Development, Planning, Urban Land Use, Zoning

Development, Planning, Urban Land Use, Zoning

Capital Area Regional Planning Commission

Metropolitan Planning Organization

Dane County (Descriptions are directly from the website, will update with better information)

City of Edgerton 

City of Fitchburg

  • Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee – The Agriculture and Rural Affairs committee shall act as an advisory committee to the plan commission. Duties of the committee shall include the study of potential future of agriculture in the city, to develop and recommend policies to promote sustainable and economically viable agriculture in the city, and to recommend areas to be preserved for agriculture.  Additionally , to study and recommend any potential compensation to landowners in areas designated for agricultural preservation, take action on any items referred to it by the plan commission or the common council, and to make recommendations on all rezoning requests in which any property zoned A-T or A-X outside the urban service area is being considered.
  • Landmarks Preservation Commission – The Landmarks Preservation commission shall designate historic structures and sites within the city limits.  Property owners or their designees may apply to be considered for designation, or the commission may undertake the designation procedure upon the majority vote of the commission members.
  • Plan Commission – The Plan Commission shall have the powers and duties prescribed by Wis. Stats. §62.23 and this Code, and such other and further powers and duties as may be prescribed by statute, by ordinance, or by the Common Council.
  • Zoning Board of Appeals – The zoning board of appeals shall have the powers and duties prescribed by Wis. Stats. §62.23(7) and by City Ordinance chapters Zoning, Land Division, Architectural Control, and Building Regulations. Additionally, such other duties as may be described by statute or ordinance.

City of Madison

  • Ad Hoc Landmarks Ordinance Review Committee – Creating an Ad Hoc Landmarks Ordinance Review Committee to consider recommendations to the Council regarding changes to the existing city Landmarks Ordinance. Creating resolution RES-14-00287, File ID# 33846; effective 4-30-2014.
  • Building Code, Fire Code, Converyance Code and Licensing Licensing Appeals Board – Madison General Ordinance Section 29.18 – The owner of a building or structure or any other person who is aggrieved and directly affected may appeal from decisions or orders of the Fire Chief, from Building Code Orders, or from a decision of the Director of the Neighborhood Preservation and Inspection Division refusing to grant approval of a plan, modification of or variance from the provisions of MGO Chapters 27, 29 and 40 covering the manner of construction or materials to be used in the erection, alteration or repair of a building or structure or the wrecking or demolition of a building or structure determined to be unsound pursuant to Sec. 28.04(22)(d)1.a. of the MGO’s, to the Board of Building Code, Fire Code, Conveyance Code and Licensing Appeals. COMMITTEE FORMERLY NAMED “BOARD OF BUILDING CODE, FIRE CODE AND LICENSING APPEALS.” RENAMED TO “BOARD OF BUILDING CODE, FIRE CODE, CONVEYANCE CODE, AND LICENSING APPEALS” EFFECTIVE 4-1-2009, per ORD-09-00019 & A, File I.D. 14578, MGO Sec. 29.18 and newly created Sec. 40.
  • Joint Southeast Campus Area Committee – Madison General Ordinance Sec. 33.32 (2) – Facilitate participation in planning activities affecting the campus community, City of Madison and the surrounding neighborhoods of the southeast campus area east of Park Street; identify community-wide and neighborhood impacts of campus initiated, city-related and private sector development projects in the southeast campus area; discuss and summarize comments on university, city and private development plans, environmental impact/assessment statements, and traffic analysis; summarize city, campus and neighborhood comments that enhance existing commercial, university and residential areas, and street, transit and bicycle/pedestrian systems in the southeast campus area east of Park Street, and; forward appropriate summary JSECAC comments on development projects to the appropriate City of Madison committee (ie Plan Comm, Urban Design Comm, Transit & Parking Comm, Alcohol License Review Com, Downtown Coordinating Com, and Ped/Bike/Motor Vehicle Comm.) (Original Authorization: Res. 61342, ID 35474.)
  • Joint West Campus Area Committee – Madison General Ordinance Sec. 33.32(1) – Facilitate participation in planning activities affecting the campus community, the City of Madison, the Village of Shorewood Hills and surrounding neighborhoods of the campus area west of Park Street, including Greenbush, Vilas, Dudgeon-Monroe and Regent; identify community-wide and neighborhood impact of campus-initiated, city/village-related and private sector development projects in the west campus area; discuss and summarize comments on university, city/village and private development plans, environmental impact/assessment statements and traffic analysis; summarize city/village, campus and neighborhood comments that enhance existing commercial, university and residential areas and street, transit and bike/pedestrian systems in the west campus area (west of Park Street; forward appropriate summary of JWCAC comments on development projects to the appropriate City committee (ie Plan Comm, Urban Design Com, Transit & Parking Comm, Alcohol License Review Com, Downtown Coordinating Com and Ped/Bike/Motor Vehicle Comm) and to the appropriate Village of Shorewood Hills committee(s). (Original Authorization: Substitute Resolution 59601, ID 31882 & Res 61160, ID 34816.) 5/21/2013: Position 2, District 2 Alder, eliminated per ORD-13-00090, file id #29732.
  • Landmarks Commission – Madison General Ordinance Sec. 33.19 – It is hereby declared a matter of public policy that the protection, enhancement, perpetuation and use of improvements of special character or special historical interest or value is a public necessity and is required in the interest of health, prosperity, safety and welfare of the people. The purpose of this section is to: a) effect and accomplish the protection, enhancement and perpetuation of such improvements and of districts which represent or reflect elements of the City’s cultural, social, economic, political and architectural history; b) safeguard the City’s historic and cultural heritage, as embodied and reflected in such landmarks and historic districts; c) stabilize and improve property values; d) foster civic pride in the beauty and noble accomplishments of the past; e) protect and enhance the City’s attractions to residents, tourists and visitors, and serve as a support and stimulus to business and industry; f) strengthen the economy of the City; g) promote the use of historic districts and landmarks for the education; pleasure and welfare of the people of the City.
  • Plan Commission – It is the function and duty of the Plan Commission to make and adopt a master plan for the physical development of the municipality. The commission makes reports and recommendations to the Common Council related to the plan and physical development of the city and on the location and architectural design of public buildings and other public projects. The commission also reviews and makes recommendations on any sale or lease of land, rezoning requests, annexations of land, subdivision plats and ordinance text amendments. The Plan Commission has final approval authority on land divisions (certified survey maps), conditional use requests and appeals of certain Urban Design Commission decisions.
  • Urban Design Commission – Madison General Ordinance Sec. 33.24 – To assure the highest quality of design for all public and private projects in the city; protect and improve the general appearance of all buildings, structures, landscaping and open areas in the city; encourage the protection of economic values and proper use of properties; encourage and promote a high quality in the design of new buildings, developments, remodeling and additions so as to maintain and improve the established standards of property values within the city; foster civic pride in the beauty and nobler assets of the city and, in all other ways possible, assure a functionally efficient and visually attractive city in the future.
  • Zoning Board of Appeals – Hears and decides appeals where it is alleged there is error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the Zoning Administrator in the enforcement of the ordinance; hears and acts upon applications for variances from the terms provided in the ordinance in the manner prescribed by and subject to the standards established; hears and acts upon all other matters referred to it upon which it is required to act under the ordinance. NOTE: MAYOR APPOINTS CHAIR.

City of Middleton

  • Building Committee
  • Landmarks Commission – The Landmarks Commission recommends ways to safeguard the city’s historic and cultural heritage, as embodied and reflected in its landmarks and historic districts. The commission consists of seven citizens.
  • Plan Commission – The Planning Commission oversees the physical development of the city, ensuring orderly development and expansion consistent with the comprehensive plan. The commission consists of four citizens with three year terms, the mayor, the chair of the Park, Recreation and Forestry Commission, and one alderperson with a one year term.
  • Zoning Board of Appeals – The Zoning Board of Appeals is responsible for hearing all requests for zoning variances and appeals of administrative interpretations. Applicants should allow four to six weeks for the ZBA to act on their application.

City of Monona

  • Facilities Committee – To provide the City of Monona with project oversight from inception to completion. To provide support to the City Committees and City Departments involved in Facility related projects.
    Use design and construction experience to ensure that the design construction documents and the facility construction meet the highest quality for a reasonable cost within a reasonable timeframe.
    Follow projects from pre-design through schematic design, construction document preparation, bidding, construction, project closeout and the 1-year warranty inspection.
    Review projects for energy efficiency standards and maintenance cost control.
    Review the design in process to ensure that program requirements are being met, budget is being maintained and constructability issues are identified and resolved. Provide regular detailed reports on projects status to committees and departments.
  • Landmarks Commission – The Landmarks Commission reviews all potential landmark sites that exemplify or reflect the broad cultural, political, economic or social history of the nation, state or community, and are identified with historic persons or with important events in national, state or local history.
  • Plan Commission – The commission wrote a Comprehensive Plan for the City of Monona, which the City Council adopted in April of 2004. The Comprehensive Plan includes elements on housing, transportation, utilities and community facilities, natural and cultural resources, economic development, intergovernmental cooperation, land use, and plan implementation. An updated Comprehensive Plan will be adopted in early 2016 which will replace the 2004 Plan in its entirety.
    The commission also reviews applications for zoning permits for all districts except the single-family residence district and the two-family residence district. The commission shall grant or deny such applications, and shall direct the zoning administrator to issue or refuse to issue zoning permits under the city’s Zoning Code.
  • Zoning Board of Appeals – The Zoning Board of Appeals assists the zoning administrator in making interpretations; hears appeals for any person that is aggrieved by a decision of the zoning administrator and passes judgement on that appeal; and approves alternate methods of construction and materials.
    Most people applying to the Zoning Board of Appeals are requesting an “area variance” to such zoning setback restrictions as side yards, shore yards, street yards, etc. The ZBA has very narrow and limited authority to grant such variances. To obtain a variance, the applicant must show: A. That the granting of the variance will not be contrary to the public interest; and B. Special circumstances exist which would cause “unnecessary hardship” if the zoning code were to be strictly enforced.
    The Zoning Board of Appeals also reviews Conditional Use Permit applications in the single-family and two-family zoning districts.

City of Stoughton

City of Sun Prairie

City of Verona

Towns and Villages info coming soon