After a public hearing, the Vilas County zoning committee recommended approval, in a split vote, to
rezone a parcel on Big Portage Lake in Land O' Lakes from single family residential to residential lodging that would allow less than 30 days rental over the objections of the Land O ' Lakes town board, town
planning committee, and lake association.
A petition to rezone was submitted by Lance Hampel who expanded a dwelling making it
capable of housing up to 20 persons at a time. Big Lake is 639 acres with 107 parcels with the lake
association concerned about adding use intensity and setting a precedence resulting in more lake
property owners to seek rezoning.
Zoning committee member Kim Simac felt the lake association was hampering what people wanted to do with their property and member Jerry Burkett wanted a delay to look at any plat restrictions. His motion to delay lost 4-1.
Committee member Chuck Hayes moved to deny the petition; that lost due to no second. Committee
member Steve Doyan moved to approve the petition. Voting to approve was Doyan and Simac, voting
to deny were Burkett and Hayes, chairman Jay Verhulst voted for approval, and motion
carried 3-2.
The zoning committee will act on a resolution July 18 to forward the recommendation to rezone to the
full county board for approval.
