This district is intended to preserve, protect, and enhance the lakes, ponds, streams, and wetland areas of the Town of West Bend. The preservation, protection, and enhancement of these areas will serve to maintain safe and healthful conditions; maintain and improve water quality, both ground and surface; prevent flood damage; control storm water runoff; protect stream banks from erosion; protect groundwater recharge and discharge areas; protect wildlife habitat; protect native plant communities; avoid the location of structures on soils which are generally not suitable for use; and protect the water-based recreation resources of the Town.
While the primary purpose of this district is the preservation of sensitive environmental features within the Town; it is also intended that landowner’s be allowed to continue their legal single-family residential uses and maintain, remodel, or rebuild their legal structures and lots within limits of their existing footprint and not greater than their existing height.
Significant rebuilding may only be allowed if it can be shown that the uses, structures and lots existed on or before April 1, 1986 and it is further determined that the residential uses and structures do not harm or threaten the health, safety, or general welfare of the public and do not otherwise cause damage to, infringe upon, or diminish the quality of the surrounding environmentally sensitive areas, features, or other physical attributes that contribute to the natural environmental qualities of the area.
The intention is to allow the maintenance and rebuilding of existing structures provided that such changes do not change the structures or developed yard areas in a manner that occupies an area other than the area occupied on or before April 1, 1986. All such principal and accessory uses are considered conditional uses in the C-1 District and all significant structural alterations, rebuilding or site work of these structures on requires the issuance of a conditional use permit.