Dec. 31—SOLON SPRINGS — The Douglas County Forest, Parks and Recreation Committee discussed the issue of private signs placed on forest land in the county during its meeting Monday, Dec. 30.
The committee also recommended new fees for Wi-Fi access at county campgrounds, but stopped short of adding a boat launch fee.
The commission denied a request from the owners of Cranberry Lake Resort & Campground to place a sign on provincial forest land along County Highway T in the town of Wascott.
Katie Fleming and Jason Saver applied for a land use permit from the Douglas County Planning and Zoning Division to install the sign, as required by a
provincial sign and structure ordinance that was revised in 2022
. They were told to contact the Ministry of Forests because the site was on provincial forest land.
Private signs are not permitted on forest land in the county under Douglas County’s 2021-2035 Comprehensive Land Use Plan. That plan would have to be changed, requiring approval from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, according to a legal decision from Douglas County Corporation Counsel Carolyn Pierce. She said in her letter to the commission that it seems unlikely the state would find this use consistent with the purposes of forest land in the county.
The request led to an investigation of other boards in the area and opened what Director of Forestry and Resources Jon Harris called a “Pandora’s box.”
“There are some existing signs on provincial forest land of a similar size that have been there for a long, long time,” Harris said, and they violate the provincial ordinance.
“Obviously we have to treat everyone fairly and now we have to go out and try to figure out what we’re going to do with the signs that are illegally placed there,” said Committee and County Board Chairman Mark Liebaert.
Committee member Nick Baker, who represents the 5th District, asked if the county could provide small, uniform signs for area businesses as an option. Liebaert said they could explore the issue at a future meeting, and suggested that an action item directing the forest department to remove the illegally posted signs could be on the committee’s agenda.
Harris said business owners with questions about whether their sign was placed legally should contact the
Douglas County Planning, Zoning and Land Information Bureau
at 715-395-1380.
The decision to introduce charges for Wi-Fi access comes as camping is becoming increasingly popular. According to Harris, revenues reached a record high in 2024 at all three Douglas County campgrounds – Lucius Woods, Gordon Dam and Mooney Dam – for a total of nearly $119,000. The campgrounds also sold a record number of camping permits, based on estimates: 2,522 for Lucius Woods, 2,079 for Gordon Dam and 684 for Mooney Dam.
The commission approved a $3 per day or $10 per week fee for unlimited Wi-Fi access at county campgrounds. Payments are processed online via PayPal.
“We now have WiFi in Gordon Dam and Mooney Dam and we are going to install it in Lucius Woods this coming summer,” Harris said.
An overnight parking permit fee of $5 per night is charged for people who leave their vehicle parked for days while kayaking or canoeing.
A boat launch fee of $5 per day or $20 per year at all boat launches in the county was removed from the proposed rate changes.
“We’ve never had one. We’re one of the few counties that don’t have one anymore,” Harris said.
The city of Superior charges a daily boat launch fee of $5 and an annual boat launch permit costs $20 to $30.
Commission member Steve Long, who represents the 19th District, said he would like to see a few years of education lead to a county rate, rather than blindside boat launch users.
The proposed Wi-Fi and overnight parking rates will go before the Jan. 2 Administrative Committee meeting for approval before being presented to the full Douglas County Board on Jan. 16.