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PLAN COMMISSION STAFF REPORT SEPTEMBER 4,2018
ITEM V: PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING
ADOPTION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE 2040
ACTION REQUESTED/BACKGROUND
Staff is requesting approval of a resolution recommending adoption by the Common Council of an
update to its current comprehensive plan proposed as the City of Oshkosh Comprehensive Plan
Update 2040. The draft plan update was prepared by the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning
Commission in consultation with city staff and an advisory group comprised mainly of members of
the City's Plan Commission over auapproximate 2year period.
The draft 2040 Plan is considered an"update" to the existing 2005-2025 Comprehensive Plan which
has involved evaluating and updating data (especially as it relates to census data from 2000 to 2010),
goals and objectives of that plan to assess its relevance 10 years later and what goals could be dropped
off and what new ones need tohcadded towork onfor the next l0years. The endeavor undertaken
todevelop this draft plan update was less comprehensive than the work put into developing the 2005
Plan. Development of that plan involved creation of 7 separate subcommittees of various
stakeholders for 7 of the 9 elements of the plan and having multiple meetings over a three year period
and then approving that work through uuoverall update committee.
The 2005 Plan was updated as a response to passage of the state's Comprehensive Planning Law
commonly referred to as the "Smart Growth Law" passed as part of the 1999-2001 biennial budget.
The Smart Growth Law defines what acomprehensive plan is and prescribes the minimum 9 elements
that aplan must contain. There ianmlimitation ashoadding other types ofelements which can be
tailored to any particular community's needs and some other community's comprehensive plans have
included other elements such aeurban design, downtown plans, and neighborhoods.
It is important to have auupdated and ze{utbrelv current comprehensive plan due tothe planning
law's requirement that certain actions a community engages in must be consistent with the
comprehensive plan or there is a risk of litigation and potentially reversal of those actions. The actions
that alocal government should beconsistent with per the statute are:
a. Official Mapping, which includes streets, parks, shorozvvater basins.
b. Local Subdivision Regulations
c. County Zoning Ordinances
d. City and Village Zoning Ordinances
m. Town Zoning Ordinances
f. Zoning ofobore}uodsorwetlands.
Atthe city planning level, we measure actions for consistency most frequently with the zoning
ordinance and particularly with actions relating to how a property is used and zoned. One ofthe first
things staff looks at when a property is requested to be rezoned or annexed into the city is how it is
classified on the land use map (e.g. commercial, residential, industrial). Ifaproposed use isn't
consistent, the Comprehensive Plan's Land Use Map staff can't support the request and will request
that itbedenied orwill work topotentially amend the plan, which ianot uncommon.
Another area where staff will also frequently look to the Comprehensive Plan is when developing
actual zoning regulations. Commonly, when Comprehensive Plan ieupdated, a comprehensive
update tothe zoning ordinance follows. luthe city's case weare operating under urelatively new
zoning ordbnancethat has been effective aaofJanuary ], 2Ol7. Ibecefore, u majorupdate won't be
commenced until the next mjorupdateiacondochedbntbcCooupzebenaiveP|ao. Bovvover, staffis
also constantly reviewing the effectiveness of the zoning ordinance and frequently initiates updates
and consults the comprehensive plan as needed to refine those regulations.
It is important to nnderstaud that the comprehensive plan is not u utzohsgio plan. A cooq?zcbeuoive
plan looks out 20-30 years and strategic plans are generally shorter(5 years) and are developed to
beho implement the n6iectkreaofacomprehensive plan. Comprehensive Plans are generally more
general and broad in nature while strategic plans are more specific and oftentimes more prescriptive.
For example, the Housing Element ofthe Comprehensive Plan ianot acomprehensive market study
oranalysis,however, the Housing Element helps ioproviding direction and information for those
types ofstudies. When developing strategic plans, staff consults and measures those plans for
consistency with the Comprehensive Plan and often includes those strategic plans by reference or
addendum into the Comprehensive Plan. Plans such aothe Pedestrian and Bicycle Circle Plan, the
annual Capital Improvements Program(CIP) and the Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan,
among others are measured for consistency with the Comprehensive Plan.
The draft Comprehensive Plan Update 2O4OUpdate does not outright rcp|acetbe2U05 Plan. The
Comprehensive Plan Update 2040 simply updates the 2005 Plan and moves the 05 Plan into more ofa
supplementary role.
ANALYSIS
The draft Comprehensive Plan Update contains all the required elements per State Statute. Those
nine elements include Issues and Opportunities, Transportation, Land Use,Housing, Economic
Development, Utilities and Community Facilities, Intergovernmental, Agricultural, Natural &
Cultural Resources, and Implementation.
The document itself is in relatively the same format as the 05 Plan with the exception that goals were
inserted as a table after the introduction to each element allowing the reader to understand what the
City's goals are then followed by some of the information that lead to the developmentotthegua|e.
The Goals, Objectives, and Actions table at the end of each element have been updated and each
action has a corresponding letter (T=Transportation, LU=Land Use, etc.) and number to more easily
track. Where possible, unumber ofgoals and actions have been added from the City's Strategic Plan
with the Housing Element reflecting those the most due tothe Strategic Plan's priority of
Neighborhoods and Housing.
The Land Use Element also saw some significant changes with the land use table and corresponding
map seeing the most changes. The O5Plan had seven main types ofland uses and the 2O4OPlan now
has I4different categories and subcategories. Additionally, corresponding current comparable
zoning districts byland use have been included toallow the user tnunderstand what the most
appropriate zoning district isby land use.
Residential has been split from one category to four categories with the main change being a
differentiation between Medium and High Density Residential(12-36 dwelling units per acre) and
ITEM v-Comp Plan Update zmm 2
that of Low Density 2-10 dwelling units per acre). Commercial has been split into three categories
with Interstate (generally the frontage roads), general commercial, and neighborhood commercial.
The new (January 1, 2017)Zoning Ordinance has a heavy emphasis on "mixed-use" and the
Comprehensive Plan will now have a mixed use category to reflect the five (NMU, SMU, UMU, CMU,
and RMU) mixed use zoning districts that are currently in the zoning ordinance. In being consistent
with the recently adopted "Imagine Oshkosh" plan, the land use map includes a"Center City"
category to reflect the special character and mixed use nature of the broader downtown and center
city area.
In developing the land use maps, aerial photography and existing land use maps were used to
analyze the development patterns as was the 05 land use map. Additionally, as the land use maps
cover the City's extraterritorial growth area, careful consideration was given to the adjacent towns'
respective Comprehensive Plans and effort was made mesh the City/Town land uses as best as
possible given the sometimes competing land use demands. During an Intergoverhmental Element
meeting where the adjacent towns were invited, most expressed gratitude that such an effort was
made. Staff also attended special meetings to discuss the proposed land use map at the Town of Black
Wolf and Town of Vinland.
Once adopted by Ordinance, the Comprehensive Plan will be sent to all of the following:
• Every governmental body that is located in whole or in part within the boundaries of the City
of Oshkosh
• Clerks of every local governmental unit that is adjacent to the City of Oshkosh
• Wisconsin Land Council
• East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
• Oshkosh Public Library
The Comprehensive Plan is a living document and while it used to provide some general direction it is
also constantly evolving based on organic changes that happen in the community. This document will
provide the community direction for approximately the next 10 years and over that time period will
likely be amended several times because it can't possibly cover every situation and scenario. This
plan will result in the development of other more specific and strategic plans which will be measured
for consistency with the Plan.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Plan Commission approve the resolution recommending the Council to adopt
the Comprehensive Plan 2040 Update.
ITEM V-Comp Plan Update 2040 3
RESOLUTION NO. 18-01
A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE UPDATE TO THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF THE CITY OF OSHKOSH,WISCONSIN
WHEREAS,pursuant to section 62.23 (2) and (3) of the Wisconsin Statutes,the City of Oshkosh is authorized to
prepare and adopt a comprehensive plan as defined in sections 66.1001(1)(a) and 66.1001(2) of the Wisconsin
Statutes; and
WHEREAS,according to the general purposes set forth in section 66.1001 of the Wisconsin Statutes,the Common
Council adopted said Comprehensive Plan for the City of Oshkosh,Wisconsin in March, 2005; and
WHEREAS, section 66.1001, of the Wisconsin Statutes provides that a comprehensive plan shall be updated no
less than once every 10 years, and
WHEREAS, the Plan Commission has prepared an update to the 2005 plan, titled the City of Oshkosh
Comprehensive Plan Update 2040 and
WHEREAS, the Plan Commission finds that the City of Oshkosh Comprehensive Plan Update 2040, contains all the
required elements specified in Section 66.1001(2) of the Wisconsin Statutes; and
WHEREAS, the City has duly noticed and held a public hearing on the draft plan, following the procedures in
Section 66.1001(4)(d) of the Wisconsin Statutes.
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED,that pursuant to Section 66.1001(4)(b) of the Wisconsin Statutes, the
City of Oshkosh Plan Commission hereby approves the City of Oshkosh Comprehensive Plan Update 2040.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Plan Commission does hereby recommend that the Common Council
enact an Ordinance adopting the City of Oshkosh Comprehensive Plan Update 2040,
Adopted this—day of 2018
Ayes—Nays—Absent
Plan Commission Chair
Vice-Chair of the Plan Commission