Comprehensive Planning Public Participation Plan

PURPOSE

In accordance with Wisconsin State Statute 66.1001 (4)(a)"
" 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 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 procedure shall describe the method 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 person may extract metallic mineral resources in or on property, in which the allowable use or intensity of use of the property is changed by the comprehensive plan."

PLAN COMMISSION AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The Board of the Town of Garfield has designated the Town of Garfield Plan Commission to develop and review the comprehensive plan. The Plan Commission will adopt the plan by resolution and petition the Town Board to adopt the plan by resolution.

All meeting of the Town of Garfield Plan Commission will be posted in advance and open to the public in accordance with Wisconsin law. The agenda shall provide for comments from the general public.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION METHODS

• Plan Commission Meetings: The Town of Garfield Plan Commission will develop the Comprehensive Plan. The Plan Commission may invite key citizens for specific issues and not require them to remain active members throughout the process. The planning consultant, Stevens Engineers, facilitates the meetings, provides background research, and writes the documents. The Plan Commission decides what is included in the plan and approves the contents of the final document with ultimate adoption authority lying with the Town Board. All Plan Commission meetings are open to the public.
  
  
• Open Houses / Public Comment Meetings: In addition to participating in the regular meetings to develop the plan, the public will be invited to attend open houses or public comment meetings at key points in the planning process. At these meetings a brief summary of the plan to date will be given and the public will be given an opportunity to comment on the plan. These meetings may take place at a regular Town Plan Commission or Town Board Meeting.
  
  
• Written Comment: The public is invited to provide written comments for the development of the comprehensive plan. The Plan Commission will accept written comments submitted to the Town Clerk. The Clerk will record the transmittal and forward copies of the comments to the Plan Commission for consideration.
      
  
• Public Hearing: A public hearing will be held in accordance with s. 66.1001(4)(d) prior to the Town Board adopting the Comprehensive Plan.
  
  
• Community Survey: The Town will mail out a survey to all residents and/or property owners in the municipality or a statistically valid sample of them. Residents and/or property owners will be asked a series of questions to determine their values, preferences, and opinions about the Town of Garfield. The Plan Commission will consider the survey results to develop the plan.
  
  
• Newsletter: A periodic newsletter will be distributed by local officials.
  
  
• Newspaper: The Town of Garfield will send a press release to the area newspaper announcing all meetings of the Plan Commission and meetings for public comment. In addition, the Town will periodically send a press release out on the progress of the plan. The local media will be encouraged to attend and report on what takes place during the comprehensive planning process.
  
  
• Web site: The Town of Garfield is in the process of developing a web site. Upon completion of the web site, completed elements of the draft comprehensive plan will be posted for public review and comment.
  

PUBLIC ACCESS AND PUBLIC COMMENT ON DRAFT DOCUMENT

Wisconsin's open records law will be complied with in all cases. During the preparation of the comprehensive plan, a copy of the draft plan will be kept on file at the Town Hall and will be available for public inspection during normal office hours. The public is encouraged to submit written comments on the plan or any amendments of the plan. Written comments should be addressed tot he Town Clerk who will record the transmittal and forward copies of the comments to the Plan Commission or Town Board for consideration.

The Town Board shall respond to written comments either individually or collectively by type of comments. Town Board responses may be in the form of written or oral communications, or by a written summary of the Town's disposition of the comments on the comprehensive plan.

PLAN COMMISSION ADOPTION OF PLAN BY RESOLUTION

The Town of Garfield Plan Commission may recommend the adoption or amendment of the comprehensive plan only by the adoption of a resolution by a majority vote of the entire Commission at a regularly scheduled and publicly noticed meeting of the Plan Commission in accordance will s. 66.1001 (4)(b). The vote shall be recorded in the official minutes of the Plan Commission. The resolution shall refer to maps and other descriptive materials that relate to one or more elements of the Comprehensive Plan.

DISTRIBUTION OF THE RECCOMMENDED AND ADOPTED PLANS

In accordance with s. 66.1001 (4), Procedures for Adopting Comprehensive Plans, one copy of the recommended and adopted plan amendment shall be sent to the following:

• Every governmental body that is located in whole or in part within the boundaries of the local governmental unit;
  
• Every local governmental unit that is adjacent to the local governmental unit which is the subject of the plan;
• The Wisconsin Land Council;
• The Wisconsin Department of Administration;
• The West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission; and
• The public library that serves the Town of Garfield.
  

ADOPTION OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BY TOWN BOARD

After adoption of a resolution by the Town of Garfield Plan Commission the Town Board will adopt the Comprehensive Plan by ordinance only after holding at least one public hearing at which the ordinance relating to the Comprehensive Plan is discussed. A majority vote of the members-elect is necessary for adoption. The hearing will be preceded by a Class I notice under ch. 985 that is published at least 30 days before the hearing is held. The Class I notice shall contain at least the following information:

• The date, time, and place of the hearing;
  
• A summary, which may include a map, of the proposed Comprehensive Plan;
• The name of an individual employed by the Town of Garfield who may provide additional information regarding the proposed ordinance; and
• Information relating to where and when the proposed comprehensive plan may be inspected before the hearing, and how a copy of the plan may be obtained.
  

Upon the day of publication of the public hearing notice, copies of the plan will be made available for public review at the nearest local library of the community and at the Garfield Town Hall. Written comments on the plan from members of the public will be accepted by the Town Board at any time prior to the public hearing and at the public hearing.

ADDITIONAL STEPS FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

The Town of Garfield reserves the right to execute additional steps, means, or methods in order to gain additional public participation and/or additional understanding of the Comprehensive Plan and the process of its development and adoption. The optional steps may include, but are not limited to, informational memos, postcards, letters, posters, fliers, or web sites.

STATE STATUTES

Where there is a conflict with these written procedures and provisions of s. 66.1001 (4), Procedures for Adopting a Comprehensive Plan, the state statute shall apply.

AMMENDMENTS

The Town Board may amend these procedures.

Privacy Statement