Comprehensive plan a step to the next 20 years

Doug Olson, Lake Holcombe Town Board supervisor, goes over what creating a comprehensive plan would entail, during a meeting Aug. 11. Many of the town’s residents requested the board look into the matter, to see if it is a viable option for determining the future of the township.Photo by Ginna Young

By Ginna Young

What do you want to see happen with the Town of Lake Holcombe? That’s a question the town board wants to answer, with the matter discussed at a regular meeting Aug. 11.

Prior to that, several residents brought up looking at adopting a comprehensive plan. Before that can be explored, however, there are some misconceptions on what a comprehensive plan is, that board supervisor Doug Olson wants to clear up.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Administration, a comprehensive plan is a local government’s guide to a community’s physical, social and economic development.

“Comprehensive plans are not meant to serve as land use regulation,” said Olson.

The comprehensive plan is for land use decisions, with a 20-year vision of where those decisions want to go. The town, according to state statutes, must include issues and opportunities, housing, transportation, utilities and community facilities, agricultural, natural and cultural resources, economic development, intergovernmental cooperation, land use and implementation.

“There are lots of components,” said Olson. This is not something the town can, or should, do, on their own, so they sought a proposal from the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (WCWRPC), to get the ball rolling and walk them through the process.

Something the plan may cover, are parks, recycling centers, power generation plants and housing developments.

“One of the things we’ve talked about for several years, is getting natural gas here,” said Olson.

“A lot of these issues, we are addressing as we go along,” said board supervisor David Staudacher.

Olson says that is true, but they have nothing to refer back to as a concrete plan. Other proposals to regulate things have been put forth in the past by a group or two, but Olson said that’s a shotgun approach.

“A comprehensive plan would address all those things, and allow the entire township residents to weigh in and put all the pieces together,” he said.

To start, the WCWRPC would send out a survey to all the town’s residents, asking their opinion on land use, then would facilitate an open house public hearing for the draft plan. They would also host seven meetings of about two hours in length each time, but the town isn’t limited to that and could have more meetings, if they feel it’s necessary.

The WCWRPC also conducts data collection of background information. The plan does not address things that are already addressed elsewhere, such as the ATV/UTV recreation routes/regulations set down by the county.

All of that is expected to be completed within 14 months, for a cost of $25,000, which the town would be invoiced for, upon approval. That does not include any advertising or public notices, mailings or copies of adopted documents.

Olson says the WCWRPC has done comprehensive plans many times, so it would be a pretty standard procedure. He also referenced the plan of a township of similar size in the state, that he wouldn’t mind “borrowing” ideas from.

“We would do a similar thing, geared to our area,” said Olson.

Olson did point out, again, that a comprehensive plan is not zoning and that would have to be brought before the entire township, if that is the way they wanted to go.

“You can provide some ordinances to control some things,” said Olson.

The first step is to create a Planning Committee, made of seven community members. Board chairman Brian Guthman says before the town can commit, they have to make sure those seven people will follow through with attending the meetings or the money will be down the drain. If the seven are committed, Guthman is all for moving forward.

“I’d think we need to take a real hard look at it,” said Guthman.

Anyone who wishes to join the Planning Committee or wants more information, can contact Olson, at 715-379-0415, or supervisor1@townoflakeholcombe.com.

The town is looking for residents such as business owners and association members, to come together to build an all-encompassing plan. “That’s what makes things work,” said Staudacher.