Bed and breakfast receives go ahead with some modifications

Talk about it

Town of River Falls Zoning Administrator Jerome Rodewald, Town Board Chairperson Diana Smith, and business owner Deb Overbye met with Michelle Williams from the Pierce County Health Department to discuss Overbye’s request for a conditional use permit during a town of River Falls meeting Monday.

It was determined that because the location in question is the only residence owned by the Overbyes and it is the location at which they receive their mail, it qualifies as a bed and breakfast.

The Overbyes have the option of serving breakfast to guest but are not required to. However, they may not serve lunch or dinner to guests.

Williams agreed and the Overbyes were issued the permit for the bed and breakfast from both the town and the county.

The Overbyes had also proposed camping sites and two RV sites. These sites have not been inspected by the health department and the Overbyes would have to comply with three to four pages of rules to get approval for the camping and RV sites.

Because there are no provisions in the Ag residential zoning for an RV park and because the town has not issued a special use permit for those sites, the Overbyes agreed a permit could not be issued for camping or RV sites and withdrew their request.

The Overbyes will remove the camping information from their Web site. They may continue to use the brochures they already have printed, provided they strikeout the language about camping and RV sites.

The Overbyes do have the right to bring to the board the suggestion that camping sites and RV sites be allowed agricultural residential zoning if they so desire. The board would then take up the issue and make a decision.

It was noted that this should not affect any camping for Farm Progress Days as the county does allow for “incidental camping” for which the Farm Progress Days qualifies.

Resident Kyle Johnson, was present on behalf of the Have-A-Heart, Inc. to request a one-day liquor license for Saturday, Oct. 11. The license will allow for beer sales at a fundraiser featuring four local bands. The fundraiser will be held at the farm.

Have-A-Heart organizers are hoping for several hundred people to attend, but are aware that since this is the first year of this event, the turnout may be much less.

An admission fee will be collected at the gates where security will check of identification and issue wrist bands to those 21 and older.

The board approved the liquor license permit provided that Have-A-Heart, Inc. hires licensed bartenders, acquires liability insurance, hires security and notifies the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department of the event.

The town received a refund of $4,000 for voting equipment. It will be used to purchase new voting equipment in time for this fall’s elections. It is required by federal law that at least one voting station must be handicap accessible.

The board discussed what to do with the remaining two computer towers that were left from the voting equipment. The city has offered to purchase them. The exact same computer towers are selling on e-Bay for about $170.

It was decided that Town Clerk Ruth Stern should sell the computers for the best possible price. The money would then be put towards purchasing a new laptop for use by the interns, instead of making them purchase their own laptops.

Board members fielded communications from residents regarding: