Panel backs rezoning for Hwy. 33 resort

The Town of Saukville Plan Commission recommended on Tuesday that a retreat property be rezoned from agriculture to business to allow it to operate as a bed-and-breakfast inn and venue for large events such as weddings.

Several neighbors to the 17-acre Abloom Farm Resort on Highway 33 at Birchwood Road who attended a public hearing Tuesday said they are concerned about traffic at that location but were generally supportive of owner Dale Stenbroten’s effort to operate his business.

Residents and commission members suggested some of their concerns could be addressed by placing signs on Highway 33 and using Birchwood Road as the property’s main entrance.

Some neighbors also were concerned about noise generated by large events, but Stenbroten said he would use decibel meters to control public-address systems and would shut music off an hour earlier than required by town ordinances.

“We’ll do whatever we can to control that,” he said.

The town and Stenbroten have been working to resolve a dispute that arose last fall when Stenbroten sought to expand his business, which he was operating without licenses or permits. 

The site is currently zoned for agricultural uses, which permits bed-and-breakfast inns but with restrictions too stringent for a business to operate. For instance, it would only allow the inn to rent two rooms.

“It would put us out of business,” Stenbroten said of the current zoning.

The new zoning will allow the retreat to have up to eight rooms.

While the bed-and-breakfast inn is a permitted use in the business zone, the barn that Stenbroten rents out for weddings and other larger events requires a conditional-use permit that he will have to apply for separately.

The commission’s recommendation is expected to be voted on next week by the Town Board.