Abby to hold public hearing on comp plan

By Kevin O’Brien

The city of Abbotsford is getting closer to updating its comprehensive plan for the first time since it was adopted 20 years ago.

Members of the city’s planning commission spent about two hours last Wednesday going over a rough draft of the updated plan that was about 75 percent complete as of last week, according to Chris Straight, senior planner at the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (WCWRPC).

After receiving a $14,455 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in 2024, the city hired WCWRPC to guide elected officials through the process of updating the plan. As a requirement of the CDBG, the city will hold a public hearing on Monday, May 5, at 5:45 p.m., to provide updates on the plan and take feedback from city residents.

Straight said the next step will be to hold an open house in June to give residents and others a chance to see a completed draft of the updated plan before it goes to the planning commission and city council for approval, which is likely to happen in July.

Since the updating process began last year, topics that have generated the most conversation include the future of rail service in Abbotsford and the need for more affordable housing in the city.

The updated comprehensive plan will include a future land use map that indicates what city officials would like to see happen in various parts of the city. Under state law, future zoning decisions must comply with the plan and the map.