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What is Comprehensive Planning?Comprehensive Planning in WisconsinCommunities are constantly changing. People move in and out. Families have changing needs as children grow older. Houses change hands. Buildings are constructed. New stores open. In addition to these internal changes, all communities change in relationship to external conditions such as the economy, the environment and the activities of neighboring cities and villages. A comprehensive plan is a community’s official policy guide for physical improvement and development. It considers not only the immediate needs and concerns of the community, but also projects improvement and development 5 to 15 years in the future. A comprehensive plan provides a basis for zoning, subdivision regulations, and capital improvement plans, all of which should be used to implement planning policies and recommendations. Comprehensive Planning allows a community to manage these changes in a way that is responsive to the needs and perceptions of it residents, business owners, employees, visitors and other stakeholders. Through a planning process that combines public involvement, data analysis and creative thinking, the people of Brown Deer will be able to plan for a future that preserves neighborhoods and quality of life while guiding positive changes in areas of the Village that are in flux. Comprehensive Planning is a pro-active process to help communities preserve local control over development and redevelopment, protect resources, provide services efficiently and to minimize surprises and conflicts in the future. “Smart Growth” in WisconsinIn its 1999-2001 biennial budget, the State of Wisconsin adopted a Comprehensive Planning Law. Section 66.1001 of the state statutes requires all communities that control land use through zoning and other means to complete a Comprehensive Plan by January 1, 2010. The “Smart Growth” law provides a framework for the development, adoption and implementation of a comprehensive plan, and defines nine elements that the plan must address:
The law also requires public participation during all phases of plan development to ensure that the plan meets the real needs of stakeholders. Once the plan has been adopted by the Village Board of Trustees, all zoning, subdivision and other land use controls must be consistent with the plan. It is designed to make land use decisions predictable and in the best public interest. More Information about Comprehensive Planning
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