In 1999, Governor Thompson signed into law what is referred to as the "Smart Growth" legislation (Section 66.1001 of the Wisconsin Statutes). All local governments (cities, towns, and villages) and the County are required to adopt a comprehensive plan by January 1, 2010 in order to enforce zoning, subdivision and official mapping ordinances. These ordinances must be consistent with the adopted comprehensive plan by January 1, 2010. The plan, at minimum, will contain specific information addressing nine comprehensive planning elements:
issues and opportunities; housing; transportation; economic development; utilities and community facilities;	agricultural, natural and cultural resources; land use; intergovernmental cooperation; and implementation.
In Racine County, all eighteen local communities are working cooperatively with the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC), County Planning and Development, and UW-Extension to create a County multi-jurisdictional comprehensive plan.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008: Housing Work Group Meeting

Thursday, May 15, 2008: Racine County MJAC Meeting

Tentative Timeline for Racine County Comprehensive Plan

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All draft chapters are subject to revisions.

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The Racine County Multi-Jurisdictional Advisory Committee (MJAC) consists of at least one representative from each of the eighteen participating local communities, as well as a member of the Racine County Economic Development and Land Use Committee.

The purpose of the MJAC is to oversee activities necessary to develop and implement a comprehensive plan as defined in Section 66.1001, Wis. Stats. Responsibilities include:

• Act as a liaison between individual communities and the joint planning process.
• Oversee the development of the plan chapters and maintain timeliness of major planning milestones.
• Assist with the implementation of the public participation plan.
• Develop the nine required elements of the comprehensive plan.

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The Racine County MJAC typically meets on the third Thursday of every month at the Ives Groves Office Complex Auditorium (14200 Washington Avenue, Sturtevant), from 6:30 – 8:30 PM.  Members of the public are welcome to attend and offer comments.  However, meetings are subject to change, so please confirm dates and times with the Racine County Planning & Development Department: (262) 886-8470.

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Since Fall 2007, the Comprehensive Planning Team has been meeting with each local government to review and update, as necessary, their land use maps to the year 2035. Of Racine County's eighteen communities, seventeen had previously adopted land use plans or maps. The following maps have received endorsement for use in the multi-jurisdictional comprehensive plan. When these meetings are complete, the maps will be consolidated to create the countywide 2035 land use map.

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The public participation plan for the Racine County comprehensive plan is intended to actively involve residents, business owners and other stakeholders in the planning process. At the foundation of the comprehensive plan is the question: "What do you want your community to be?" Recognizing that the people who live, work and play in a community should have input in how that community develops, Wisconsin’s “Smart Growth” Law, Statute 66.1001(4)(a), mandates:

The governing body of a local governmental unit shall adopt written procedures that are designed to foster public participation, including open discussion, communication programs, information services and public meetings for which advance notice has been provided, in every stage of the preparation of a comprehensive plan. The written procedures shall provide for wide distribution of proposed, alternative or amended elements of a comprehensive plan and shall provide an opportunity for written comments on the plan to be submitted by members of the public to the governing body and for the governing body to respond to such written comments.  The written procedures shall describe the methods the governing body of a local governmental unit will use to distribute proposed, alternative, or amended elements of a comprehensive plan to owners of property, or to persons who have a leasehold interest in property pursuant to which the persons may extract nonmetallic mineral resources in or on property, in which the allowable use or intensity of use of the property is changed by the comprehensive plan.

Racine County Public Participation Plan | Summary Sheet

Some of the efforts to obtain public participation with the comprehensive plan have included:

Public Informational Open House Meetings: September - November 2007

From September through November 2007, four public informational open house meetings were conducted in order to provide interested residents with information about the comprehensive planning process and the completed draft chapters of the plan, as well as to gather input about the issues facing the County through a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats identification exercise.

Public Informational Meeting Presentation

SWOT Analyses Report

Racine County Fair Smart Growth Information Booth: July 2007

The Smart Growth Team and several members of the MJAC provided information at the Racine County Fair. Maps, fact sheets and newsletters were on display, and several fair-goers stopped to learn more about the comprehensive plan, to get an update on the plan's progress, and to share their ideas and concerns about future development in the County.

Given the level of community interest, the Smart Growth Team plans to have an informational table at the Fair in 2008.

Comprehensive Plan Public Opinion Survey : Spring 2007

In May 2007, a countywide public opinion survey was conducted in an effort to collect widespread input for the comprehensive plan. The survey was designed by the MJAC, with assistance from SEWRPC and UW-Extension, to address the nine planning elements required by State law, including residents' opinions about housing, economic development, transportation, and land use. Results from the survey will be used to guide the development of the Issues & Opportunities Element of the multi-jurisdictional comprehensive plan.

Public Opinion Survey Report

Public Opinion Survey Results | Presentation | Fact Sheet

Public Opinion Survey

Noting the over-representation of older adults in the survey sample and the under-representation of the City of Racine, County Board Supervisor and MJAC member Ken Hall requested additional analysis of the survey results by age group and a comparison of the City of Racine results with the countywide results. This was completed in April 2008: Summary | Survey Data by Age Group | Survey Data by City of Racine and Racine County

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Racine County Tomorrow, Issue 5 (Spring 2008)

Racine County Tomorrow, Issue 4 (Winter 2008)

Racine County Tomorrow, Issue 2 (Summer 2007)

Racine County Tomorrow, Issue 1 (Spring 2007)

If you would like to be added to the Racine County Tomorrow e-mail list, please contact the Community Planning Educator.

• Comprehensive Planning Legislation (Section 66.1001 of the Wisconsin Statutes)
• Comprehensive Planning and Smart Growth Law Frequently Asked Questions (from the UW-Extension Local Government Center)
• Center for Land Use Education
• American Planning Association
• Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC)
• Racine County Planning & Development
• Wisconsin Department of Administration

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Please direct your questions and comments regarding the Racine County Multi-Jurisdictional Comprehensive Plan to:

Kristen Lie, Kenosha/Racine Community Planning Educator
Racine County UW-Extension
14200 Washington Avenue
Sturtevant, WI 53177-1295
Phone: 262-886-8467 | Fax: 262-886-8489 | Email: kristen.lie@ces.uwex.edu