Barn bill would make it practical to hold social events in old barns
Rich Eggleston, Scott Becher and Gary Goyke testify in support of the barn bill in the Capitol in Madison
A delegation of three concerned citizens led by Gary Goyke testified at a hearing before the state assembly’s Committee of Housing and Real Estate to express their support for a bill that would simplify safety and fire regulations for old barns used to host social events such as wedding receptions and birthday parties. This bill not only benefits barn owners who could use their barns as a business, but preserves the iconic barns as part of the Wisconsin landscape that people enjoy.
Citizens for a scenic Wisconsin held a board of directors meeting in a rustic barroom adjacent to an iconic old barn in Platteville in November 2016, hosted by barn owner Curt Timlin. Curt recounted how he got into the business of renting his barn for social events. He started with hosting Badger Camp for kids and having a dance in the barn. Then he hosted his snow mobile club and went on to school proms and weddings. He can accommodate 300 people in the barn which was built in 1957 and has a pointed-arch roof. He has a liquor license.
State and local inspectors got involved after a snow mobile party in January. At first they wanted combustible materials removed, smoke detectors installed and a handicapped access ramp built, which Curt said he took steps to comply with. But then they asked for a sprinkler system, egress upgrade, and a structural study which Curt could not afford. Now he holds his events in a large tent on a concrete slab next to the barn and has built a shed to house a bar alongside the tent. The big barn is only in the background.
Curt contacted his state representative Travis Tranel who wrote a bill AB 947 that would allow historic barns to be used for social events if they met basic safety standards, with prohibitively expensive upgrades such as sprinkler systems not required. The bill did not pass in the last legislative session, ended in May.
Travis introduced himself as a dairy farmer and said he loves old barns, they give him feelings of nostalgia. He sees old-time barns going down and it affects him as the loss of our heritage. He believes that it possible to have reasonable regulations for barns used for social events so that they are safe. He said he will press for passage of a new bill in the 2017-2018 session.
That new bill is AB187. After the hearing, it looks likely that the bill will become law soon.
11 Jan 2018