City Hall  
City of La Crosse, Wisconsin  
400 La Crosse Street  
La Crosse, WI 54601  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Board of Zoning Appeals  
Tuesday, January 17, 2023  
4:00 PM  
Council Chambers  
City Hall, First Floor  
Call to Order, Roll Call  
Cherf called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m., explained the meeting procedure, and  
called the roll.  
4 - Douglas Farmer, James Cherf, Jim Webb,Ryan Haug  
Present:  
1 - Anastasia Gentry  
Excused:  
Absent:  
1 - Olena Bilous  
Variance Appeal:  
Cherf opened the public hearing.  
An appeal regarding the requirement to provide a lot area of 7,200 square feet  
at a property known as 1027 Hayes St., La Crosse, Wisconsin.  
2664  
Cherf, Farmer, and Webb confirmed that they could make an impartial decision on the  
appeal before them, acknowledging that the appellant, Delores Spies, had served on  
the board with them.  
Mike Suntken, 400 La Crosse Street, representing the Community Risk Management,  
was sworn in to speak. Suntken presented slides for the Board. He reviewed the  
requirements for granting a variance: unnecessary hardship, hardship due to unique  
property limitations, and no harm to public interests. Suntken stated that the owner  
applied to divide the current parcel into three separate parcels. Municipal Code Section  
115-142(c)(2) R-1 Single Family Regulations state that every lot in the single family  
residence district of record before August 27, 1938 may have an area of less than  
5,000 square feet. Every lot in the single family residence district of record between  
August 27, 1938 and September 15, 1966, shall have an area of not less than 5,000  
square feet. Every lot in the single family residence district not of record on September  
15, 19665 shall have an area of not less than 7,200 square feet.  
Webb asked when the original lots were combined since on the plat it showed it as  
three separate lots. Suntken responded that the original plat was dated 1887, but the  
lots are not specifically noted. Cherf stated that the plat map is in the packet.  
Speaking in Favor:  
Delores Spies, 2011 Liberty Street, was sworn in to speak. Spies stated that they  
bought the property between 18 and 20 years ago and it is three separate addresses  
on the one parcel with one tax bill. Spies stated that the sewer and water service is  
routed through 1027 Hayes and if there is a problem it affects the other two houses.  
She added that they felt that it was time to divide into three lots which would allow for  
each property to have their own water and sewer, and tax bills.  
Speak in Opposition: None.  
A motion was made by Farmer, seconded by Webb, to grant the three  
variances requested (1,060 square feet for Lot 1, 3,223 square feet for Lot 2, and  
3,380 square feet for Lot 3) for the reasons given by Farmer below.  
The unique property limitation was created in years previous when the original  
lots were combined and then the three buildings were constructed. Approval of  
the appeal will create three residences more likely to be affordable housing,  
each with street frontage, street numbers reflecting the immediate  
neighborhood of smaller lots. Failure to approve the appeal will result in likely  
limiting the utility of the property.  
The motion carried by the following vote:  
4 - Farmer, Cherf, Webb,Haug  
1 - Gentry  
Yes:  
Excused:  
Absent:  
1 - Bilous  
Other Business  
Annual Review of Code of Ethics and certification by Chair.  
Chair Cherf confirmed that the board members reviewed and understood the Code of  
Ethics.  
Adjournment  
Meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m.