrom moved out of the village limits. Dale Hines and Kaydi Sobottka were appointed to fill the two open CDA spots.