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A Brice Prairie home scorched by fire last fall is now the scourge of a neighborhood with a foundation sitting in weeds and an absentee owner who won’t pay for its demolition and cleanup. On Monday night, the Onalaska Town Board began taking steps to initiate the cleanup and add the cost to the 2009 property taxes of owner Cory Cudnoski.

According to Town Chairman Stan Hauser, Cudnoski’s home at W7890 Maple Drive — adjacent to the Oak Grove Family Learning Center — burned last fall. Cudnoski initiated cleanup from the fire, but today the property remains in disarray with a heat-damaged foundation standing in tall weeds near a Dumpster, a mattress, 55 gallon drums and other debris.

“To live next to that is horrible,” board member Howard Kelly said Monday, adding that he had received half a dozen phone calls about the state of the property. “It’s not fair to the people that live near there.”

A Dumpster also sits on the site, but according to Town Administrator Tim Dienger, the waste removal company refuses to haul it away until it gets paid for another dumpster it had previously removed from Cudnoski’s property. Dienger added the height of the weeds and grasses exceeds the six inches allowed by town ordinance, and he is afraid the property would harbor rodents and other vermin.

“My understanding is (Cudnoski) has moved out of state and is not responding to telephone calls or letters,” Dienger said.

The town board voted unanimously to move forward on cleaning up Cudnoski’s property. The owner would have 30 days notice to begin finishing the demolition effort. After that, the town would pay to haul away the Dumpster and clean up the refuse and bill the costs to Cudnoski’s 2009 property tax bill.

Marvin Gardens

Also Monday, Dave Harter received the first go-ahead for developing 10 acres of land at W5726 Koss Road in the Marvin Gardens subdivision. The land had previously been classified as conservation/residential but the board voted unanimously to rezone it as residential A, opening the way for housing development.

The classification change had already been approved by the county zoning board, but a platting request will still have to be granted by the county and town before Harter can build any homes on the property.

Harter told the board Monday he hoped to construct 10 lots on the 10-acre property, which would seemingly be in violation a subdivision ordinance limiting lots to at least 1.5 acres but could go ahead as a “cluster development” if Harter includes enough “green space.”

“This is probably the first subdivision that’s coming in under the (town’s) comprehensive plan, basically… and this is kind of going to set a precedent for further development,” said Harter, who added he would bring at least at least two different proposals for development before the board.

“We appreciate your optimism and for sticking your money out here in the township of Onalaska,” said board member Joe Schaller.

Other business

The board scheduled an official town meeting for 5:30 p.m. July 28 at the Onalaska Town Hall. During the meeting, town residents will vote to authorize road repair work in 2008 as well as determine if the town could buy or sell four parcels of property.

Dienger will likely not be in attendance at that town meeting as he received unanimous approval to attend the Wisconsin Municipal Administration Academy in Green Bay July 27-31 at a cost to the town of $495, plus travel expenses.

The board voted unanimously to raise the cost of obtaining a bartending license in the town from $5 annually to $15 annually or $25 for two years.

In the first vote of the meeting, the board passed a resolution honoring the memory and contributions of Steve Hammes, former town chairman and current plan commission member, who passed away June 1 at age 53.

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