Click the Owners Only button for access to the owner’s directory, board meeting notes and association legal documents.
General policies, guidelines and resources are linked below.
Frequently Asked Questions
We gathered some of the most frequent questions asked by owners. Click a topic to read related questions & answers.
Q: What do I need to do if I want to make a change to the exterior of my cottage or lake home?
A: All modifications outside of a cottage or lake home require approval by the Architectural Control Committee (ACC).
- Please read through the Architectural Guidelines found on our Owner Resources page and then contact Jeffery Garrett to begin the review process.
Q: Can I add an addition to my cottage or lake home?
A: The ACC determines approval for additions on a case by case basis. Criteria examined by the committee includes drainage patterns, impact to trees and vegetation, aesthetic, proposed materials, and architectural style.
- Please read through the Architectural Guidelines found on our Owner Resources page and then contact Jeffery Garrett to begin the ACC review process.
Q: Can I build a build a garage or shed?
A: The ACC determines approval for the addition of a garage or shed on a case by case basis. Not all cottage lots can accommodate an additional structure. Criteria examined by the committee includes drainage patterns, impact to trees and vegetation, aesthetic, proposed materials, and architectural style.
- Please read through the Architectural Guidelines found on our Owner Resources page and then contact Jeffery Garrett to begin the ACC review process.
Q: What can I recycle?
A: The recycling dumpster in BYC permits aluminum cans, steel (tin) cans, flattened cardboard boxes, magazines, newspaper, paper bags, empty dairy and juice cartons, “junk mail,” glass bottles, and plastic containers. Please place recycling directly in the dumpster or use a paper bag. Plastic bags are not allowed because they can become tangled in machinery. Do not include food waste, plastic bags, or polystyrene foam.
- Check out this printable Recycling Guide. This information is also available Under Sanitation & Recycling in Owner Resources.
Q: May I put construction debris or insulation in trash dumpster?
A: No, the trash dumpster in BYC is for common household trash. If you are having construction work done on your cottage or lake home, it is your responsibility to assure your contractor has a plan to remove construction debris from the site.
Q: Where do I dispose of old electronics, appliances, or mattresses?
A: Brickyard Creek is fortunate to have a garbage and recycling center just a few miles away in the Town of Russell.
- The BRB Recycling Center Brochure offers a complete list of accepted items and disposal cost.
- BRB's contact information can also be found under Vendors & Services on our Owner Resources page.
Q: How do I winterize my cottage?
A: For general information about how to prepare your cottage for the winter, please refer to Seasonal Cottage Checklists on our Owner Resources page.If you are closing your cottage entirely or using it sparingly, it is recommended that you make arrangements with a home service provider.
- Find a list of contractors familiar with Brickyard Creek cottages under Vendors & Services on the Owner Resources page.
Q: How do I know which plants around my cottage or lake home are native or invasive?
A: Mother Nature is Brickyard Creek’s number one amenity, and proper maintenance of the surrounding boreal forest is key towards the specialness of the community, our well-being, and ultimately property values.
- Please contact Forest & Watershed Chair, Dale Klubertanz for a “site assessment” of the land surrounding your cottage or lake home.
Q: How are the trees around my cottage managed?
A: Brickyard Creek is a special community where cottages are built to be of the land and blend into the forest. Therefore, tree maintenance is critical to the overall community vision.
- Jeffery Garrett works closely with a professional arborist and the Forest & Watershed Committee to routinely monitor the trees around each cottage and driveway. Unhealthy trees are removed. Please contact Jeff if you have questions or concern regarding a particular tree.
Q: May I plant flowers or vegetables?
A: Non-native flowers, herbs, or vegetables can be planted in pots, but not directly in the ground around your cottage.
- For a list of native plants that would enhance our shared forest, please refer to Plant & Forest Resources on our Owner Resources page.
- Also, please review Planting & Forest Policies on our Owner Resources page.
Q: There is no water coming out of my tap. What do I do?
A: The Brickyard Creek Associations maintain cottage wells.
- If you do not have water, please call Jeffery Garrett at 715-781-3958 for assistance.
Q: What do I have to know about my holding tank?
A: Holding tanks in Brickyard Creek hold 2000 gallons.
- An alarm will trigger inside the cottage when the tank is getting close to full.
- The alarm is positioned to go off with enough room for a few hundred more gallons to give the septic company several days (with normal use) to pump out the tank.
- Pump outs are not allowed weekends.
- In the winter, please provide a path and shovel off the top of the holding tank for the septic vendor.
- Tank pumping service options can be found under Vendors & Services on our Owner Resources page.
Q: Who is responsible for the maintenance of holding tanks?
A: Holding tanks and waste laterals are considered an appendage of the cottage or lake home. Therefore, holding tank maintenance and repair is the sole responsibility of the individual owner.
- Please contact Jeffery Garrett for vendor options.
Common Expectations
The Common Expectations/Rules and Regulations are the current regulations and expectations that have been adopted by the Board of Directors* for all cottage and homeowners, renters, and guests. They encompass all rules laid out in Declarations for our condominium community as well as other policies formally adopted by the board. Originally adopted in 2005 they have been continuously reviewed and updated by The Board of Directors. It is the responsibility of each owner to understand and live in compliance with these expectations and rules in a manner consistent with our agreed-upon values.
* As part of Board’s rule making authority in the Declaration (Article VII, Section I (c) – Compliance) and the Bylaws (Article IV, section 3 (k) – Enforcement of the Associations.
These Common Expectations/Rules and Regulations apply to Roy’s Point Boulevard, Brickyard Creek Road, and all other roads, cottages and home sites, and grounds of Brickyard Creek. The Roy’s Point Marina is governed by separate rules and regulations.
The greater Brickyard Creek Community consists of several interrelated entities including the Brickyard Creek Community Association, Roy’s Point Shores Lake Shore Lots, Brickyard Creek III Lake Shore Lots, an Umbrella Association, Architectural Control Committee, and the ordinances of the County of Bayfield and towns of Bayfield and Russell. The interpretation and enforcement of these Common Expectations/Rules and Regulations is the responsibility of the Brickyard Creek Community Association or the Brickyard Creek Architectural Control Committee (ACC). The Associations have the authority to enforce these Common Expectations/Rules and Regulations according to policies of the Associations and all applicable laws. Any incidents of non-compliance should be reported to the Brickyard Creek Director.
If you have questions or identify issues of compliance, please contact:
Jeffery Garrett, Brickyard Creek Director
Phone – 715-781-3958
Email – Jeffery.BYC@gmail.com
General Rules
Common Expectations, Rules and Regulations provide owners, guest, and renters with the ground rules for life at Brickyard. Based on framework laid out by the developer in the Condominium Declarations, the Brickyard Creek Community Identity and Vision Statements the expectations and rules intended are intended to assist cottage and homeowners, renters and guests to live in harmony with each other and preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the Brickyard Creek area. Cottage owners, homeowners, renters, and guests are expected to know, understand and observe these Common Expectations/Rules and Regulations.
Assuring compliance with the Common Expectations, Rules and Regulations is the responsibility of the Brickyard Creek Association(s) Board of Directors (and its delegated Committees) or the Brickyard Creek Architectural Control Committee (ACC). This responsibility and authority is laid out in the condominium declarations*.
Assuring compliance is both an art and a science – best achieve by communication and respectful problem solving. Understanding that, despite our best efforts and intentions, issues of non-compliance will arise the Board of Directors’ has established following pathway or protocol to find resolution and assure compliance.
Process documents for:
* As part of Board’s rule making authority in the Declaration (Article VII, Section I (c) – Compliance) and the Bylaws (Article IV, section 3 (k) – Enforcement of the Associations.
* Screen porches are NOT a part of the enclosed cottage.
For further details visit Sanitation & Recycling on our Owner Resources page.
For further details review Planting & Forest Policies on our Owner Resources page.
Rental Policy & Resources
The following rental policy and occupancy limits were last revised October 2021.
The BYC Rental Policy Resolution document linked below addresses:
Brickyard Creek is a residential community nestled in the woods on the edge of Lake Superior. Our community is made up of a variety of owners – some seasonal, some fulltime and some offering short term rentals for visiting tourist. Our goal is to provide a successful rental program designed to encourage visitors to enjoy this place within the framework of our common expectations.
Periodically there are problems with violations of those rules and policies. Our BYC Process for managing Rental Violations provides the necessary steps to follow in the case of a violation.
Process document for: Rental Unit Violations (pdf)
The following ordinance will go into effect in January of 2020. Please plan ahead for this change:
The Brickyard Rental Overview Group is constantly at work searching for ways to ingratiate renters and still maintain the tranquil natural escape our community adores. These documents are welcoming and ensure our community values and expectations are clear and easy for guests to understand.
To stay compliant...
Violation Resolution Processes
Common Expectations, Rules and Regulations provide owners, guest, and renters with the ground rules for life at Brickyard. Based on framework laid out by the developer in the Condominium Declarations, the Brickyard Creek Community Identity and Vision Statements the expectations and rules intended are intended to assist cottage and homeowners, renters and guests to live in harmony with each other and preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the Brickyard Creek area. Cottage owners, homeowners, renters, and guests are expected to know, understand and observe these Common Expectations/Rules and Regulations.
Assuring compliance is both an art and a science – best achieve by communication and respectful problem solving. Understanding that, despite our best efforts and intentions, issues of non-compliance will arise the Board of Directors has established following pathway or protocol to find resolution and assure compliance.
Architectural Guidelines
All new construction, additions or modifications to existing exteriors or any impact on the natural environment within the Brickyard Creek Community (BYC I, II, II, Roys Point Shores and Brickyard Creek III Lakeshore Homes) require approval of the Architectural Control Committee (ACC).
Purpose:
An Architectural Control Committee (ACC) has been established to protect and maintain the character of Brickyard Creek through the review and oversight of all proposed construction, exterior modifications, and impacts the on the natural environment Property owners proposing to do any of the aforementioned work should carefully read the ACC Design Guidelines and discuss possible ideas with the committee before planning their project.
Brickyard Creek (BYC) is a planned residential community of condominiums and lake homes bound by a shared respect and appreciation for the natural environment. Our governing vision is that we are a community where the choice to reside is motivated by its intrinsic natural setting and unique character. Our Core Values focus on protecting, restoring, preserving, and sustaining our setting, both within BYC and the surrounding communities, leading by example. All individual owners within BYC have individual and collective responsibilities to help protect our vision and are, subsequently, required to comply with the architectural and building standards set forth in BYC’s legal documents and guidelines.
Pursuant to the Declarations of the Brickyard Creek Condominium Association, the Roy’s Point Shores, and the Brickyard III Lake Homes, an Architectural Control Committee (ACC) has been established as an extension the Board of Directors’ responsibility and authority to ensure that the character of BYC is maintained and protected. The Board of Directors has created the ACC to implement this and gives it the authority to uphold the values, identity, and architectural integrity of the community by the review and oversight of all proposed construction, exterior modification, and the impacts on our natural environment.
The ACC has created and maintains detailed guidelines (ACC Design Guidelines) that inform owners who desire to build new construction or make alterations to the architecture or the natural environment within BYC and of the process that must be followed for approval. All determinations by the ACC will be guided by, but not solely restricted to, the ACC Design Guidelines. The Guidelines and all other BYC legal documents are available to be viewed on theBrickyard Creek Community website. Property owners proposing to do any of the aforementioned work should carefully read the ACC Design Guidelines and discuss possible ideas with the committee before planning their project.
ACC Members:
Terms:
Succession/Changes in ACC Membership:
Qualifications:
Recourse and Penalties:
ACC Reconsideration:
Appeals:
For additional information, read this article:
The ACC exists to ensure that any new construction, addition or modification to any Cottage, home, or common area is thoughtfully designed and built so that the Brickyard Community continues to enjoy the protection of its environment, privacy, visual buffers, and ultimately, property values. Consistent with this responsibility, review and approval are required. Initiating any work for the following activities without approval from the ACC will result in a minimum $500 fine plus applicable damages.
ACC Procedure:
1. Any Cottage or lot owner who proposes any new construction, addition, or modification to their Cottage or lot needs to first contact the appointed Association representative, who will then contact ACC members David Culberson, Hung Russell, and Steve Sandstrom. The owner will submit the Owner Requirements listed above at that time. Contact info: Jeffery Garrett at 715-781-3958 or email @ jeffery.byc@gmail.com
2. The ACC will determine if the submission contains sufficient information to start the review process. If insufficient, the ACC will ask for additional information from the owner. The ACC may contact the Cottage or lot owner to discuss the proposed work and to set up a site meeting to inspect the site and to collect additional plans and photos, if necessary.
3. The owner must flag the proposed impacted area prior to the site meeting.
4. The ACC will review the site and plans and other required documents and will take one of three actions:
- Deny approval of the proposed activity or suggest alternatives if the impact of the proposed work causes unacceptable degradation to the environment or the Community, based on the previously mentioned criteria.
- Approve the proposed work with modifications or conditions.
- Approve the proposed work as submitted.
5. The ACC decision will be sent to the owner and the Association representative for their records.
6. The ACC will do everything reasonable to work with the Cottage or lot owner in a timely and professional manner. The time frame for a decision will depend on the complexity of the request.
7. If the submittal is approved the ACC will occasionally inspect the ongoing work to ensure that the builder or owner is in compliance with any ACC decision.
8. Legal definitions and procedures with respect to the ACC can be found under Association Legal Documents on our Owners Only page.
The following items must be provided to the ACC along with the request for new construction, additions or modifications:
Planting & Forest Policies
The members of the Brickyard Creek Association and the Brickyard Creek Development Group preserve our vision for our boreal forest through active involvement in education programming, environmental practices coupled with community and policy development.
It has been determined that Brickyard Creek will be managed as a “native plant” community and that the community will work to minimize the environmental impact of residential community and the various impacts of the rental activities. For these purposes, the following resources have been provided for native plant and trees along with a group of policies and rules.
Brickyard Creek was created as a residential cabin community with an underlying vision that it would be built and maintained with lowest impact on the forest, creek and lake environment and sustained through a practice of protection and restoration of the native plant communities and the Brickyard Creek watershed. The community strives to sustain this combination of residential and environmental character in the light of human activities and commercial features such as providing opportunities to renters and timesharing. It also endeavors to manage, protect and restore the native forest, watershed and lake resources it enjoys.
The boreal forests of the Bayfield peninsula are very unique. The boreal forest along Brickyard Creek where we have chosen to build our cabins is the result of thousands of years of community building among the native trees and plants that have come to make their homes here long ago in northernmost Wisconsin along the shores of Lake Superior. As an extension of the most southern range of the Canadian boreal forest, this native forest community has been developed through the interplay of mutually beneficial species of trees, plants, animal, insects and microorganisms in response to particular soil and climate conditions. The Bayfield County boreal forest follows the clay soils of the original larger glacial lake and the Lake Superior microclimate. These native plant community members have come to depend upon each other for a strategic balance and on a process keeping the forest healthy and free of invasive non-native plants.
By building our homes in this forest, we have become participants in the interaction and management of this forest community. To do so is to work together as stewards in nurturing the healthy life of the forest, watershed and lake environment. To do otherwise, is to disrupt the native forest community’s harmony and serve to stress its integrity and survival.
Each BYC owner has been attracted to these special native qualities in building their own homes in the boreal forest. By becoming a member of BYC community each owner has accepted an essential covenant, an agreement to sustain the health and integrity of the boreal forest and its watershed as being not just “on the land” but “of the land” in holding this forest community in common.
Although each of us own only our cabin and its “footprint”, with the rest of the forest held in common, the association has recognized since its formation that individual cottage owners might have the desire to manage the appearance of their common-ground sites around their cabins. The following consists of approved guidelines and resources originally compiled by the Forest and Watershed Committee and approved by the Board of Directors in 2002 with further updates and approval by the Board of Directors in May 2010.
Overview
The Brickyard Creek Communities have been subdivided by condominium plats under Wisconsin Statutes. This means that each cottage Owner owns his/her cottage structure and the ground underlying the footprint of the cottage. The Condominium Association owns all of the remaining land in the condominium plat, which is designated “Common Property.” Each BYC cottage owner has an undivided interest in the Common Property by virtue of owning a cottage in the condominium. The purpose of the Hazardous Tree Policy is to clarify the responsibilities of the BYC Owner and to define the steps from assessment to removal of hazardous trees in the Common Property.
Definition of a Hazardous Tree
Although the definition of a hazardous tree is subjective by nature, a hazardous tree can be defined as a tree that is (i) dead or diseased and (ii) poses an immediate hazard or threat to a cottage, people, vehicles in their designated parking places, roads and nature trails in the Common Property.
Responsibilities
An Owner of a cottage does not have the right to build structures or change the character of Common Property without the consent of the BYC Architectural Control Committee and the BYC Forest and Watershed Committee. This includes the cutting or pruning of trees and the planting of or removal of other vegetation in the Common Property.
Assessment to Removal
It is the responsibility of the cottage owner to periodically inspect trees adjacent to his/her cottage to make a preliminary decision whether they constitute a hazard to their property or person. Once a decision has been made, the owner should tag the tree with a red ribbon and notify the BYC Manager of the existence of the hazardous tree. Such notification shall be by telephone, email or mail, depending upon the urgency of the situation. The BYC Manager will in turn notify the arborist and the chairperson of the Forest and Watershed Committee of the concern and pending action.
It shall then be the responsibility of the BYC Manager to have the tree assessed by the arborist who will determine if it creates a hazard, and if so, cause the tree to be cut and removed in a prompt manner or suggest alternative action(s) to save the tree. (In those rare occasions where the threat of damage or injury is imminent in the judgment of the Owner, the Owner may cause the tree to be removed by contacting the association’s identified arborist directly for a remedy.)
On-Going Assessment
The Forest and Watershed Committee in collaboration and a trained arborist will complete on a regular basis a Hazardous Tree Assessment to determine the existence and location of dead and diseased trees. These trees shall be left or cut in the discretion of the Forest and Watershed Committee. Bird and small critters will tell you that all dead trees are not necessarily bad trees. If cut, the trees should be left where felled or removed from the Common Property in the discretion of the Forest and Watershed Committee, it being understood that the over-riding philosophy of Brickyard Creek is to leave downed trees on the forest floor whenever possible to maintain a natural habitat for the animals and plant life.
Arborist Disclaimer: Trees can be managed but they cannot be controlled. To live near trees is to accept some degree of risk.
The roads, cabin sites and traffic provide opportunities for lots of invasive species to take root at Brickyard Creek. These roads and sites are disturbances in the boreal forest and because the wind and our vehicles bring in exotic species to these disturbed areas, invasive species will continue to find their way into the forest and roadsides. The most aggressive species will likely take over as there are no natural means such as fires to check them. The roads and sites will continue to provide sun light and access to these species and encourage their growth.
The best way to manage invasive species is to learn how to identify them from native species, to know their growing habits and to learn safe and effective ways to combat them. Plants such as Burdock can be managed by knowing that they are biennials and can be eradicated by digging them up and are effectively controlled by clipping them off at the flowering stage so they do not reproduce before each plant dies on it’s own.
The use of chemicals requires attention to safety for people, creatures and the environment. The brand name “Round-up” or its active ingredient “Glyphosate” requires a knowledge of safeguards and proper use to ensure effectiveness and to avoid harming yourself, others or wildlife. A video created by BYC and SOEI is available from the Forest and Watershed Committee, which illustrates the safe use of Glyphosate.
Plant only trees and plants that belong to the Wisconsin boreal forest plant community. Plants that are most native to this ecosystem (ecotypes) will naturally do well and find a balance in relationship to the other native plants and to the growing conditions relative to soil, moisture, temperature and light that exists at BYC. Planting non-native plants or hybrids (exotics) and cultivars can threaten the other native plants and trees or place the non-native plant at risk by setting it in plant community to which it does not belong or growing conditions that are incompatible. Non-natives can also become aggressive and invade the forest community without natural checks and balances. Plants do best if they are purchased locally or in similar climates so they are hearty and suitable to the climate.
A full list of native plants that make up the boreal forests of Bayfield County can be found on line at http://www.botany.wisc.edu/wisflora/ , then “search” by Habitat . On the page listing Habitat Descriptions, pull down the menu to “boreal forest” and search again and it will take you to a page with the list of plants from this plant community. You can also “browse” by common name on the first page and then check to see if the species fits into the boreal forest community.
The following is a partial list of many native plants that grow well in BYC. The best way to introduce wildflowers is to buy plants from local native plant nurseries (Note: see list in the following pages). Growing plants from seed is difficult and slow.
Any improvements or changes that you want to make to the common ground area around your cabin must maintain the natural and native makeup and appearance of our boreal forest environment and must be approved by the committee. Please submit a sketch and narrative of your plans by email or mail to the contact person on the Forest and Watershed Committee, Dale Klubertanz.
Use only native plants and trees for landscaping. The items below provide a reference list of native flowers, shrubs and trees. In addition to this list, please feel free to contact individuals (Note: see list in the following pages) with the expertise to advise you on the enhancement of your common ground area.
In recent years, the Forest and Watershed Committee has established an on-going relationship with environmental experts who provide on-site consultation. These resource people include Sara Bolles of Northern Native Plantscapes and the interns of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute (SOEI) at Northland College.
The members of the Forest and Watershed Committee are also available to help you with any of your questions.
Suitable non-plant landscape items are:
Please do not dig up wildflowers, shrubs or trees from the woods nor the common grounds. Many wildflowers, shrubs and trees do not transplant well and you could seriously disrupt or destroy them by digging. Let’s leave them where they are for everyone to enjoy. This includes the picking of flower bouquets.
Sanitation and Recycling
The BYC Community is committed to the responsible disposal of garbage, including recycling. Association-provided dumpsters are located on the south side of Roy’s Point Boulevard, just east of Brickyard Creek Road. The dumpsters are for exclusive use of BYC residents and guests. Park Service dumpsters are located next to their entrance and are for their exclusive use.
Waste management is a significant portion of the association’s annual budget and therefore important that every effort is made to efficiently prepare items for disposal. Currently, summer pick-up for the trash dumpster is twice a week and recycling is once a week. In the off-season, the trash is emptied every other week and the recycling once a month. Here are some guidelines for recycling and trash removal.
Paper and cardboard, metals, glass, and plastics are all accepted in the recycling dumpster. Please break-down all boxes to maximize space. Thank you!
Every-day household trash is accepted in the garbage dumpster. Construction material and waste, such as insulation, is not allowed. In addition, boat covering or other marina trash is not allowed. Roy’s Point Marina has dumpsters for boat material on the South side of their parking lot.
The rental management company will remove both garbage and recycling after departure.
Opportunistic and intelligent, bears are common in our boreal forest. If the dumpster is not properly closed, bears will get in the trash. It is essential to use all three clips provided to properly close the dumpster and lock it down. If a bear is allowed to even reach in the dumpster and pull out trash bags they can become a problem bear. In addition, having the dumpsters properly closed will also help to keep out other smaller animals. Locking down the dumpster is both a safety and monetary issue. The clean-up can be extensive. Please read www.bearsmart.com for further information and tips.
Seasonal Cottage Checklists
Whether your plans are to keep the cottage open or shut for the winter, each cottage owner needs to maintain the mechanical systems that are part of the cottage. Because few of the owners live in their cottage full-time this is easily forgotten. Every cottage relies on a mechanical system to help prevent winter-time damage. Mechanical systems can and do eventually break down.
A critical part of making sure your cottage functions properly over Lake Superior’s harsh winters is preventive maintenance. The cost of this is very small compared with the consequences.
Even though our cottages are heated and insulated, environmental impact concerns and construction techniques used to accommodate those concerns give rise to the need for all cottage owners to take extra care during extreme cold conditions. Accordingly, if you wish to keep your cottage open during the entire winter months, it is absolutely essential that you or your representative strictly adhere to every item on the cold weather checklist. The checklist is a compilation of very useful recommendations borne from years of experience. The checklist can be used as a roadmap during an inspection.
New Designs and Technology
As developers, we constantly continue to research new designs and materials that come into the marketplace. We have found three new preventative maintenance design and repair items for utilization at Brickyard Creek. We are incorporating these new procedures into new construction. Although implementation of one or more of these procedures may not be necessary provided that you strictly adhere to the procedures in the cold-weather checklist, you may wish to investigate their use in your cottage.
Before describing these new procedures, some background will be helpful. There are two areas in the cottage that are most vulnerable to water freeze-ups in the winter. The first is at the point where the water line comes out of the ground from the well into the cottage (the “well line”). The second is where the water line that furnishes water to the kitchen sink comes from the utility room and ultimately down through the outside wall in front of the wall insulation (the “kitchen line”). A well line problem should not be a factor in cottages that have bunkers. The kitchen line problem can affect cottages with or without bunkers. Interior water lines should not be a problem unless the cottage is not closed down and is left without heat.
With this background in mind, well line problems can be alleviated or solved by a new product manufactured by HEATLINE Corporation, a Canadian company. This product consists of an internal heating element that is flexible, fits into the well line (like a catheter), typically for a distance of 15 feet and plugs into an electrical outlet. This product has proven enormously successful in the Canadian Provinces and in Alaska where temperatures exceed our low temperatures by a wide margin. The kitchen line problem can be alleviated or solved by abandoning the present copper lines that are in the outside wall and running new lines inside the cottage through the cabinets. The exposure of the new copper lines will be minimal, mostly hidden by the refrigerator and cabinetry. Costs are approximately $500 for each procedure. If you wish for more information or are interested in one or more of the procedures, we recommend that you contact Mike Wright at (715) 209-6415. Mike is the only certified installer of Heatline products in Bayfield County, and he knows several plumbers who can bid for the kitchen line work.
The third upgrade you may want to consider for your cottage involves floor insulation. The newest cottages at Brickyard Creek utilize Icynene foam insulation, as opposed to the traditional fiberglass batten insulation. The Icycnene product is a far superior insulator, as it stops all air movement and it does not allow heat to radiate from the floor to the exposed underside of the cottage. Radiating heat is what attracts animals, many of which are small enough to squeeze through a hole left in the wire mesh by the cable guy or the fireplace installer. These animals, usually mice or squirrels, can do a tremendous amount of damage to insulation and electrical wiring. Additionally, bears and large raccoons can rip the wire mesh right out, and proceed to hibernate in the floor.
The best way to avoid winter problems is to drain and shut down your cottage during the winter months. For those of you who do not plan to use your cottage during the winter, or plain to use it sparingly, we recommend draining and shutting down your cottage. For those of you who wish to keep your cottage open, and for those owners who rent their cottages during the winter months, we highly recommend that you contract with a care-taking service that is familiar with the unique characteristics of a Brickyard Creek cottage.
There are alternatives to shutting your cottage down for the entire winter. You may decide to enjoy the use of your cottage through New Year’s and close your cottage during the coldest months of January and February. Or you might close down and open your cottage periodically during the winter months. This alternative may provide a sensible balance between use and the associated costs during winter months.
Maintenance Contract
If you choose to keep your cottage open during the winter months, we reiterate our strong recommendation that you enter into a maintenance contract with a qualified local service or individual. We must remember that we are dealing with infrequently occupied cottages located in the north woods and maintaining interior heat at about 55 degrees, not a full time residence that is kept at 70 degrees.
The maintenance contract should address general conditions such as storm cleanup, exterior repair, mechanical systems and interior repair, and, most importantly, frequent cold-weather inspections.
See Vendors & Services on our Owner Resources page for a list of home service providers.
Sewerage and Holding Tanks
For all properties in the Brickyard Creek Community the pump out and maintenance of each cottage’s or house’s holding tank is the sole responsibility of the property owner.
For those connected to the Red Cliff Sewerage System:
The sewage collection system subsequently built in Brickyard Creek III is a limited common element specifically set up to provide sewage collection service for BC III and units 14 and 24 of BC I. It is governed by the benefactors of this system by way of a BC III Sanitary Sewer Association, as addressed in the Disclosure Documents provided to each lot and cottage owner by the developer. This discussion is limited to the technical and logistical aspects of the sewer system.
Each lot and cottage site has a curb stop (similar to the well curb stops used throughout Brickyard) stubbed out from the force main in the road to the lot or cottage site. This is where each house or cottage hooks into the force main. It is the homeowner or cottage owner’s contractor’s responsibility to provide the hookup.
The force main has one pressure release valve located in a 4’x4’ concrete box on the lake side of Casey Lane near Cottage #1. This is to relieve any air block that might form in the force main and prevent a smooth flow of sewage through the line. This is a rare occurrence that could be caused by a break or repair to the force main.
The BC III Sewer Association maintenance responsibility and ownership stops at each curb stop. The home or cottage owner’s responsibility starts on the house side of the curb stop.
Each home or cottage will have a solids tank, installed at owner’s cost, outside the home to collect sewage from the home. In most cases, this will be a gravity feed line from the home to the tank. However, it is possible that some homes (depending on lowest plumbing drain in the house; for example, a basement with a bath) will need an ejector, or sump, pump to move sewage up to the solids tank. The solids tank is very similar in size and shape to the holding tanks used throughout Brickyard. However, these tanks have two chambers – one for solids and one for liquids. Sewage from the house enters the first chamber of the tank (solids side). Liquid spills over a weir at the top of the wall separating the two chambers into the second chamber. This second (liquids side) chamber has a small effluent pump and a one-‐way check valve (so that sewage from the force main cannot get into the solids tank) that pumps the liquid into the force main system. The pump and valve are accessible for maintenance from the top of the tank. If the tank is full or if there is a problem with the pump a warning light located on a post above the tank, or in a mechanical room within the house, will come on.
The liquids side of the tank should never be full unless there is a problem with the force main. However, depending on use, the solids side will fill up after several years. Bayfield County requires that the solids side of this type of tank be pumped every three years. They normally send a notice to the homeowner addressing this. It is possible that BC III owners may not be receiving these notices because of the relationship between BC III and the Red Cliff Sanitary System. But each owner should monitor their solids tank every few years and pump it out when needed.
Red Cliff is obligated by contract to charge BC III Sewer Association the prevailing rate charged within the Reservation for each house or cottage sewage collection. Red Cliff is responsible for the maintenance of their system only – in this case only the one manhole near Highway 13 that collects sewage from the BC III force main. BC III Sewer association is responsible for repair and maintenance of its own system. It is recommended that the Sewer Association hire a qualified person to check the pressure relief valve and the connection into the Red Cliff system at least one time a year. The BC III Sewer Association may collect fees from its members in order to set up a reserve fund for the maintenance of the sewage system.
Map of Brickyard Creek
Plant & Forest Resources
The following is a list of resources, including the many native plants, shrubs and trees that grow well in BYC. The best way to introduce plants is to buy from local native plant nurseries. Growing plants from seed is difficult and slow.
Dale can provide resources for native plant material and assist you with native planting ideas and design.
Dale Klubertanz – Forest and Watershed Committee Chair
(608) 235-0031 dsklubertanz@tds.net
The BYC Forest and Watershed Committee has been asked to create a policy and procedure for the disposal of brush and forest waste. It will be electronically distributed to the owners upon its completion. In the meantime, contact Dale Klubertanz, Forest and Watershed Committee Chair, if you have questions about what is appropriate, or not appropriate, for removal.
Contact Jeffery Garrett to make arrangements for pick-up of small amounts of small limb and other forest debris that may have fallen around your cabin.
• Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute (SOEI) at Northland College. Students can work with residents to design and plant native plants. - Mike Gardner | (715) 682-1481 | mgardner@northland.edu
• Wildflower Woods - Greenhouse featuring native plants for woodlands, Becky Brown | (715) 373-0214
• Freehands Farm - Michelle Rundeen | (715) 563-0323
• Boreal Natives - Native flowers - (218) 729-9044
• Great Lakes Nursery Co. - Native plants - 1-(888) 733-3564
Vendors & Services
The following is a listing of vendors for the care and maintenance of your home. Please note that BYC is only providing this information as a service to owners. BYC assumes no responsibility for business transactions with these vendors or the outcome of their work product. These are only suggestions. It is a good idea to talk to your neighbors for additional ideas and feedback on service providers prior to engaging their services.
BYC Director
Jason Carpenter
Sean Cadotte
Gary Hyde
Mr. Chimney Sweep
Anderson Electric
Cadotte Electrical - KC Cadotte
Stove and Fireplace Works
Don Sullivan
One Guy and Sons
Bob's Plumbing and Heating
Cady Plumbing and HVAC
Per Mar Security Services
Sean Cadotte
Gary Hyde
Woodland Home Services (Mike Wright)
Plunkett’s Pest Control
One Guy and Sons
Bob’s Plumbing & Heating
A to Z Plumbing & Heating, Inc.
Brickyard Creek Realty
BRB Recycling Authority
3594 State Hwy 13
Town of Russell
715-779-9720
Open Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Number2 Septic
Birch Street Septic
XCEL Energy
Midland Services (LP Gas)
Charter
Century Tel
A Better View (Jeffery Garrett)
