Smart Growth @ 10

In 2010, Wisconsin’s Comprehensive Planning (Smart Growth) law will achieve a milestone.

Most of the state’s approximately 1800 units of government that are  required to have adopted a comprehensive plan will have adopted a locally generated  comprehensive plan. Starting on January 1, 2010,  towns, villages, cities, or counties engaging in official mapping, subdivision regulation, or zoning, must make those actions consistent with an adopted comprehensive plan.

While not all communities will be in compliance, its likely that over 90% of those communities required to have comprehensive plans will have done their work. Not perfect – but pretty good considering the rough path that took us to this point.

Over the past decade, local anti-government groups and some “land rights” activists have tried to derail the effort. Decrying the law as “top down” and “telling local governments what to do” were the more modest complaints. Some talked about the law as being part of a United Nations secret agenda to take over the U.S. Bills were routinely introduced to repeal the law. In 2005, the legislature actually passed a repeal of the law in the state budget but once again we prevailed when Governor Doyle vetoed the repeal.

Moving forward, the communities that have completed their plans will be better positioned to address growth. They will have considered options, set aside treasured areas and be pre-positioned for economic development.

1000 Friends is preparing for the implementation phase of Smart Growth. We are working on tools and publications to help communities avoid problems and to understand how to implement their locally developed plans.

We are committed to the success of Smart Growth. Look for more details in the months to come as we focus on Smart Growth implementation.

Thank you for your continuing support!