Tom Taylor, who is on the commission. United Financial has been open to compromise, Dorsan said, even agreeing to move the offending building 54 feet to save part of the woodland. To address the problem, Kaniewski has begun providing the commission with copies of each new development application and a Natural Resources Protection Plan to the developers of each new project. In addition, Taylor has asked the Common Council to place an environmental commissioner on the Plan Commission, a proposal that has drawn fire from some aldermen and members of the Plan Commission as well. I fully agree we need to pay more attention to environmental issues.
Every development is different.
We have to be realistic and exercise some common sense. At issue in the Carstensen debate is the definition of a wetland, who has jurisdiction over them and whether all require protection. The problem, in part, is the loosely sewn patchwork of local, state and federal laws that contradict themselves and each other, creating loopholes large enough to drive a backhoe through. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources prohibits filling a wetland without a permit. But it has no jurisdiction in a dredging unless the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requires a permit.