Statement of General Philosophy
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The LWSRB recognizes the 92.3 miles and 79,275 acres of lower Wisconsin River valley, known as the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, beginning below the dam at Prairie du Sac and extending to the confluence with the Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, is a place of remarkable scenic beauty. From the sparkling blue waters to the majestic bluffs, from the rich agricultural land to the heavily wooded bottomlands, from the sandbars to the backwater sloughs, the Riverway provides a variety of recreational opportunities to local residents and visitors alike.

The LWSRB further recognizes the pristine quality of the valley, protected for centuries by natural barriers to development and responsible stewardship of the land, was in danger of destruction from unplanned and uncontrolled development until the legislation creating the Riverway was enacted. The LWSRB endorses and approves the program to control land use and to ensure the scenic quality and aesthetic integrity of the valley remains undamaged.

The LWSRB is also committed to protection of the rights of landowners within the constraints of the Riverway law, many of whom have owned land in the valley for generations. The LWSRB will assist landowners in adapting to the new law and in accomplishing as many goals and objectives as possible within the constraints of the law. The LWSRB shall provide on-site technical assistance to landowners wishing to choose a location for a new structure, shall assist landowners in delineating the various zones for timber harvesting, shall offer advice and shall offer oral or written explanations of specific aspects of the law. The LWSRB shall assume a cooperative posture with all landowners or interested parties who assume a similar position.

The LWSRB shall be the administrators of a law designed to provide aesthetic protection of the lower Wisconsin River valley. The LWSRB shall seek to improve the law where it is flawed and shall seek to alter the project boundaries where necessary by recommending expansion of the boundaries where significant scenic values require protection and by recommending contraction of the boundaries where significant scenic values are absent. The success of the project is, and must remain, the sole top priority of the LWSRB.

 

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Last Modified:  1/19/2005 2:19:11 PM