Town Board Enacts Comprehensive Plan Ordinance

Last night, the Board of Supervisors of the Town of Beloit adopted the Town of Beloit Comprehensive Plan (2009 - 2030) by Ordinance. From here on, the new Plan will be the "guidebook" for the Town to use when evaluating new ordinances, town priorities, projects, development, redevelopment, road improvements, public facilities, utilities, parks, open spaces, trails, and more. The Plan document can be found at the Town's Smart Growth Website.

With the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan Ordinance, this blog will likely stop being updated, at least for the time being. Please refer to the Town website or Town Hall for more information on the Comprehensive Plan. Thank you all so much for your guidance, support, input, and commitment throughout the process.

Plan Commission Recommends Approval; Town Board to Adopt Comprehensive Plan Ordinance July 6

On May 20, the Plan Commission held its public hearing and authorized a resolution to recommend Town Board adoption of the Comprehensive Plan. The final step in the planning process is to hold a public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan Ordinance, which will take place before the Town Board on Monday, July 6, 2009 at 7 p.m. at Beloit Town Hall. The completed draft of the plan itself can be reviewed before the meeting in many places:

• Beloit Town Hall – 2871 S. Afton Road (M-F 8 am – 4:30 pm)
• Beloit Public Library – 605 Eclipse Boulevard, Beloit WI (M – Th 9:30 am – 9 pm, F-Sat 9:30 am – 5:30 pm)
• http://sites.google.com/site/townofbeloitsmartgrowth/Home/documents-and-drafts

Thank you all, again, for your participation in this process.

Now it's your turn

Alright folks, you've been very helpful as we've been working on this plan over the past year, and now we have two more HUGE favors to ask:

1. Please attend the Plan Commission public hearing on May 20 @ 6 pm to review and comment on the Draft Plan.
2. The Draft Plan needs help! There are lots of words and some helpful maps, but it still lacks that "personal touch" that only you can provide. So we're asking you to take a photograph of something you LOVE about your Town - could be a business, person, house, park, the River, whatever you like. Once you've got that photo taken, e-mail it to me at rgarcia@rhbatterman.com and I will put it into the plan. If you can't send a digital pic, let me know and I'll take care of it!

Thanks everyone, for all of your help throughout the process. hope to see you next week.

Planners Want Input on Town of Beloit Smart Growth Plan May 20

Just a reminder - the Plan Commission will conduct a special meeting next Wednesday to review the Draft Comprehensive Plan and possibly refer it to the Town Board for adoption. Come on out!

Wednesday,May 20 at 6 pm, the draft of the Town's Comprehensive Plan, commonly referred to as a “Smart Growth” plan, will be presented for public hearing before the Town Plan Commission and, if approved by the Plan Commission, recommended to the Town Board for adoption. Through a series of public participation activities, this Plan has been in development over the past several years. Drawing heavily on community input received throughout the process, the Comprehensive Plan establishes goals, policies, and recommended actions related to future land use, transportation, economic development, housing, natural resource preservation, community facilities, and intergovernmental relations in the Town. The public hearing represents the final step before the plan is officially adopted, and therefore is one of the last opportunities for public input on the “draft” plan. All interested community members are encouraged to participate in this event.

A copy of the draft is available at the Town Hall, The Beloit Public Library, and online at the Town's Smart Growth Page (http://sites.google.com/site/townofbeloitsmartgrowth/Home).
Details on the Public Hearing:Wednesday, May 20 @ 6 p.mBeloit Town Hall
2871 S. Afton Road, Beloit WI

More information can be attained by visiting the Town’s “Smart Growth Blog” at http://beloitsmartgrowth.blogspot.com or by contacting the Town Hall (608.364.2980).

Public Hearing on Draft Plan Scheduled for May 20, 6 p.m.

The Plan Commission has scheduled the public hearing for the Town's Smart Growth Plan. The public hearing will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20 at the Town of Beloit Town Hall, 2871 Afton Road. At this meeting, Batterman's planners will present the completed plan and maps for discussion and (if all goes well) adoption. Keep an eye on the Town's Smart Growth website for updated drafts of the Plan (we're posting updates almost every day) so that you're familiar with the content of the Plan. Thanks to the Plan Commission and the many members of the community that have taken an interest in this very important process!

Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation and Parks Plan Adopted by Town Board

After several months of great discussion, input, and consideration, the Town Board voted to adopt the Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation and Parks Plan, 2009 - 2014 last night. This Plan establishes the Town's goals, addresses its needs, and recommends its actions as related to parks and open space planning in the future. Importantly, the Plan also satisfies the State's requirements for becoming eligible for Grant assistance for Town park and open space projects. Thanks especially to the Parks Committee, Plan Commission, and many members of the public who attended meetings and provided many of the good ideas found in the Plan.

The "Park Plan" can be found at the Town's Smart Growth website. While you're there, you can also check out the latest draft of the Comprehensive Plan, which is progressing towards completion, as well. The Plan Commission will meet this Wednesday and schedule the Public Hearing for the Comprehensive Plan, so please check back for that update.

Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation and Parks Plan to Be Presented to Parks Board Wed., March 18

Next Wednesday,March 18, the draft of the Town's Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation and Parks Plan will be discussed at a meeting of the Town Parks Committee and, if approved by the Parks Committee, recommended to the Town Board for adoption. This Plan has been in development concurrently with the Comprehensive Plan, but it is a separate document and plan. It establishes goals and recommendations specifically for parks and recreation in the Town, and is required for the Town to compete for parks, open space, recreation, and trail grants. The draft is available at the Town Hall, The Beloit Library, and online at the Town's Smart Growth Page. Details on he Meeting:

Wednesday, March 18 @ 5 p.m
McKearn Park Shelter (At Park Street and Hart Road)

Full Steam Ahead on Draft Plan

Following an outstanding meeting last night with an excellent turnout, we're shifting our attention to developing the Comprehensive Plan document and final plan maps. The draft plan will be presented at a public hearing in April (tentatively scheduled for April 15 @ 4:15 p.m.), but I encourage you all to keep an eye on the Town's Smart Growth Website, where we'll post updated drafts as they become available.

Back to last night's meeting: thanks to everyone (we had about 50 participants, at my rough estimation) for coming out, providing your comments and suggestions, and generally taking interest and ownership in this process and plan. Your commitment and effort will directly lead to a better, more meaningful, and more useful Town Plan. I encourage you all to remain active and involved in the Plan as we move towards adoption and through implementation of the tasks and policies outlined in it.

A final note: we've changed the settings on the blog so you shouldn't have to register any longer if you want to comment. It should be noted that "anonymous" comments will not be as useful to the plan commission in its decision-making as those from identified Town property owners and residents.

Thanks again everyone. Stay tuned and we'll see you in April!

Final Recommendations Workshop 2/11 @ 4:15 p.m.

After several very productive meetings over the past several years, The Plan Commission will be hosting the final "workshop" on the Comprehensive Smart Growth Plan before the final plan is prepared for a public hearing. This meeting, as part of the commission's regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday February 11th at 4:15, will focus on recommendations for agricultural, natural and cultural resources, housing, implementation, and land use. This session will include a first draft of the Town's future land use map, which, once adopted, would be the guiding land use vision for the Town and the first binding reference the Town would use in considering new development, zoning changes, and more. So, this meeting is an important one and we hope to see plenty of interested faces on the 11th! Keep an eye on the website for up to date documents, maps, documents, and more!

Smart Growth Recommendations Workshop
Wednesday, February 11 – 4:15 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Beloit Town Hall
2871 South Afton Road (County Road D)

First Recommendations Workshop Complete, See you in February!

The Plan Commission reviewed and provided insight on the Comprehensive Plan's recommendations for several elements on January 14, including transportation, parks, and economic development. Materials from this session, and previous work, can be found at the Town's Smart Growth Website. The next session will be on February 11 at 4:15 pm - we hope to see you there. At that session we will be discussing the final recommendations as related to the Town's Land Use Plan, as well as Housing, Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources, and Plan Implementation. Stay tuned to the website for documents, drafts, and other information as the plan continues to take shape.

Recommendations Workshop Next Week

As part of its Smart Growth Comprehensive Planning process, the Town of Beloit is inviting people who live, work, play, rent, or own property in the Town to join in a focused presentation and discussion on recommended actions, policies, and programs that the community will pursue with respect to its Comprehensive “Smart Growth” Plan. The meeting, to be held on Wednesday, January 14 at the Beloit Town Hall, is to be hosted by the Town Plan Commission and will be facilitated by professional planners from R.H. Batterman & Company, a Town of Beloit-based Surveying, Engineering, and Planning firm since 1917. Over the course of several meetings, the Town has come together to focus on important long-range issues such parks, transportation, and economic development, and will illustrate and discuss strategies for addressing these issues at the January 14 meeting. All members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend and participate. The details:
Smart Growth Recommendations Workshop
Wednesday, January 14 – 5:15 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Beloit Town Hall
2871 South Afton Road (County Road D)