TCG Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan

Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan – 2020

Town of Cottage Grove ......

As Adopted January 21, 2002 As changed on October 7, 2002 by the Town Board based on Correspondence by Ms. Pamela Andros on March 25 and April 23, 2002 and by Ms. Connie Anderson on October 1, 2002

Prepared by:

Mid-America Planning Services, Inc. 621 North Sherman Avenue Madison, Wisconsin 53704-4445 608-244-6277

Comprehensive Plan – 2020

ACKNOWLEDEGMENTS

Town Board ......

Silvin Kurt, Chairman Mike Fonger, Supervisor 1 Steve Anders, Supervisor 2 Sharon Fredenberg, Supervisor 3 Kristopher Hampton, Supervisor 4

Plan Commission ......

Kevin Shelley, Chairman Silvin Kurt Steve Anders Kathleen Christoph Steven Querin-Schultz David Morrow Tom Quesnell

Long Range Plan Committee ......

Bill Nitzke, Chair Kathleen Christoph Kristopher Hampton Silvin Kurt David Muehl Steven Querin-Schultz Kevin Shelley Jeff Smith

Planning Assistance: Mid-America Planning Services, Inc. 621 North Sherman Avenue Madison, WI 53704-4445 608-244-6277 www.maps-inc.com

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents ...... i-1

History of Adoption and Amendment ...... ii-1

A - Introduction About Wisconsin’s Smart Growth Legislation ...... A-1 General Overview ...... A-1 Comprehensive Planning ...... A-1 Purpose of this Plan ...... A-2 Regional Context ...... A-2 Previous Planning Efforts ...... A-2 Planning Horizon ...... A-2 Plan Preparation and Adoption ...... A-3 Community Survey ...... A-3

B- Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations General Overview ...... B-1 Issues and Opportunities ...... B-2 Housing ...... B-7 Traffic and Transportation ...... B-11 Utility and Community Facilities ...... B-14 Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Cultural Resources ...... B-17 Economic Development ...... B-21 Intergovernmental Cooperation ...... B-23 Land Use ...... B-24 Implementation ...... B-30

C - Issues and Opportunities Element Objective of Element ...... C-1 Identification of Issues and Opportunities ...... C-1 Overview ...... C-1 Interviews ...... C-1 Community Survey ...... C-1 Community Meetings ...... C-1 General Overview ...... C-3 Land Use ...... C-3 Environment ...... C-4 Population ...... C-4 Housing ...... C-4 Economy ...... C-5 Town Revenue & Value ...... C-5 Transportation ...... C-5 Public Facilities ...... C-5 Parks ...... C-5 Town Function ...... C-5 Socio-Economic Characteristics ...... C-6 Educational Levels ...... C-6 Age of Residents ...... C-6 Household Income ...... C-7 Population Projections and this Plan ...... C-8 Overview ...... C-8 Department of Administration Population Projections ...... C-8 Historical Population Change ...... C-8 Expected Population Growth ...... C-9 Key Issues and Opportunities ...... C-11 Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations ...... C-11

D - Housing Element General Overview ...... D-1

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin i-1 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Table of Contents

Why Housing? ...... D-1 Background Issues ...... D-1 Objective of Element ...... D-1 Existing Conditions ...... D-2 Types of Housing Units ...... D-2 Occupancy Status ...... D-2 Housing Tenure ...... D-3 Household Size ...... D-3 Age of Housing Stock ...... D-4 Residential Construction ...... D-5 Housing Affordability ...... D-5 Special Housing Needs ...... D-6 Review of Existing Federal and State Housing Programs ...... D-7 Review of Local Efforts ...... D-8 Future Housing Needs ...... D-9 Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations ...... D-10

E - Transportation Element General Overview ...... E-1 Objective of Element ...... E-1 Existing Conditions ...... E-1 Local Road Network ...... E-1 Traffic Conditions ...... E-2 Rustic Roads Designation ...... E-2 Air Transportation ...... E-4 Railroad Facilities ...... E-5 Bicycle / Walking Trails ...... E-5 Special Transit Facilities ...... E-5 Review of Existing Transportation Plans ...... E-5 Translinks 21 ...... E-6 Wisconsin State Highway Plan – 2020 ...... E-7 Wisconsin Bicycle Transportation Plan – 2020 ...... E-7 Midwest Regional Rail System ...... E-7 Wisconsin State Airport System Plan – 2020 ...... E-8 State Recreational Trails Network Plan ...... E-8 Transport 2020 ...... E-8 Programmed Transportation Improvement Projects ...... E-9 State and County Trunk Highways ...... E-9 Airports in State Airport System ...... E-9 Future Transportation Plan ...... E-9 Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations ...... E-10

F - Utilities and Community Facilities Element General Overview ...... F-1 Objective of Element ...... F-1 Review of Existing Facilities and Services ...... F-1 Water and Wastewater Facilities ...... F-1 Stormwater Management Facilities ...... F-2 Solid Waste Disposal / Recycling ...... F-2 Recreation Facilities ...... F-2 Library Services ...... F-4 Police Services ...... F-4 Fire Protection ...... F-5 Emergency Medial Services ...... F-5 Municipal Buildings ...... F-5 Health Care Facilities ...... F-6 Child Care Facilities ...... F-7 Cemeteries ...... F-7 Electrical and Natural Gas Transmission ...... F-7 Telecommunications Facilities and Fiber Optics ...... F-7 Schools ...... F-7 Selected Survey Results ...... F-8

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin i-2 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Table of Contents

Services ...... F-8 Parks and Recreation ...... F-9 Public Facilities Plan ...... F-9 Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations ...... F-10

G - Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Element Objective of Element ...... G-1 Agricultural Resources ...... G-1 Natural Resources ...... G-4 Geology ...... G-4 Metallic and Non-Metallic Resources ...... G-6 Soils ...... G-6 Groundwater ...... G-6 Surface Water and Wetlands ...... G-10 Vegetation ...... G-10 Threatened and Endangered Species ...... G-10 Cultural Resources ...... G-12 Historical Overview ...... G-12 Archaeological Resources ...... G-12 Historic Resources ...... G-13 Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations ...... G-13

H - Economic Development Element Objective of Element ...... H-1 Labor and Economic Characteristics ...... H-1 Labor Force ...... H-1 Economic Base ...... H-2 Review of Economic Development Programs ...... H-5 State Programs ...... H-5 Local Programs ...... H-5 Selected Survey Results ...... H-6 Desirable Businesses and Industries ...... H-7 Assessment of Strengths and Weaknesses ...... H-7 Environmentally Contaminated Sites ...... H-8 Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations ...... H-8

I - Intergovernmental Coordination Element General Overview ...... I-1 Objective of Element ...... I-1 Review of Other Governmental Units ...... I-1 County Government ...... I-1 Cities and Villages ...... I-1 Towns ...... I-2 Regional Planning Commission ...... I-2 School District ...... I-2 Wisconsin Department of Transportation ...... I-2 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources ...... I-2 Intergovernmental Cooperation ...... I-2 Existing or Potential Areas of Intergovernmental Conflict ...... I-3 Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations ...... I-3

J - Land Use Element General Overview ...... J-1 Objective of Element ...... J-1 History of Annexation ...... J-2 Existing Conditions ...... J-2 Current Land Use ...... J-2 Waste Disposal Sites and Contaminated Sites ...... J-6 Land Use Conflicts ...... J-7 Local Real Estate Forces ...... J-7 Future Land Use ...... J-7 Overview ...... J-7

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin i-3 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Table of Contents

Alternative Development Concepts ...... J-7 Land Use Districts ...... J-8 Projections for Acreage Requirements ...... J-13 Future Land Use Plan ...... J-14 Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations ...... J-14

K – Implementation Element Objective of Element ...... K-1 Plan Implementation ...... K-1 Internal Consistency ...... K-4 Plan Monitoring ...... K-4 Plan Amendments ...... K-4 Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations ...... K-5

L- General Provisions Generally ...... L-1 Interpretation ...... L-1 Amendment ...... L-2

Sources ...... iii-1

Appendices ......

A Smart Growth – Local Comprehensive Planning Goals B Public Participation Plan C 2000 Community Survey D Development Concepts Background Report

List of Tables ......

C-1 Educational Attainment of Persons 25 Years and Over; Town of Cottage Grove; Dane County, and Wisconsin: 1990 ...... C-6 C-2 Age of Population: 1980 and 1990 ...... C-6 C-3 Household Income; Town of Cottage Grove, Dane County, and Wisconsin: 1989 ...... C-7 C-4 Median Household Income and Per Capita Income; Town of Cottage Grove, Dane County, and Wisconsin: 1989 ...... C-7 C-5 Department of Administration Population Projections; Town of Cottage Grove and Dane County: 1995 to 2015 ...... C-8 C-6 Population Change; Town of Cottage Grove, Selected Municipalities, Dane County, and Wisconsin: 1990 and 2000 ...... C-9 C-7 Population Projections: 2000 to 2020 ...... C-12

D-1 Housing Units by Type: 1990 ...... D-2 D-2 Occupancy and Vacancy Status: 1990 ...... D-3 D-3 Occupied Housing Units by Tenure: 1990 ...... D-3 D-4 Average Household Size: 1980 and 1990 ...... D-4 D-5 Year of Construction ...... D-4 D-6 Median Year when Constructed: 1990 ...... D-4 D-7 New Residential Construction: 1990 to 2000 ...... D-5 D-8 Housing Costs for Selected Single-Family Detached Homes: 2000 ...... D-5 D-9 Housing Affordability Analysis by Family Size and Income: 2000 ...... D-6 D-10 Special Needs Housing; Town of Cottage Grove and Dane County: 2000 ...... D-7 D-11 Projections for Population, Households, and Housing Units: 2000 to 2020 ...... D-10

E-1 Projected Aviation Operations for Airports in State Airport System in Region: 2000 to 2020 ...... E-4

F-1 Park Areas: 2000 ...... F-2

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin i-4 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Table of Contents

F-2 Selected Types of Health Care Facilities; Dane County: 2000 ...... F-6 F-3 Health Care Professionals Per 10,000 Population; Dane County and Wisconsin: Selected Years ...... F-6 F-4 Child Care Facilities; Village and Town of Cottage Grove: 2000 ...... F-7 F-5 Cemeteries: 2000 ...... F-7 F-6 School Enrollments: 1999/2000 ...... F-7

H-1 Civilian Labor Force and Unemployment; Dane County and Wisconsin: 1992 to 1999 ...... H-1 H-2 Commuting Patterns; Town of Cottage Grove: 1990 ...... H-2 H-3 Employment by Industry; Town of Cottage Grove and Wisconsin: 1980 and 1990 ...... H-3 H-4 Average Weekly Wage by Industry Group; Dane County and Wisconsin: 1996 and 1999 ...... H-3 H-5 The 10 Largest Employers in the Region: 1998 ...... H-4

G-1 Prime Farmland; Town of Cottage Grove: 2000 ...... G-1

J-1 Development Areas as Proposed by the Village of Cottage Grove ...... J-2 J-2 Land Use Summary: 2000 ...... J-5 J-3 Known Waste Disposal Sites and Contaminated Sites: 2000 ...... J-6 J-4 Allocation of Residential Dwelling Units Based on Size of Property as of May 15, 1982 ...... J-8 J-5 Value of One Residential Dwelling Unit (RDU) if Transferred to a Receiving District ...... J-10 J-6 Existing Residential Development Units (RDUs) by Land Use District ...... J-11 J-7 Additional Dwelling Units Required by Time Period: 2000 to 2020 ...... J-13 J-8 Acres Needed to Accommodate Residential Growth by Time Period: 2000 to 2020 ...... J-13 J-9 Acres Needed to Accommodate New Commercial Growth by Time Period: 2000 to 2020 ...... J-14

List of Exhibits ......

A-1 Comprehensive Plans and State Statutes: A Summary ...... A-1

C-1 Basic Objectives of the Issues and Opportunities Element ...... C-1 C-2 Numeric Change in Proportion of Residents by Age Class; Town of Cottage Grove: 1980 to 1990 ...... C-7 C-3 Preference for Future Population Growth: 2000 ...... C-9 C-4 Population Projections: 2000 to 2020 ...... C-10

D-1 Basic Objectives of the Housing Element ...... D-1 D-2 Summary of Selected Federal and State Housing Programs and Revenue Sources ...... D-8 D-3 Factors Affecting the Number of Households ...... D-9 D-4 Factors Affecting the Number of Housing Units ...... D-9

E-1 Basic Objectives of the Transportation Element ...... E-1 E-2 General Relationship Between Access and Mobility ...... E-2 E-3 Public Use Airports in Region: 2000 ...... E-4 E-4 Railroads in Region: 2000 ...... E-5 E-5 Statewide Transportation Plans ...... E-6 E-6 Translinks 21 – Major Programmatic Elements ...... E-6 E-7 Corridors 2020 ...... E-7 E-8 Proposed Midwest Regional Rail System ...... E-7

F-1 Basic Objectives of the Utilities and Community Facilities Element ...... F-1 F-2 Dane County Library Service Library Collection: 2000 ...... F-4 F-3 Adequacy of Selected Community Services: 2000 ...... F-8 F-4 Use of Town Parks: 2000 ...... F-9 F-5 Recreation Facilities Favored by Survey Respondents Wanting More Facilities: 2000 ...... F-9 F-6 Community Facility Assessment: 2000 to 2020 ...... F-10

G-1 Basic Objectives of the Agricultural, Natural, Cultural Resources Element ...... G-1 G-2 Glacial Deposits in Region ...... G-4 G-3 Sand and Gravel Potential of Selected Glacial Landforms ...... G-4 G-4 Soil Associations Found in the Town ...... G-6 G-5 Major River Basins of Wisconsin ...... G-10 G-6 Archaeological Periods in Wisconsin ...... G-12

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin i-5 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Table of Contents

G-7 Distribution of Paleo-Indian Burial Mounds in Wisconsin ...... G-12

H-1 Basic Objectives of the Economic Development Element ...... H-1 H-2 Farming Characteristics; Dane County: 1992 and 1997 ...... H-4 H-3 Summary of Selected Economic Development Programs for Communities and Businesses ...... H-6 H-4 Economic Development Preferences: 2000 ...... H-6

I-1 Basic Objectives of the Intergovernmental Coordination Element ...... I-1

J-1 Basic Objectives of the Land Use Element ...... J-1 J-2 Allowable Land Uses In Land Use Districts ...... J-12

K-1 Basic Objectives of the Implementation Element ...... K-1

List of Maps ......

E-1 Functional Classification System and Average Annual Traffic ...... E-3 E-2 Transportation Plan: 2000 to 2020 ...... E-11

F-1 Park and Recreation Facilities: 2000 ...... F-3 F-2 Utilities and Community Facilities Plan: 2000 to 2020 ...... F-11

G-1 Prime Farmland: 2000 ...... G-2 G-2 Farmed Land: 2000 ...... G-3 G-3 Depth to Bedrock ...... G-5 G-4 Soil Limitations for Septic Systems: 2000 ...... G-7 G-5 Wells with High Levels of Nitrates: 2000 ...... G-8 G-6 Wells with High Levels of Volatile Organic Compounds: 2000 ...... G-9 G-7 Surface Water and Hydric Soils: 2000 ...... G-11 G-8 Archaeological and Historic Resources: 2000 ...... G-14

J-1 Village of Cottage Grove Development Areas: 2000 ...... J-3 J-2 Existing Land Use: 2000 ...... J-4 J-3 Selected Development Concept ...... J-9 J-4 Land Use Plan: 2000 to 2020 ...... J-15

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin i-6 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 History of Adoption and Amendment

HISTORY OF ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT

Date of Action Description of Action 1995 The Town Board adopted a master plan for the Town.

January 21, 2002 The Town Board adopted the Town’s first comprehensive plan prepared pursuant to Wisconsin’s Smart Growth Legislation.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin ii - 1 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Introduction

INTRODUCTION

About Wisconsin’s Smart Growth Legislation

General Overview As part of the state’s 1999-2000 biennial budget, Governor Thompson signed into law what is referred to as the “Smart Growth” legislation (1999 Wisconsin Act 9). Briefly, Smart Growth does the following: Requires local governmental units to adopt and implement a comprehensive plan, as defined in the legislation, by January 1, 2010, in order to carry out any action that affects land use. Establishes 14 comprehensive planning goals to be applied in three ways: (1) as guidance for state agencies; (2) as a benchmark for local governmental units that prepare a state- mandated plan; and (3) by the Wisconsin Land Council in allocating planning grants (Appendix A). Provides state funding to help local units of government pay for preparing and adopting comprehensive plans. Establishes a “smart growth” dividend aid program that will provide state funding to cities, villages, towns and counties based on the number of credits that a governmental unit earns. Funds will be disbursed beginning with the 2005-06 fiscal year. As of yet, specific rules have not been adopted for this program. Requires cities, villages and towns with a population of at least 12,500, to adopt ordinances for what is referred to as traditional development and conservation subdivisions. Although these governmental units must adopt these ordinances, they do not have to implement them unless they want to promote these types of development patterns. Delegates additional responsibility to the Wisconsin Land Council for oversight of the Smart Growth legislation.

Comprehensive Planning Exhibit A-1. Comprehensive Plans and State Statutes: A Summary The Smart Growth legislation significantly changed the stature • Contents. A plan at a minimum shall contain specified information in the of comprehensive planning in the following nine elements: issues and opportunities; housing; utilities and state and places it very high on a community facilities; agricultural, natural and cultural resources; economic local governmental unit’s “to do” development; intergovernmental cooperation; land use; and list. Although state statutes do implementation. not require local governmental • Effect of Comprehensive Plan. Beginning January 1, 2010, all existing units to adopt comprehensive plans consistent with the and new programs or actions of a local governmental unit that affect land requirements, it provides that if a shall be consistent with a comprehensive plan. local governmental unit does not • Public Participation. The local governmental unit shall adopt written do so by January 1, 2010, it may procedures that it will use to foster public participation. not enforce existing or adopt new • Adoption. The plan commission or other body of a local governmental unit ordinances, plans, or regulations prepares and recommends adoption of a comprehensive plan. Following a that in anyway affect land use. public hearing, the local governmental unit then adopts a plan. If a community wants to prepare Compiled by: Mid-America Planning Services, Inc. a comprehensive plan, it must follow various substantive and procedural requirements. Major provisions relating to comprehensive planning are listed in Exhibit A-11.

1 Interested parities should refer to state statutes (§66.1001) for the actual language.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin A - 1 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Introduction

Purpose of this Plan

Although this plan has been prepared and adopted to meet the state requirements for comprehensive plans, it is much more than that. It is a statement reflecting community pride and how residents want the Town to manage growth and development in the future. It will help elected officials make decisions that reflect the short- and long-term wishes of the community. It will help prioritize the Town’s human and financial resources so it can provide the necessary public infrastructure and amenities needed to maintain a high quality of life. It will also help to foster a sustainable economy that is in keeping with its rural character.

Regional Context

The town of Cottage Grove is located in eastern Dane County, Wisconsin, about 1½ miles east of Madison and 65 miles west of Milwaukee. Its land area includes about 33.7 square miles. It is bisected by County Highways BB and N, bordered on the north by I-94 and US Highway 12/l8 runs through the southern part.

The Town is bordered on the north by the town of Sun Prairie and the town of Pleasant Springs to the south. The town of Deerfield is located to the east and the Town of Blooming Grove is to the west. The village of Cottage Grove is located in the northern part of the Town, along County Trunks N and BB and includes 1,480 acres. Pursuant to state statutes,2 the Village could extend its extraterritorial authority into the Town 1½ miles in all directions. This extraterritorial area encompasses some 17,225 acres. Collectively, the area of the Village and the extraterritorial area accounts for about 81 percent of the original town.

Previous Planning Efforts

The most recent planning effort resulted in the adoption of a master plan on November 6, 1995. The Dane County Regional Planning Commission prepared the document on behalf of the Town. It consists of some 68 pages and follows a traditional approach to comprehensive planning. However, it does not meet the new requirements of state law for comprehensive planning in all respects. Given the new legislation, the Town felt that it would be appropriate to create a new plan from scratch, rather than revising and reorganizing the 1995 Plan to meet the new requirements. Ideas and recommendations from the 1995 Plan were incorporated into this plan where appropriate. Upon adoption, this plan will supersede the 1995 Plan and all other previously adopted plans.

Planning Horizon

Consistent with state statues, this plan considers the next 20-year period.

2 See state statutes §62.23 (7a).

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin A - 2 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Introduction

Plan Preparation and Adoption

Although the idea behind comprehensive planning is rather straightforward, the preparation of this plan entailed a great deal of work, a commitment on the part of many individuals, boards and agencies, and an extensive public participation program.

Background information for this plan came from a variety of sources. Some of the information came from existing databases and publications and are listed in the front part of this plan. In addition, the consultant conducted visual surveys to collect information about land use, traffic conditions, housing conditions, and the like. As described in more detail below, a community- wide survey was also conducted. And finally, personal interviews were conducted with 12 individuals, including Town employees, Plan Commission members, elected officials and selected business leaders. Based on this information, a detailed vision of the community was devised by the participants as contained in the goals and objectives.

Throughout the planning process, public participation has been of prime importance and began even before the plan was drafted. Consistent with state statutes (§66.1001(4a)) the Town developed a public participation program to ensure that residents were informed about the plan and given meaningful opportunities to participate and help shape the final product. A copy is included as Appendix B.

In all, 20 public meetings were conducted beginning in July 2000. On October 9, 2001, the Plan Commission passed a resolution that recommended adoption of the comprehensive plan. Copies of the proposed Plan were then sent to the following, as required by state statute (§66.1001(4b)), for review and comment:

Town of Blooming Grove Village of Cottage Grove Town of Burke Dane County Regional Planning Town of Christiana Commission Town of Deerfield Dane County Town of Dunn Wisconsin Land Council Town of Medina Pinney Public Library Town of Pleasant Springs Town of Sun Prairie

Following this phase of public review, the Town Board held a public hearing allowing for the required public notice. Following adoption, copies of the ordinance and plan were mailed to the Pinney Public Library and the clerk of all adjacent local governmental units consistent with state law.

Community Survey

In order to obtain up-to-date information about the residents and their views, Mid-America Planning Services administered a written survey the fall of 2000. The five-page survey consisted of over 55 questions covering a wide range of issues. A survey was mailed to each of the 1,254 households in the Town. After two weeks, those not returning a survey were mailed a second survey. In all, 70 percent of the surveys were returned. Survey results were compiled and are included as Appendix C. Survey responses are reported in the aggregate along with various sub-groups.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin A - 3 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, POLICIES, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

General Overview

This section of the plan contains a listing of the goals, objectives and policies that were used to fashion the future land use plan, transportation plan and public facilities plan. In addition these goals, objectives and policies will help guide future development and redevelopment in the Town in the coming years. Recommendations are also included to address specific needs.

For the purpose of this lan, a goal is a statement that describes a desired future condition. Goals generally are intended to focus on a long-term end and in some cases may not be attained or maintained over a period of time. In contrast, an objective is a statement that describes a short-term end and can be achieved. Objectives are intended to help achieve goals. A policy is a principle that guides future decisions or actions and that is intended to achieve one or more objectives.

The goals, objectives and policies in the following section cover many aspects of community development.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 1 Issues and Opportunities

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations To organize and plan a complete strategy for Town improvement and growth management. The Town is in the range of influence of • By establishing a community identity. Strive to maintain the Town’s identity. Madison. Employment, education and housing are all connected to the metropolitan area. Given its proximity to Madi- son, there is a danger that it could lose its identity. The area has a long and rich past, which • By maintaining an active historical The Town should support efforts to needs to be documented. record of the Town. chronicle the history of the area, including its people, places, events, and buildings. Currently, there is no long-range plan for • By preparing a plan for future roads Adopt and implement the Smart Growth roads or infrastructure. and land uses for the Town. Plan for Land Use, Transportation and Community Facilities. Apply for the Smart Growth Dividend when the Town develops its Conservation Neighborhoods or installs sanitary sewer to new high- density neighborhoods. The Town has worked to maintain its in- • By providing the needed infrastruc- Continue to upgrade any needed infra- frastructure. The facilities are in good ture improvements in an affordable structure and municipal buildings. This condition. manner to serve existing development Plan will permit building infrastructure and planned growth. for more than a 20-year horizon.

The Town currently does not have a • By adopting a Smart Growth Com- Adopt the Smart Growth Comprehensive Smart Growth Plan. prehensive Plan. Plan after holding a public hearing. The construction of telecommunication • By establishing a policy on the con- Work to establish a policy framework and towers is becoming more and more fre- struction of stand-alone communica- a detailed plan for locating future tele- quent with little guidance in terms of tion towers. communication towers and multi-use of what areas would be most appropriate existing towers. places. In the course of preparing the Smart • By preparing plans for needed com- The Community Facilities Plan proposes

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 2 Issues and Opportunities

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations Growth Comprehensive Plan, long range munity facilities. new parks, bicycle routes, and multi-use plans for parks and other recreational trails. facilities need to be developed. The Town currently has an adopted com- • By incorporating citizen participation Encourage citizens to become involved in prehensive plan and uses it especially into the comprehensive planning and their local government. Actively solicit when reviewing proposed subdivisions. plan implementation process. citizen participation in the preparation of land development regulations that may need to be prepared or amended. The more citizen participation, the more support for the necessary change. The Town does not have any special pro- • By establishing and maintaining all No one program can change the attitude gram to assist youth. types of youth participation pro- or goals of the youth. It will take multiple grams. programs and multiple efforts. These efforts are needed for the long-term health of the community. Work with the area schools and religious institutions to develop youth programs. There are a number of service/civic clubs • By coordinating efforts of and com- The Town should use all the resources, that serve the Village and the surround- municating among service clubs, municipal and non-municipal, to the ing area including the Town. businesses, government agencies, fullest extent possible. Although each or- schools and other participants that ganization is responsible only for its own affect the Town’s future. functions, the Town could monitor their activities. Together more will be accomplished than only acting individually. For most communities, needs are greater • By seeking grants from the govern- Apply for grants to help pay for needed than local resources. The Town is no dif- ment, foundations, and alternative improvements. Establish a foundation ferent. methods of funding to meet needed that can accept contributions to help fi- improvements. nance community projects. There is room to improve community atti- • By establishing a program to improve Establish two community-wide events - tude, community pride, image, and citi- community participation and image. one in the summer and an indoor event zen participation. in the winter. The Town is both a productive agricul- • By identifying the function of Cottage Understand the role that the Town plays tural area and the home to a large non- Grove as it relates to the area’s hu- in the region, and then take community agricultural population. Aside from agri- man environment. improvement and community involve-

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 3 Issues and Opportunities

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations cultural jobs, there are few other types of ment initiatives. employment opportunities. It is experiencing or facing critical changes due in large part to the growth of Madison. With the many needs now identified and • By preparing the Town to deal with The Town needs to give extra considera- the limited resources available, the Town one-time decisions. tion to decisions that have the potential will need to be vigilant in the use of its to change course and are not retractable. resources. Good decisions result from a good process and full information. Like most other communities, the Town • By increasing information to resi- The Town needs to have a newsletter has not kept its citizens and its institu- dents. published quarterly, conduct important tions informed about the Town’s busi- meetings on cable TV, establish a web ness. The press occasionally reports site, and interact with the schools and news. The Town needs to inform. other groups in the community. The tax base of the Town has been fairly • By working to first stabilize and then Promote the continuation of agriculture stable. It will be necessary to expand the increase the tax base. in the Town and seek out appropriate tax base to continue with the existing types of commercial and agribusiness levels of service. development. The Town’s population has grown less • By working to seek new residents to Allow residential growth in the Town in than 1 percent per year over the last dec- the community. those areas most suited as shown on the ade. If done properly, continued residen- Land Use Plan. tial development can complement the Town’s rural character. The Town is within a short drive of Madi- • By taking advantage of the Town’s The Town needs to continue all its eco- son via I-94 or US 12/18. The Village ful- location adjacent to the Village and nomic, physical and cultural efforts. fills a number of important functions for Madison. Town residents. Because of its proximity to Madison and the Village it has excellent access to higher educational opportunities, cultural and social events, and employment. The Town is served by six school dis- • By building on the good school sys- Continue to work with and support the tricts. This makes it difficult to take full tems. various school districts to the extent pos- advantage of what schools can do for a sible.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 4 Issues and Opportunities

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations community, when most of the schools are not located nearby. The schools enjoy community support. Given its proximity to the Madison real • By utilizing all of the assets provided The Town should take advantage of its estate market, the Town is in a good posi- by a rural community such as per- assets. Be careful not to loose the Town’s tion to promote its attributes. sonal safety, community pride, and assets by inappropriate, mislocated de- friendliness. velopment. The Town is a community of strong fam- • By promoting the family and family The Town can promote family values a ily values. values. number of ways including good aesthetics, public parks and open space, clean water, good public facilities including sidewalks and community leadership. Multiple community events is another method of promoting family values and community togetherness. A community- wide park (owned solely or with shared ownership) may be required to full implement this recommendation. To improve the quality of life within the Town. The community has relatively few cul- • By encouraging cultural activities The Town should work with the Village to tural activities. through the school, clubs, private or- help local organizations hold more cul- ganizations, and foundations. tural events. Perhaps more than ever, our youth are • By supporting existing youth pro- Investigate the potential of establishing experiencing unique pressures. While not grams and the creation of new ones. youth recreational activities, especially in the complete solution, recreational activi- the summer. ties for kids can help. The Town and the schools have good • By encouraging the maintenance of Continue to maintain and improve the sports facilities. Public trails, swimming public facilities, as well as necessary community’s sport venues and construct pool, fitness center and sidewalks are public and private recreational pro- the recreational facilities proposed in the lacking. grams. Community Facilities Plan. The Town does not now review develop- • By encouraging policies and ordi- The Town needs to develop a site review ments for aesthetics. nances to enhance the physical ap- ordinance that includes aesthetic consid-

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 5 Issues and Opportunities

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations pearance of the Town. erations and adopt and enforce an existing building code ordinance. Currently, not all homes are served by • By providing cable television to all Cable T.V. should be made available to cable. homes. all homes desiring to have this service. Some homes have phone lines that are • By providing adequate phone lines to All phone lines should be upgraded to a not capable of digital modulation. all homes. level of providing reliable digital modulation at all times. The community survey found that a sig- • By providing adequate and faster Encourage Charter Communications to nificant number of homes have com- Internet access to all homes. make needed changes or upgrades so puters and modems and that the existing that residents have good digital trans- phone lines do not offer reliable service mission capabilities. for digital connections. The Town had not kept a record of par- • By maintaining a record of parcels Maintain a map in the Town Hall that cels granted splits and which ones that that are still to be granted a split. identifies splits not yet used. Update the have been used. In 2001, the Town did map each time a split is granted. document what parcels are still granted a split.

Polices • By recognizing that the Plan Commis- sion and Town Board are not legally responsible for all of the social, economic, and physical aspects of the Town. However, they are best suited to monitor the “big picture” and manage the Town’s overall well being by directing actions of their own or by meeting with other organizations and institutions to support their activities or functions.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 6 Housing

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations To promote the development of housing for residents of the town of Cottage Grove and provide a range of housing choices that meets the needs of persons of all income levels and of all age groups and persons with special needs. After January 1, 2010, the only way the • By adopting a Land Use Plan and im- Adopt a comprehensive plan that meets Town can continue to direct future plementing ordinances which provide state guidelines and such ordinances as growth is for it to adopt a comprehensive an area and means for facilitating may be needed. plan that meets state guidelines. In addi- housing development of varying types tion, all of the regulations and decisions and price levels. must be compatible with this Plan. The provision of infrastructure is a basic • By providing and maintaining infra- The Town should work to get a central function of government and should be structure which will support housing. sewer service to the area designated for provided to accommodate the anticipated high-density residential to the west of the population growth. Village. To promote the redevelopment of low- income and moderate-income housing on under-utilized land. Although there are currently few vacant • By inventorying under-utilized land Periodically, conduct a wind-shield sur- or under-utilized parcels, the Town will within the developed area. vey to identify under-utilized parcels that need to periodically review development could be developed or redeveloped for patterns to identify under-utilized par- appropriate uses. With the installation of cels. sewer service, the Town needs to encourage development at higher densities. There are a number of contaminated • By “clearing” brownfield sites. Actively work with and encourage State sites also referred to as brownfields that agencies to provide prompt cleanup of effect relatively large areas. contaminated sites. The Town has not been involved in own- • By assembling potential home sites. There may be a need and an opportunity ership of potential home sites. to become involved in providing future home sites which could be done through a housing authority.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 7 Housing

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations The Town is part of Dane County’s Com- • By providing low-and moderate – Support small-lot subdivisions, elderly munity Development Block Grant pro- income family and elderly housing condominiums, manufactured home gram. This allows low- and moderate- opportunities. subdivisions, two family homes, and mul- income individuals to apply for financial tifamily homes, particularly in the areas assistance for housing. with sewer service. The Town does not have an Existing • By preserving existing housing by The Town should adopt and then enforce Dwelling code. establishing an existing housing an Existing Dwelling code. code inspection program. To maintain or rehabilitate the Town’s existing housing stock. The existing housing stock is in good • By conserving or improving the qual- Work with property owners to keep their condition. However, a significant number ity of existing single-family housing dwellings in good repair. of the dwellings are approaching the age stock. when maintenance and remodeling will become necessary. There currently are no group housing fa- • By working with the Village to in- Work with the Village to identify areas cilities in the Town for the elderly despite crease the supply of independent suitable for independent and assisted growing demand. and assisted living facilities for eld- living facilities for elderly residents. erly residents. Housing affordability is a growing prob- • By increasing the supply of housing Identify areas of the future land use plan lem for a significant number of house- affordable to moderate-income suitable for medium- and high-density holds. households. residential development. The Town offers a high quality of life • By maintaining the environmental Continue to protect environmental re- largely because of its rural character and and cultural assets of the commu- sources such as agricultural lands, wet- its proximity to cultural amenities. nity so that it continues to be an at- lands, and the like. Promote the area’s tractive place to live. cultural assets. Housing affordability is a growing prob- • By working with the Village to in- Identify areas of the future land use plan lem for a significant number of house- crease the supply of housing afford- suitable for medium- and high-density holds. able to very low- and extremely low- residential development. income households. Although there are federal and state laws • By assuring that the fair housing Support efforts at the local and national that prohibit discriminatory housing rights of all citizens are protected. level that protect the housing rights of

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 8 Housing

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations practices, they still occur. Efforts are individuals and families. needed to protect those rights. To promote the construction of multi-family housing on public utilities in the appropriate section(s) of the Town. A vibrant community includes a wide va- • By designating areas suitable for the Designate areas on the future land use riety of housing types including multi- development of apartments and simi- plan next to the Village to accommodate family and higher density residential lar medium-density residential uses higher density residential development. uses. This allows greater housing choice in selected areas suitable for that and tends to promote affordable housing. purpose and serving the areas with utilities.

To preserve and develop high quality housing areas to satisfy the demand for an adequate amount of dwellings of various types and densities. The provision of areas for housing devel- • By providing and developing conven- Designate areas on the future land use opment is just one of the concerns of the iently located areas suitable for plan for residential development that is Town. This must be weighed against housing. best able to accommodate such growth. other important objectives relating to environmental protection and farmland preservation. As such, some areas are best suited for certain types of uses, while other uses can occur elsewhere. From a regional perspective, it is impor- • By working with the Village to pro- Coordinate with the Village to ensure tant that people have a range of housing vide renter- and owner-occupied that the area has a variety of housing op- options to choose from. It is unrealistic housing of all types. tions. for the Town and the Village to provide a full complement of housing types. Collec- tively though, there should be a wide variety between the Village and Town. There are few deteriorated dwellings in • By eliminating any deteriorated Identify deteriorated dwellings and work

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 9 Housing

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations the Town. However, as the housing stock dwelling. with property owners to take corrective ages, it will be important that the Town measures. work to keep the housing stock in good condition. The presence of a single deteriorated building can have a negative effect on surrounding properties and lead to disinvestments, which continue to spread.

Policies • By locating new higher-density housing near existing urban development to take advantage of proximity to community facilities and to create a more compact development pattern. • By insuring that adjacent land uses are compatible to housing with re- gards to such factors as smoke, noise, odor, traffic, and appearance. • By controlling storm drainage to pre- vent local flooding and flooding downstream. • By building new housing on soils suitable for excavation and site preparation.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 10 Traffic and Transportation

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations To plan for roads and improve the efficiency of the major road network in the Planning Area. Traffic in subdivisions does not now ap- • By separating local and through traf- The Town needs to insure that this is not pear to be a problem. fic wherever feasible. a problem in new subdivisions.

By in large, the county and state roads in • By encouraging improvements on ma- Work with the County to maintain and the area are in good condition. jor transportation routes in and out upgrade the county highways. of the Town. Roads serve two competing purposes: • By controlling access to Town roads. Strictly control by ordinance the number access and traffic movement. As access and location of access points to Town along a route increases, efficiency de- roads. clines. It is important that the Town limit the number of access point on arterials and collector roads. STH 12/18 and I-94 are significant • By taking advantage of the STH Designate a few areas along STH 12/18 east/west transportation corridors. 12/18 and I-94 corridors. for more intensive development such as commercial/agribusiness. So far, there are few blighting influences • By removing and preventing blighting It is important that development in the in the Town. And it is important that influences along the transportation Town and especially along major trans- these be minimized and eliminated. corridors. portation corridors be aesthetically pleasing to view. The Town needs to maintain design control on future development, especially for commercial, agribusiness, and multi-family projects. To embrace other forms of transit other than automobiles. A segment of the Glacial Drumlin State • By providing bicycle and pedestrian Encourage the completion of the Glacial Trail is located in the Town and provides corridors and paths. Drumlin State Trail from the trailhead to area residents with much-needed recrea- the Madison area. Establish bicycle tional opportunities. routes on local roads. Provide walking trails within and between subdivisions.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 11 Traffic and Transportation

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations Dane County has a transit program for • By insuring transit is available to all Utilize the County’s transit system. If it is the elderly and disabled. people including the elderly and the at some time not meeting the needs of disabled. the people, solicit the county to improve the service. Blackhawk Airfield is located in the Vil- • By exploring opportunities to utilize Work with the Village to ensure the long- lage. It is an important transportation the airport to support Town activi- term viability of the airport facility, espe- facility for the entire area. Compatibility ties. cially in that area of land-use planning of the airport with surrounding land uses and development approval. will become increasingly important as the Village and Town develop in the coming years. To utilize the rail service and rail corridor. Wisconsin & Southern Railroad operates • By supporting continued use of the Support continued use of the railroad. a short line between the Madison area train service. and Cottage Grove. Use of this line re- duces the amount of truck traffic on local roads. The Wisconsin & Southern Railroad line • By utilizing the significant asset pro- Recognize the current benefit of the rail is a tremendous transportation corridor vided by the rail corridor. service and potential uses should the op- that is currently used for rail service. One portunity arises. day that use may cease and present other opportunities as a transportation corridor.

Given the foreseeable population growth • By keeping open the possibility of Investigate the use of the rail line for ex- in the area, it may be feasible to establish commuter and excursion use of the cursion train and commuter trains. a commuter line or use the rail line for rail tracks. excursion trains.

Policies

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 12 Traffic and Transportation

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations • By providing sidewalks and walking trails in the community where appropriate.

• By improving roads generally as follows: separate local and through traffic; improve hazardous intersec- tions; upgrade road paving conditions; provide adequate setbacks; and maintain vistas on scenic drives.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 13 Utility and Community Facilities

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations To maintain and improve the Town’s park and open space areas. The Town has a good park system. • By continuing to devote resources to The Town needs to continue to improve first maintain and improve the exist- and maintain its parks. The Town (on its ing park and open space areas and own or in conjunction with the Village) then to develop any new parks and needs to develop a new, larger commu- open space. nity park that can serve multiple uses.

Open space, much of which is privately • By using parks and open space as New development should have buffers owned is currently beneficial to the com- buffers between incompatible land built into them for the betterment of the munity. uses, as delineators or constraints on community and also for the development. urban development, or as necessary complementary uses for other land development.

Recreation is an important part of the • By providing recreation facilities and Work with the Village and school districts culture and needs to be supported. With programs to meet the needs of all age to develop a summer recreation program an aging population, it will become in- groups and person of various finan- and an elderly fitness program. creasingly important to develop programs cial means including the elderly and for the elderly. Programs for youth are youth in the Town. also needed. The community survey found that a sig- • By establishing pedestrian and bicy- Implement the pedestrian and bicycle nificant number of residents supported cle ways. paths and trails in the Transportation the establishment of bicycle routes and Plan. trails. The Glacial Drumlin State Trail currently • By participating in the Village-City- Continue to work with the DNR in its ef- terminates in the Village. County bicycle trail programs. forts to extend the Glacial Drumlin State Trail to the eastside of Madison. More recreational opportunities can be • By encouraging the use of The Town should work with the school provided at a lower cost when local units school/park combinations. districts to develop joint recreational fa- of government work together with the cilities that benefit town residents. school districts to develop recreational

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 14 Utility and Community Facilities

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations facilities that benefit both. The Glacial Drumlin State Trail repre- • By tying into regional recreation fa- Develop a local network of bicycle trails sents a wonderful opportunity for the cilities. and routes that ties into the Glacial Town to develop additional local trails as Drumlin State Trail. a complement to this regional facility. To maintain an adequate system of public infrastructure and buildings in Cottage Grove. As more development occurs in the fu- • By implementing a storm drainage Develop and implement a stormwater ture it will become increasingly important plan for the Town. management ordinance and develop fa- to develop stormwater facilities especially cilities as may be needed. in higher density residential development and also in commercial and industrial projects. Roads represent a significant financial • By upgrading and maintaining streets Develop and implement a capital im- investment and should be maintained so and sidewalks so as to keep them provement budget program and use it to as to protect that investment and provide safe and usable. prioritize needed transportation im- safe conditions for users. provements. Town residents enjoy excellent fire, po- • By maintaining the fire, police, and Continue to support the fire, police, and lice, and EMS services. EMS services at a continually high EMS services and provide adequate re- level. sources as appropriate. Currently, there are no sidewalks in the • By providing sidewalks in all subdivi- Sidewalks should be provided along all existing subdivisions. Sidewalks are sions. streets and required in all new high- promoters of family values and commu- density subdivisions. nity values. As higher density subdivisions are developed, it will be necessary to provide sidewalks.

Policies • By continuing to jointly share school and Town recreation facilities.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 15 Utility and Community Facilities

• By maintaining public buildings in an effective condition and build new public buildings attractively so as to enhance the community and promote civic pride.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 16 Agriculture, Natural Resources and Cultural Resources

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations To recognize that the majority of the Town’s land is in agricultural use. Farming is a dominate use of the land- • By preserving the majority of the ag- Designate a significant amount of farm- scape and is a significant component of ricultural land for agricultural pur- land for continued agricultural purposes the local economy and employment base. poses. on the future land use plan. Farming as a business enterprise is af- • By supporting those economic poli- Support local farmers in their efforts to fected by any number of local, state, and cies necessary to make agricultural remain economically viable. federal policies and by the global market. practices successful. Within its means, the Town needs to assist farmers to remain economically viable. The Town’s scenic character is a signifi- • By protecting the scenic character of Protect wetlands, floodplains, and agri- cant component of its quality of life that the Town cultural areas. it offers. The Town has had some success promot- • By continuing to implement the Promote the use of the Transfer of Devel- ing its Transfer of Development Rights Transfer of Development Rights pro- opment Rights program and develop in- program. gram. centives so that development occurs in identified receiving areas, which are more suited for development. Only a small portion of the Town’s open • By understanding that the privately Develop incentives for property owners in space is in public ownership. held agricultural lands are a large the agricultural areas of the Town to part of the rural character of the “send” their development rights to areas Town. designated for residential development (receiving areas). The character of the area is largely de- • By exploring the possibility of finan- This plan limits non-residential develop- fined by its rural agricultural character, cial involvement of the Town to pre- ment to two limited areas in the Town which is enjoyed by many residents that serve rural character. and also encourages non-residential de- live in the Village and Town. If farmland velopment to locate within the Village is not protected, the quality of life for the with the understanding that the Village majority of Village residents would de- limit its continued outward expansion to cline. They then do have a stake in farm- help protect agricultural lands. The Town land preservation. should be prepared to purchase key parcels to maintain their rural character.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 17 Agriculture, Natural Resources and Cultural Resources

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations Wetlands are common in the Town and • By considering impacts to wetlands Continue to limit development in wetland are important for any number of reasons and upper reaches of watersheds areas. such as stormwater storage, aesthetics, when making land use determina- wildlife habitat, and pollution mitigation. tions. To recognize the many natural resources of the area. The environmental corridors in the area • By respecting and protecting the en- Develop policies and regulations to pro- have been identified and are mapped as vironmental corridors around the tect environmentally sensitive areas. resource protection areas. town of Cottage Grove. As an economic activity and a land use • By preserving agricultural areas not Protect agriculture lands to the greatest that contributes to rural character, agri- in the Town’s growth corridors. extent possible. cultural production is important to the Town. Although human activities in the area • By preserving the natural wildlife. Develop regulations that help to minimize have reduced some wildlife species, there the negative effects of development on is still a significant amount of wildlife in wildlife. the area that residents enjoy.

When thinking about a community’s • By preserving the natural nighttime Develop regulations that limit the use of quality of life, it is important to talk sky. excessive or unused lighting in residen- about excessive lighting and its overall tial, commercial, and agribusiness areas. effect on the nighttime sky. Obviously, it is important to strike a good balance between the need for lighting and excessive lighting. To strengthen the human and cultural resources of the area. There are a number of groups and civic • By promoting and supporting the Encourage the groups in the area to do clubs that contribute to the quality of life many organizations in the Town and as much as possible together without giv- in the Town and Village. Village. ing up individuality. The individual groups acting together wherever possible will be stronger than just the individual

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 18 Agriculture, Natural Resources and Cultural Resources

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations groups by themselves. Limited work has been done to provide • By promoting and supporting the ef- The Town should support the existing additional opportunities for children and forts of the school system and efforts and be open to new programs adults. churches to provide extra-curricular such as a senior citizen fitness program. activities for both adults and children.

To recognize the value of the community’s ground water. There are a number of brownfield sites in • By limiting or tightly controlling any Develop land development regulations to the Town that are or have the potential to use of hazardous material in the minimize the threat of contamination pollute groundwater. Town. from hazardous materials. • By monitoring sites with potential Work with the appropriate agencies to ground water contaminants. insure that monitoring of contaminated sites begin as soon as practicable. From the standpoint of public health it is • By cleaning up currently contami- Work with the appropriate state and fed- important that contaminated areas be nated sites. eral agencies to insure that contaminated promptly cleaned up to the fullest extent. sites are promptly cleaned up. To recognize the existence of archaeological sites in the Town. Based on records maintained by the • By requiring archaeological surveys Incorporate a requirement in the devel- State Historical Society, there are areas prior to any non-agriculture distur- opment process that requires an ar- in the Town with archaeological re- bance of land identified by the State chaeological survey in those areas that sources. Indian burial mounds are quite Historical Society as a possible ar- contain or that likely contain archaeo- common in the region. chaeological site. logical resources. A map is included in this Plan that shows • By maintaining an archaeological re- Continue to update the Town’s map generally where archaeological sites have cord of sites in the Town. showing archaeological resources and been identified. Others likely exist that share that information with the State have not been identified or documented. Historical Society as appropriate.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 19 Agriculture, Natural Resources and Cultural Resources

Policies • By developing existing and new recreation and open space facilities. • By preserving scenic views. • By preserving wetlands for the important functions they fulfill. • By promoting tree cultivation. • By conserving good farmland not designated for Town expansion. • By prohibiting premature non- agricultural growth in agricultural areas.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 20 Economic Development

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations To accommodate the changing commercial economy. • By understanding the Town’s role in the area’s economic base. Few service-type businesses are located • By promoting service uses. Designate areas on the future land use in the Town. The establishment of per- plan for commercial activities. Incorpo- sonal service businesses have some po- rate provisions in the Dane County zon- tential to increase the economic base of ing code to allow home-based businesses the Town. provided they are compatible within a residential setting. Agricultural operations in the Town pro- • By promoting agriculture-based busi- Designate areas for agribusinesses on the duce a commodity that is shipped out of nesses. future land use plan. the area without any value-added processing or production. To help support the agricultural sector of the local economy, it makes sense to encourage processing or those businesses that would otherwise support the continuation of agriculture in the Town and also increase its tax base. The Town has relatively large tracts of • By promoting economic uses that re- Designate an area on the future land use land that are suitable for a number of quire very large land areas while plan for an agribusiness park of suffi- activities such as agricultural production maintaining the rural character. cient size to accommodate land extensive or processing. uses. Compared to its potential, commercial • By examining the creation of new Designate areas for commercial growth activity in the Town is rather limited. commercial centers. on the future land use plan in areas that can accommodate such uses. Place major emphasis on retaining industry in the Planning Program. Economic activity and employment is • By communicating with existing The Town should meet annually with critical to the well being of a community businesses on a regular basis. businesses located in the Town including and its residents. The Town Board should farmers to better understand their needs take measures to encourage the con- and trends affecting them.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 21 Economic Development

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations tinuation of existing economic activity. Most existing businesses, including • By accommodating existing busi- Most businesses have increasingly more farmers, do well in the Town. nesses to grow and prosper as much competition. This coupled with the ever- as possible. occurring changes places the Town in a position of being a cheerleader and helper when possible. To assist with employee training. Quite often employers are not able to find • By encouraging schools to assist stu- Encourage the schools in the area to help qualified employees from within the local dents by developing or assessing their students assess their skills and develop labor pool because they lack needed skills as they relate to the local job new skills as may be needed. skills. Schools, including high schools, market. need to be attuned to the needs of employers in the region to help students ac- quire those skills.

Policies • By maintaining and promoting a variety of industrial and commercial activity to provide the widest range of employment opportunities with particular emphasis on: • agriculture • home-based businesses • service businesses • retail businesses • By improving education and promoting employment opportunities.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 22 Intergovernmental Cooperation

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations To recognize the importance of common concerns and interests of area governmental units. While there have been few conflicts, there • By working with the school districts School districts are the largest tax collec- is not a tradition of the Town and school on their interests in transportation, tors in the area. The Town needs to regu- districts working together. enrollment, and shared facilities, and larly communicate with them on issues the student’s general welfare. and opportunities. Relations between the Village and Town • By working with Madison, the Village The Village and the Town need to support can generally be characterized as and area towns to identify the need each other, share equipment, share ex- strained. It will take a great deal of effort for growth, the need to protect the ag- traterritorial area decisions, and explore on both parts and time to overcome the riculture economy, and the need to other items that can be shared. The Town lack of cooperation. share losses. should seek to share equipment with other nearby towns.

The Town and Village are linked together, • By working with the Village in a coop- As a starting point, continue with the on- not just by proximity, but also economi- erative manner to plan for residential going working group consisting of Village cally, socially, culturally, and historically. and economic growth. and Town officials to work on issues of common concern. Ultimately, both communities should develop a joint plan. The Town shares fire and police services • By working with area governments to Seek opportunities to share more ser- with the Village. share more services, equipment and vices, equipment and facilities. Examples facilities. could be: the Old Town Hall, mowers, street cleaning equipment, front end loaders, cherry pickers, etc.

Policies • By continuing a dialog with adjacent towns and the school districts.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 23 Land Use

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations To create a balanced pattern of related urban land uses. The Town’s current land use pattern • By ensuring that adjacent land uses The Town needs to reserve areas for fu- shows a general separation of uses. There are compatible with regard to such ture growth through the use of a Land are few instances of adjoining incompati- factors as smoke, noise, odor, traffic, Use Plan. It is important that the plan ble land uses. activity, and appearance. does not “box in” future uses beyond the 20- year life of this Plan. Currently, stormwater is not a problem. • By developing in a manner that storm Adopt development standards to require As the Town continues to develop, espe- drainage is not damaging down- future development to address stormwa- cially in higher density areas, it will be- stream. ter concerns. come increasingly important to address stormwater issues. Soils in the Town and planning area have • By building on soils which have ade- New development needs to mitigate soil limitations for development. quate bearing capacity and are suit- limitations. able for excavation and site preparation as much as possible. Wetlands and flood hazards occur in the • By restricting development from wet- Steep slopes, wetlands and flood hazard planning area. lands and flood hazard areas. areas should be avoided. There are some areas in the Town with • By controlling development on steep Steep slopes should be avoided. steep slopes. slopes. The community recognizes the positive • By understanding the importance of The Town needs to help ensure that the attributes of the natural environment. aesthetics to a community. natural and man-made environments need to be aesthetically pleasing. With the adoption of this Plan and sub- • By eliminating nonconforming uses. Work with County zoning officials to ad- sequent adoption of a zoning ordinance, dress nonconforming uses. it is anticipated that there will be relatively few nonconforming uses. Dane County has primary responsibility • By urging the County to strictly en- Send a letter to Dane County that states for controlling land uses within the Town. forcing the zoning ordinance. the Town’s support for adherence to the Town’s comprehensive plan. The need for more residential units is • By creating more residential units. Create more residential units as pro- documented elsewhere in this Plan. posed. At a minimum, the Town expects

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 24 Land Use

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations to increase (the population within the Town, excluding population that may be annexed to the Village) by 0.8 percent per year. Some development projects have the po- • By strictly controlling public costs of The Town should consider the fiscal im- tential for “costing” existing taxpayers in land divisions. pacts of future development projects. that tax revenue from the project is less than the services required.

Policies • By insuring that adjacent land uses are compatible with regard to such factors as: smoke, noise, odor, traffic and appearance. • By utilizing land that is adequately drained and reasonably level. • By building on soils that have adequate bearing strength and are suitable for excavation and site preparation.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 25 Residential

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations To preserve, enhance and expand the residential character in areas of single- family housing in the Planning Area. There are relatively few situations where • By preventing the incursion of in- Areas designated for residential develop- incompatible land uses are next to or compatible, non-residential uses into ment should be protected and reserved near each other. single-family residential neighbor- for that use. Existing incompatible, non- hoods. residential uses should be removed where possible. The Town has a number of neighborhood • By providing, where feasible, a full The Town needs to extend sanitary sewer parks and a community center for public range of community facilities on a and develop a central water system and use. neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis. set aside parkland as it grows.

Currently, there are few opportunities for • By infilling around existing develop- The Town should encourage infilling infilling. However, there will likely be ment, both new and old. when it becomes necessary. more opportunities in the future to do this as higher density development occurs. Very little through traffic now cuts • By discouraging non-local traffic from Design new neighborhoods so they do not through neighborhoods. passing through residential encourage through traffic. neighborhoods. A few blighting influences exist in the • By removing blighting influences from The blighting influences should be re- residential areas. residential areas. moved from the residential areas. The future land use plan delineates an • By extending services to new areas The Town needs to be prepared to extend area suitable for high-density residential for residential development. utilities to the new high-density residen- uses that will require central sewer. tial areas. Cluster of residential lots is a design • By clustering residential develop- Delineate areas on the future land use technique that allows rural property ment. plan where conservation subdivisions are owners to subdivide their property so required. that a significant amount of the subdivision is reserved for open space purposes, for resource protection, or for agricultural

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 26 Residential

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations production. The protection of the Town’s rural char- • By using the Town’s Transfer of De- Continue to implement the Transfer of acter is very important to its residents. velopment Rights (TDR) program and Development Rights program. Investigate Two ways of protecting the most impor- developing a Purchase of Develop- the merits and feasibility of establishing a tant farmland is by purchasing development Rights (PDR) program. Purchase of Development Rights pro- ment rights and by allowing property gram. owners to transfer (sell) their development rights to another area that is better suited for residential development.

Policies • By locating new residential uses near existing urban development to take advantage of proximity to community facilities. • By providing housing opportunities for all income ranges.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 27 Commercial

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations To provide an adequate framework for the future development and expansion of commercial uses in the town of Cottage Grove. There are good locations along Highway • By working to designate certain Develop commercial according to the 12/18 for commercial development. primes areas for commercial use. Land Use Plan. As the populations of the Town and Vil- • By working with the Village where Work with the Village to encourage retail lage continue to grow, there will be in- possible to provide needed retail and and commercial services. creasing demand for businesses and ser- commercial services. vices. Not all of these will be appropriate or likely to locate in the Village or in just the Town. Rather, some will locate in the Town and some in the Village. The question is which ones will go where. The few non-farm business in the Town • By involving existing business owners Existing businesses have growth poten- appear to be healthy businesses. in planning for their improvements. tial which the Town should support.

Policies • By recognizing the need to develop additional commercial opportunities compatible with its rural character. • By providing a limited number of highway retail areas all connected by walkways and providing off-street parking.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 28 Industrial and Agribusiness

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations To improve existing industrial development compatible with adjacent uses. • By providing land for new construc- The Town should, to the extent feasible, tion and expansion of existing indus- work with businesses that may want to tries. expand.

Industries in the Town are rather limited. • By promoting the types of industry The Town needs to focus its efforts in at- that the Town can expect to attract, tracting those types of businesses that including an agribusiness park. would be compatible in an agribusiness park. As noted, there are several locations in • By eliminating groundwater contami- Work with state and federal agencies to the Town where the groundwater has nation areas. address groundwater contamination. been contaminated. As shown on the future land use plan, • By servicing new agribusiness areas Plan for infrastructure at the agribusi- there is an area designated for an agri- with all public utilities and any other ness park and provide appropriate facili- business park. Infrastructure will be community facilities that are neces- ties if required. needed to accommodate such a use. sary.

Policies • By locating new agribusiness sites that are: - easily accessible to major roads - large, relatively flat, open sites with adequate space for off-street parking, loading and storage, expansion and low-density use. • By assisting existing industries to grow at the current locations.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 29 Implementation

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations To coordinate and share community facilities and services where possible. Quite often it is possible to provide more • By exploring the possibility of jointly Investigate the possibility of jointly devel- services and/or more cost-effective ser- developing and managing new parks oping and managing new parks with the vices when local units of government with the Village and school district. Village and school district. work together and share resources. • By exploring the possibility of jointly Investigate the possibility of jointly devel- developing a youth activity program oping a youth activity program with the with the Towns and school district. adjoining towns and school district. To resolve annexation and boundary dis- putes with the Village. The Town and Village signed an agree- • By abiding by the existing boundary Work with the Village to develop a long- ment concerning Village and Town agreement and by developing and term boundary agreement that accom- growth that has been the source of on- signing a boundary agreement with modates both comprehensive plans to the going conflict. Both parties need to abide the Village that establishes Town ex- fullest extent feasible. by that agreement as outlined. pansion areas for a minimum of 20 years. To insure the interested participation by the public in carrying out the Comprehen- sive Plan. The needs identified in this Plan exceed • By utilizing available federal and state Apply for state and federal grants. the Town’s ability to finance them. There- programs which will aid the Town in fore, it will be necessary to prioritize the implementing its plans. projects, complete them in the coming years as financing becomes available, and seek outside funding. Implementation of this Plan is accom- • By encouraging specific projects and Develop a work schedule based on the plished on a number of fronts and must other needed actions, which will serve Implementation Element listing those include involvement of the Town officials to implement the Plan. things that need to be completed in the and residents. near-term. Some of the policies in this Plan are a • By encouraging the County to revise Work with the County to seek needed

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 30 Implementation

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations slight departure from Dane County’s ex- its zoning ordinance to provide the amendments to its zoning code where isting regulations, which take precedent. Town with the controls needed to im- needed to fully implement the Town’s Therefore, the Town will need to seek plement its comprehensive plan. comprehensive plan. amendments to those regulations in order to implement its plan. The Town is on the leading edge of using • By continuing to utilize innovative Seek out new and innovative tools to ad- innovative tools with its use of transfer of and collaborative programs in the dress opportunities or problems. development rights. Given the vision of Town. its elected officials, it is likely the Town can do other things as well that are equally new and innovative.

As noted, the vision described in this • By adopting and enforcing adequate Make necessary changes in existing regu- Plan is achieved by a wide range of ac- codes and ordinances necessary to lations and adopt new tools as may be tions and programs. It will be necessary properly guide new development. needed. to update a number of Town ordinances and likely adopt new ones. After January 1, 2010, all Town decisions • By continuing to update goals and At least annually, the Plan Commission that affect land use will need to be con- objectives and monitor progress on and Town Board should monitor the sistent with this Plan. Therefore, it will an annual basis. goals, objectives and the Plan’s imple- become increasingly important for the mentation. Town to periodically review and update its comprehensive plan and make needed changes so that it is current. The Town has done a commendable job • By participation in area-wide com- The Town needs to participate in area- of trying to include representatives from munity planning programs and dis- wide planning. adjoining municipalities and the school cussion groups. districts in its planning process. Like- wise, the Town should be involved in other planning efforts beyond its boundaries.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 31 Implementation

Background Summary Goals & Objectives Recommendations

Policies • By taking greater control of the Town’s environment through additional ordinances and ordinance en- forcement.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin B - 32 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Issues and Opportunities Element

ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ELEMENT

Objective of Element

As shown in Exhibit C-1, this element is intended to accomplish a number of things. First, public input is reviewed to identify problems and opportunities that residents collectively face. Second, some general issues are offered that constitute the basis of this plan. Next, socieo- economic characteristics are reviewed. Finally, population Exhibit C-1. Basic Objectives of the Issues and Opportunities Element projections are presented that will be used in other elements to Document the public input received relative to the issues and project the need for housing, opportunities facing the community. project the need for land and to Identify the key issues and opportunities that the plan revolves around. gauge the adequacy of Understand some of the trends in the local economy and demographics. transportation and community Present population projections that will be used throughout the plan. facilities.

Identification of Issues and Opportunities

Overview The entire process of preparing a comprehensive plan is designed to identify and address issues and opportunities. Quite often issues and opportunities are readily evident, while others may not be apparent until data is collected, reviewed and shared with others and a dialogue begins. The importance of identifying issues and opportunities becomes evident when one reviews the goals and objectives contained in this plan. For each issue or opportunity identified, one or more goals and objectives are included to address the situation. By including corresponding background information, the reason for including the goal or objective will not be lost. Likewise, goals and objectives will not be included that are not grounded in an issue or opportunity facing the community. To identify the issues and opportunities that would guide the formation of this plan, a number of methods were employed: interviews, a community survey and community meetings.

Interviews Early in the planning process, the Town’s consultant conducted more than 17 one-hour interviews with a wide range of individuals, including the following: representatives with the village of Cottage Grove, Town Board members, a school board representative, Plan Commission members and selected business leaders and citizens from the community. Issues identified in these interviews were incorporated into this plan and were also used to develop many of the questions for the community survey.

Community Survey During the fall of 2000, the Town’s consultant conducted a written survey of Town residents to collect information about their opinions about a wide range of issues. The response rate of 65.5 percent shows that residents are concerned about the affairs of their community and are willing to offer their thoughts and ideas. Survey results were compiled and are included in Appendix C.

Community Meetings Community meetings were held throughout the planning process to solicit input and ideas from elected and appointed officials and residents. In all, 28 meetings were held with more

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin C - 1 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Issues and Opportunities Element

than 379 citizens in attendance. As each of the meetings averaged about two hours in length, there have been 758 citizen-hours put into this plan.

The meetings were conducted so that everyone (residents and Town employees and officials) could participate equally and openly. During several of these meetings, participants were asked to share their thoughts on various questions. To help prioritize the responses, participants were asked to vote for the most important items. The responses to the questions are shown below along with the number of votes each received. It should be noted that even though some items did not receive a vote, they are still very important considerations.

What are Some Positive Things About the Town? farmland preservation (17) well-maintained roads (4) managed growth to protect quality of life (16) cleaner air (4) rural character (15) varied landscape (4) location - Interstate and 12/18 (12) dark skies (3) good groundwater (12) bike-friendly roads (3) good schools (11) flora (3) wildlife preservation (10) good agricultural cooperative (3) wetlands (9) good primary health care (3) forested green space (9) potential for good jobs (2) access to highways (8) big city opportunity in rural area (2) agricultural base (8) close to cultural opportunities (2) close, but not too close (8) drumlins – gravel (2) volunteer ambulance service (8) 4-H, soccer (2) volunteer fire department (8) good police department (2) start of TDR program (7) variety of churches (2) business growth (7) cooperative churches (2) opportunity to plan with neighbors for coordinated growth (7) ability to determine own destiny (1) maintain agricultural land (7) opportunities for more public transportation (1) free of landscape clutter (7) maintain lifelong sports (1) lack of growth (7) continued expansion of recreation opportunities (1) great neighbors (6) less hectic pace (1) low crime rate (6) fauna (1) friendly to home businesses (6) close to colleges (MATC, UW) (0) smallness of community (6) citizen input/ideas (0) quietness (6) lightening bugs (0) senior housing (5) golf course (0) compatibility of agricultural with residential (5) good veteran services (0) Drumlin Trail (5) equestrian opportunities (0) opportunity for commercial (5) assisted living (0) open spaces/land (5) pristine (the atmosphere-feeling) (0) abundance of wildlife (5) fairly reasonable speed zones (0) rural roads – walkable (5) close to high-tech medical facilities (5) quality of streams and creeks (4)

What words or statements best describe the Town? rural lifestyle convenient location neighborly home family history rural beauty sanctuary peaceful active taxes interactive community 1840’s rich opportunities quiet relaxed great farms and neighborhoods welcome open green spaces rural living speeders frustration Village growth country meets city no nighttime – light pollution friendly peaceful country living quiet refuge clean air drumlins and wetlands good schools wildlife neighborly waves closeness storm water runoff – flooding Note: No votes were taken on this question

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin C - 2 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Issues and Opportunities Element

What are some problems that the Town faces?

What is appropriate amount of growth for town/village – Parks/recreation planning (1) impacts on others? (7) I-94 interchange – traffic/safety (1) Gaining consensus on land use with other municipalities (4) Airport (existing impacts regarding noise, pollution, Keeping agriculture viable (6) etc. flight patterns and emergency preparedness) (1) Better understanding of “rural character” (5) County plan impacts (road plan) (1) Agreements with neighbors – city/village infringement into Policy for division of lots within existing subdivisions rural areas – SPRAWL (5) (1) Water/sewer services provided by the Town in the future? (5) Mixed-use development – maintaining local Maintaining town identity – What services provided by which businesses (1) municipality? (5) Controlled access on certain town roads (1) Factory farms – Do we need some rules? (5) Conservation development – encouraging this type Where to put residential development/business development of development (1) – should it be clustered? (4) Access to rail corridor (1) Traffic (4) Impact of current trends – map this growth out 20 Monitor growth - How much do we want? At what point do we years (scenario visualization) (1) say “no more neighbors”? (4) Historical perspective – What is unique? Maintain Build out plan (TDR) number of development rights out there identity (0) – receiving areas, where best areas are (3) Schools – growth impacts (0) Storm water management (Town and others) (3) Park dedication issue (0) Farmland preservation (3) Communication towers – siting policy (0) Annexation powers and extraterritorial jurisdiction – not a level Mobile homes (0) playing field (3) Location of landfills (ordinance?) (0) Problem of scattered developments (certified surveys – 35 Groundwater pollution – Map (from other acre lots) 3-4 2-acre lots (3) municipalities also) (0) Density levels in residential development (in light of future Building up, instead of out, given population water/sewer) (3) projections and desire to preserve farmland (0) How do we compensate the farmer? Should not just be town Controlling community activity in residential areas (0) – it’s a regional issue. How to fund PDR? (3) Glacial Drumlin Trail – take better advantage - Preferred lot size in certain areas (2) connections (0) Political component – changes in state law to be more Housing – balance, affordability (0) accommodating to towns (2) Think about our environmental corridors 35 acre rule – (end up with 33 acres of weeds) (2) (Preservation) (0) How to achieve “profitable” growth with least impact on Define/develop criteria for quality growth mix (0) agricultural land? (2) Village is interested in compatible economic Attracting more businesses to Town (2) development issues (0) Successful implementation of TDR (2) 12/18 corridor – character and location of businesses? (1) Is there a place for regional public transit? (bus, rail, trail) (1)

General Overview

Despite being near the Madison metropolitan area and the Village’s desire to grow aggressively, the Town wants to maintain its separate identity as a rural community dominated by agriculture and open areas.

Madison and surrounding cities are a dominant force in the area (economically, socially and politically) and creates many of the positive and negative features affecting the future of the Town. On the plus side, there is relatively low unemployment and plenty of high-paying jobs. On the negative side of the ledger, some people will find it increasingly difficult to afford a home in the Town and demand for developable land will grow and make it increasingly difficult to preserve the Town’s rural character.

Residents seem quite satisfied with the Town and the services it provides. More than 90 percent of the survey respondents indicated that they had “excellent” or “good” feelings about the Town.

Land Use Land use in the Town is dominated by agriculture and agricultural uses. Subdivisions are primarily located in the northern one-half of the Town and many are close to the village of Cottage Grove. Pressure has been increasing to convert agricultural and other open space areas for residential purposes. Most survey respondents feel that in the coming years, new residential units should be located next to the Village or next to an existing subdivision. Few

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin C - 3 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Issues and Opportunities Element

respondents support development in the rural areas. Conflicts between different types of land uses are few and generally not significant.

The Village Comprehensive Plan delineates areas of the Town for annexation and urban development. The Village is proposing a new “downtown” that is a very short distance from town lands. The Madison city limits have extended eastward to the Town’s boundary on the west. The Town has had a policy of permitting land divisions or “splits” on rural lands. Many of these “entitled” splits have occurred, but there are about 350 that have not been used as of April 2001.

A number of properties have been contaminated and are in various stages of environmental assessment and cleanup.

Environment The natural landscape is dominated by agricultural fields and woodlots of varying sizes. Environmental features such as wetlands and floodplain areas pose some limitations for development primarily to the east of the Village.

Aside from two small ponds, south of the Village, there are no significant open water bodies. Perennial and intermittent streams and drainage ditches drain much of the Town. Stormwater is a danger and some soil types have limitations for development.

Groundwater is plentiful throughout the Town and localized areas contain high levels of nitrates volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Agricultural activities and septic tank effluent are likely sources. The Town is located in an atrazine use prohibition area due to the presence of atrazine in some groundwater.

Population Over the last 10 years, the population of the Town has grown about 1.1 percent per year, which is higher than statewide growth and growth in a number of adjoining Towns. However, it grew at a lower rate when compared to the village of Cottage Grove, Dane County and the town of Sun Prairie. Households in the Town tend to have higher incomes and are somewhat older. Consistent with statewide and national trends, the average number of people in each household has been declining.

Based on results of the 2000 Community Survey, the majority of respondents would like the Town to continue to grow, but at a rate of 1.1 percent per year, or preferably less.

Housing Single-family homes predominate and homeownership is nearly universal. Home ownership has increased from 88 percent in 1990 (Census data) to 99 percent in 2000 (survey data). The majority of homes are located in subdivisions and the remainder are scattered throughout the more rural areas. Most homes are in excellent repair. Sixty percent of the homes are less than 40 years old.

Compared to many communities throughout the state, the Town has affordable housing based on a countywide standard. Based on established income/housing guidelines and results from the Community Survey, about 15 percent of the households could not afford a $134,000 home and one-third could not afford a $190,000 home. While the Town needs to be ever vigilant about housing affordability, the cost of housing in the Town is within reach of most individuals and families when compared to most other communities.

Housing opportunities for the elderly and those with special needs are limited in the Town, but plentiful in the area and especially in the Madison metropolitan area. Based on established guidelines, the Town would not qualify for many State and federal housing programs. It needs to work with Dane County to help low- and moderate-income residents with their housing needs.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin C - 4 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Issues and Opportunities Element

Economy Most of the workers in the Town commute to the Madison area for employment. Dominant employment sectors include public administration, health care, education and retail trade. Workers in Dane County tend to have higher paying jobs than their counterparts in the same field in the rest of the state.

Survey respondents offered mixed support for economic development and an aversion to industrial development. Respondents also did not want the Town to buy and develop an industrial/business park.

Town Revenue & Value The Town receives revenue from a variety of sources. The primary method is from local tax levies. Other revenue comes from State Shared Revenue Payments and General Transportation Aids. Between 1998 and 2000, the amount received from shared revenue has declined by about 10 percent. Currently, residential properties account for 87 percent of the tax base. Since 1996, the residential component of the tax base has been growing, but at a slower pace than the industrial and commercial components.

Transportation I-90/94 traverses the northern boundary of the Town. The Town is bisected by CTH N, which interchanges with I-90/94 and I-94. STH 12/18 is a major east-west route leading to and from the Madison area. Given its proximity to Madison, residents are close to commercial air service and other modes of transportation. Amtrak service is available in Columbus. The city of Madison and Dane County are working together to develop and evaluate alternatives for improved transportation circulation in and around Madison. This includes roads for cars and trucks, improved commercial air service and rail passenger service.

Residents enjoy the Glacial Drumlin State Trail for bicycling, walking, snowmobiling and other recreational activities. Blackhawk Airfield is a privately owned airport in the Village that serves the general aviation needs of the area.

No traffic safety problems are evident in the road network. The limited traffic congestion occurs at peak periods.

Public Facilities The Town recently constructed a new facility for emergency services, including EMS, fire and police protection. The Town Hall is adequate, with the exception of a pressing need for a larger meeting room. The facilities for the road department are adequate now and for the foreseeable future. The Town has no public utilities, but a Madison Metropolitan Sewer interceptor is located in the very northwest corner of the Town.

Parks The Town owns a number of park areas totaling 26 acres. Most of these are developed, relatively small and generally serve small geographic areas. The Community Survey found that one-half of the respondents, felt that the Town should further develop its park system and that another one-half of the respondents did not use a park area in the last year. Survey respondents largely favored developing recreational facilities for passive recreation and non- organized activities.

Town Function The town of Cottage Grove is both a productive agricultural area and the home to a large non- agricultural population. Most of the non-agricultural population has moved into the Town within the last generation. It is still a Town of predominantly rural character, which is being threatened by development from within and expansions of the village of Cottage Grove and the city of Madison.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin C - 5 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Issues and Opportunities Element

Socio-Economic Characteristics

Educational Levels According to the 1990 Census, Town residents had more education beyond high school when compared to the entire state. About 8 out of 10 Town residents had at least a high school diploma, Table C-1. Educational Attainment of Persons 25 Years and Over; Town of Cottage Grove, Dane which is County, and Wisconsin: 1990 similar to all Dane of Dane Town of Cottage Grove County Wisconsin County and Highest Educational Level Attained Persons Percent Percent Percent much higher than for the Not a High School Graduate 231 10.5 10.5 21.4 state (Table C- High School Graduate (including equivalency) 795 36.3 25.6 37.1 1). About one- Some College, no degree 486 22.2 25.5 16.7 third of the Associate Degree 251 11.5 8.7 7.1 Town Bachelor’s Degree 328 15.0 18.9 12.1 residents had Graduate or Professional Degree 101 4.6 10.9 5.6 an advanced Total 2,192 100.0 100.0 100.0 degree beyond Source: US Census of Population and Housing (Tape STF 3A) high school Note: The percent column may not add up to 100 due to rounding. compared to 38.5 percent for all of Dane County and 24.8 percent for the state. Given the proximity of the Town to the Madison job market, these findings are somewhat anticipated. Table C-2. Age of Population: 1980 and 1990

Age of Residents 1980 1990 Table C-2 compares the ages of the Age Group Persons Percent Persons Percent residents in the Town during 1980 and Under 5 282 9.6 323 9.2 1990 and Exhibit C-2 graphically shows 5 to 9 years 230 10.1 321 9.1 the change in proportions between these 10 to 14 years 305 10.3 302 8.6 time periods. We see a decrease in the 15 to 18 years 222 7.5 224 6.4 number of residents in the 34 and 19 to 24 years 209 7.1 155 4.4 younger age bracket with a 25 to 29 years 326 11.0 285 8.1 corresponding increase in adults 35 to 30 to 34 years 316 10.7 286 8.1 64. 35 to 44 years 434 14.7 774 22.0 The data suggests that during this 45 to 54 years 247 8.4 398 11.3 period people moving into the Town 55 to 64 years 176 6.0 304 8.6 were older without families and young 65 to 74 years 96 3.3 91 2.6 adults were leaving, perhaps to attend 75 to 84 years 38 1.3 49 1.4 college or to start their careers 85 years and older 4 0.1 5 0.1 elsewhere. Total 2,952 100.0 3,517 100.0

Source: US Census of Population and Housing (STF3A)

Note: The percent column may not add up to 100 due to rounding.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin C - 6 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Issues and Opportunities Element

Exhibit C-2. Numeric Change in Proportion of Residents By Age Class; Town of Cottage Grove: 1980 to 1990 Age Group

<5 5-9 1 0-1 4 1 5-1 8 1 9-24 25-29 30-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84 85 and > 7.3

2.9 2.6 Num eric Change

in Proportion 0.1 0.0

-0.4 -0.7 -1.0 -1.1 -1.7 -2.7 -2.9 -2.6

Source: US Census of Population of and Housing (STF 3A)

Household Income Table C-3. Household Income; Town of Cottage Grove, Dane County, and According to data from the Wisconsin: 1989 1990 Census, 80 percent of Dane Town households had Town of Cottage Grove County Wisconsin incomes between $25,000 Income Households Percent Percent Percent and $75,000 compared to Less than 15,000 63 5.5 19.2 23.4 60 percent for Dane County 15,000-24,999 140 12.2 17.2 18.7 and 55 percent for the state 25,000-34,999 165 14.4 16.8 17.4 (Table C-3). 35,000-44,999 236 20.6 14.7 14.7 Correspondingly, when compared to the county and 45,000-54,999 234 20.5 11.3 10.0 state, the Town had as a 55,000-74,999 227 19.8 11.8 9.6 proportion, fewer people 75,000-99,999 54 4.7 5.1 3.6 making less than $25,000. 100,000-124,999 12 1.0 1.6 1.2 125,000-149,999 13 1.0 0.9 0.5 During 1989, the median 150,000-or more 0 0 1.4 1.0 household income in the Source: US Census of Population and Housing (STF 3A) Note: The percent column may not add up to 100 due to rounding. Town was substantially higher than in all of Dane County and in the state. Similarly, the per capita income was somewhat higher when compared to the state and lower than for the county (Table C-4). Obviously, the proximity of the Town to the Madison area is Table C-4. Median Household Income and Per Capita Income; Town evident with the homogeneous of Cottage Grove, Dane County, and Wisconsin: 1989 demographic characteristics (age, Town of education, etc.) and the relative Cottage Dane abundance of good, high-paying Grove County Wisconsin jobs. Median Household Income $43,462 $32,703 $29,442 Per Capita Income $14,772 $15,542 $13,276 Results from the 2000 Community Source: US Census of Population and Housing (STF 3A) Survey (Question 46), show that about 35 percent of the households in the Town are considered low and moderate income based on the household income and family size criteria established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin C - 7 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Issues and Opportunities Element

Population Projections and this Plan

Overview Population change1 in a community will have a significant impact on how a community fashions its comprehensive plan. While most communities share many goals in common, the needs of a fast growing community will likely be different than those of a community with a stable or declining population.

Projections can help determine how much land a community will need to allocate to different types of land uses in its overall development plan. They can also be used to help assess the changes that may be required in the housing stock, transportation networks, recreational and school facilities and similar public and private facilities. And finally, projections can be used to help assess the changes that may occur to the community’s character, local economy, agricultural land base and the natural environment.

Although population projections are an important tool, a word of caution is in order. Projecting population change is best done on a large geographic scale. As the geographic area becomes smaller, it becomes increasingly more difficult to project into the future with a high degree of certainty. The loss of a single major employer, for example, can significantly reduce a small community’s population. Likewise, a policy change by the Town Board can boost a community’s growth. This is why it will be necessary to periodically review the population projections this plan is based on, to ensure that they reflect current conditions and ever changing demographic trends.

Department of Administration Population Projections As a starting point in developing population projections for this plan, the projections developed by the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) in 1993 were reviewed (Table C-5). As shown, the DOA anticipated relatively strong growth in Dane County throughout the period bringing the total population to nearly 472,000 Table C-5. Department of Administration Population in 2015. Between 1995 and 2000, the Projections; Town of Cottage Grove and Dane population growth translates into a growth County: 1995 through 2015 rate of about 1.4 percent. After that, the Town of growth rate gradually declines to about 0.9 Cottage Dane percent in the last five years of the projections. Total Population Grove County

1 For the Town, DOA anticipated a stronger 1990 3,525 367,085 growth rate than for the County as a whole. 1995 2 3,830 393,236 Between 1995 and 2000, DOA anticipated a 2000 2 4,133 416,088 growth rate of 1.9 percent. Following that, the 2005 2 4,416 436,646 growth rate declines to 1.3 percent per year. 2010 2 4,659 454,699

2 Historical Population Change 2015 4,908 471,823

Since the DOA published its population Percent Change from estimates, the Census Bureau completed the Previous Time Period 2000 census of population. Table C-6 1995 to 2000 1.9 1.4 compares the historical growth of the Town 2000 to 2005 1.7 1.4 with selected municipalities in the area, the 2005 to 2010 1.3 1.0 county and the state between 1990 and 2000. 2010 to 2015 1.3 0.9 1. 1990 Census – Bureau of the Census Notes: 2. Wisconsin Department of Administration (1993)

1 Population change is a function of natural increase (births minus deaths) and net migration (out-migration minus in- migration).

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin C - 8 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Issues and Opportunities Element

The population of Dane County grew at a substantially faster rate than the state as a whole. Much of the growth in the County has occurred in and around Madison. Between 1990 and 2000, the Town’s population grew by 314 residents representing an annual growth rate of about 0.86 percent. This rate of change is significantly lower than for the towns of Deerfield and Sun Prairie. The Village grew the fastest with an annual average growth rate of 13.6 percent.

Table C-6. Population Change; Town of Cottage Grove, Selected Municipalities, Dane County, and Wisconsin: 1990 to 2000 Average Annual Compound Population Numeric Percent Growth 1990 1 2000 2 Change 3 Change3 Rate 3 Town of Cottage Grove 3,525 3,839 314 8.91 0.86% Town of Blooming Grove 2,079 1,768 - 311 - 14.96 - 1.60% Town of Deerfield 1,181 1,470 289 24.47 2.20% Town of Madison 6,442 7,005 563 8.74 0.84% Town of Sun Prairie 1,839 2,308 469 25.50 2.30% Village of Cottage Grove 1,131 4,059 2,928 258.89 13.6%

Dane County 367,085 426,526 51,893 16.19 1.50% Wisconsin 4,891,769 5,363,675 471,906 9.65 0.93% Notes: 1 1990 Census – Bureau of the Census 2 2000 Census – Bureau of the Census 3 Between 1990 and 2000

Expected Population Change A question was included in the Community Survey to gauge resident preferences about population growth. By Exhibit C-3. Preference for Future Population Growth: 2000 way of background a note was included in How Much Population Growth Would You Like to See Over the the survey question, Next 20 Years? that stated that the Not e: B et ween 1990 and 2000, t he Town's populat ion grew on average 1.1 percent per year.

Town grew 1.1 percent 40.0% on an annual basis between 1990 and 35.0% 2000. That rate of growth was based on 30.0%

population estimates for 25.0% 2000. As it turned out, the Census found that 20.0% the Town grew at a slower rate – about 0.86 15.0% Percent of Total percent per year. 10.0% Regardless, residents showed a strong 5.0% preference for a rather 0.0% slow growth rate 0% 0.5% 0.8% 1.1% 1.4% 1.7% 2.0% 2.3% 2.6% 2.9% (Exhibit C-3). About 88 Annual Average Growth Rate percent of the respondents favored Source: 2000 Community Survey growth that did not exceed the stated

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin C - 9 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Issues and Opportunities Element

growth rate of 1.1 percent.

Survey responses were also analyzed for different groups to see if the results differed. The following groups were analyzed: farmers, those living in subdivisions, those who have lived in the Town for 10 years or less and those between the age of 41 to 60. While there was some variation in the results, each of the groups mirrored the overall results.

The preferred rate of population growth depends Table C-7. Population Projections: 2000 to 2020 on many factors -- some of Low Anticipated High which the Town can 1 2 3 Year Growth Growth Growth influence in varying 4 degrees. Consistent with Population 2000 3,839 3,839 3,839 the overall approach of this 2005 5 3,955 3,995 4,035 plan as expressed in the 5 goals and objectives, the 2010 4,075 4,157 4,241 Town envisions growing at 2015 5 4,199 4,326 4,457 a rate of 0.8 percent per 5 year on average over the 2020 4,326 4,502 4,684 next 20 years. This means Population Added 2000 to 2005 116 156 196 that the projected population of the Town in During Period 2005 to 2010 120 162 206 2020 will be 4,502 2010 to 2015 124 169 216 residents, representing a net increase of 663 2015 to 2020 127 176 227 residents (Table C-7). 2000 to 2020 487 663 845

Given the imprecise nature Mid-America Planning Services, Inc. of population projections, Notes 1 Low growth is based on an annual compound growth rate of 0.6 percent. 2 Anticipated growth is based on an annual rate of 0.8 percent. projections for a low growth 3 High growth is based on an annual rate of 1.0 percent. 4 Population count. rate and high growth rate 5 Population projection. are also shown for comparison purposes. Over the next 20 years, a change in the annual average growth rate of 0.2 percent from the anticipated growth rate translates into a variation of 358 residents (176 for a low growth rate and 182 for the high growth rate).

Exhibit C-4. Population Projections: 2000 to 2020

5,000 4,684 4,500 4,502 4,326

4,000

3,500 3,525 3,000

2,952 2,500

2,000

1,500 1,818

1,000 1970 1980 1990 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020

Low Growth Anticipated Growth High Growth Historic Population

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin C - 10 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Issues and Opportunities Element

Key Issues and Opportunities

Many residents are proud to call the town of Cottage Grove home, but at the same time recognize that there are a number of problems and opportunities that they collectively face as residents of the Town. This plan is designed to help focus the collective energy of residents, elected officials and Town employees and offer a blueprint for the physical, economic and cultural growth of the Town.

This plan is based on the basic premise that the Town must actively work to foster appropriate growth. This includes economic growth, physical growth and cultural growth. Although this plan outlines a broad range of community needs, the Town will not be directly responsible for doing everything. In the absence of a concerted effort of Town residents, employees and officials, the Town will likely lose many of its characteristics that current residents cherish.

As previously noted, a wide variety of issues and opportunities were identified throughout the planning process. The most important can be summarized with the following set of questions.

How does the town of Cottage Grove: Encourage sustainability of the agricultural base? Maintain the current social character of the community that current residents cherish as the Town continues to grow in the coming years? Provide the necessary infrastructure to accommodate growth so that current taxpayers are not substantially burdened with new or higher taxes? Accommodate the special housing needs of residents – especially the elderly and low- and moderate-income residents? Accommodate additional residential development? Provide for amenities and public infrastructure that the tax base can support? Work with the village of Cottage Grove in a cooperative manner? Encourage the appropriate types of commercial and business development in keeping with the Town’s agricultural base and rural character? Protect important natural resources? Implement the Transfer of Development Rights program?

Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations

The goals, objectives, policies and recommendations for this element are found in Chapter B.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin C - 11 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Housing Element

HOUSING ELEMENT

General Overview

Why Housing? Unlike some of the other required elements of a comprehensive plan, the purpose of a housing element may not be readily apparent. This is because local governments are not seen as housing developers and builders.

Yet, local governmental units do finance and develop certain types of housing when it is needed to meet an unmet need. And most importantly, local governmental units do directly influence the provision of decent and affordable housing through the land use regulations and development standards they adopt and the type of services they provide. For example, the land use element of this Plan will control what types of housing units (single-family / multi-family) are constructed and at what density. In addition, transportation and public utility plans can certainly affect the timing of residential development. Therefore, it will be necessary to ensure that each of the elements in this Plan form a consistent framework and support each other where they overlap.

Background Issues Affordable and decent housing has long been considered a basic element of one’s quality of life. Yet it is not always possible to find housing that is both decent and affordable1. The lack of affordable housing is an issue that exists even in times of relative economic prosperity.

According to a recent study of housing in the United States, finding affordable housing is a growing problem for many families, especially renters as illustrated by the following: The number of affordable rental units decreased 5 percent from 1991 to 1997. Rents increased at two times the rate of inflation from 1997 to 1998. The number of renters at or below 30 percent of the median income continues to increase.

According to another study of housing in Wisconsin, a worker earning the federal minimum wage of $5.15 per hour would have to work 81 hours per week in order to afford a two-bedroom unit with a rent of $543. Put another way, a worker would have to earn $10.44 per hour for a 40-hour week to afford that unit. Based on state-wide data collected in the 1990 census, more than 17 percent of homeowners and more than 36 percent of renters paid more than 30 percent of their income on housing. The bottom line is that the lack of affordable housing extends to all corners of Wisconsin.

Objective of Element

The intent of this element is to provide basic information on the housing stock in the community, analyze trends and identify potential problems and opportunities so that taken as a whole, this Plan will accommodate the varied housing needs of current and new residents (Exhibit D-1).

1 A dwelling unit is considered affordable if it costs no more than 30 percent of the total household income.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin D - 1 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Housing Element

Exhibit D-1. Basic Objectives of the Housing Element Another important product of this element is the projections for the Assess local housing conditions. number of additional households that Understand the local housing market to assess whether housing will form over the next 20 years. These needs are being met. projections will then be used in the Understand the various roles in the housing delivery system and the Land Use Element to determine the community’s role in it. amount of land that should be Review various state and federal housing programs. allocated for residential purposes. Project how many new households will be added over the next 20 years. Identify problems and opportunities. Develop goals and objectives that will accommodate the needs of current and future residents.

Existing Conditions

Types of Housing Units In 1990, there were 1,158 housing units in the Town (Table D-1). Single-family units accounted for nearly 94 percent of the total, which is a substantially higher percentage than for the state and county (67.7 and 57.4 percent, respectively). Duplex units accounted for the second Table D-1. Housing Units by Type: 1990 most common type of housing in Dane the Town, accounting for about 4 Town of Cottage Grove County Wisconsin percent of the total, followed by Housing Type Number Percent Percent Percent mobile homes with 1.9 percent. There were no multi-family units Single-Family 1,087 93.9 57.4 67.7 within the Town in 1990. Duplex 47 4.1 6.5 9.6 Multi-Family 0 0 33.8 16.4 Occupancy Status Mobile Home 22 1.9 1.6 4.9 The number of dwelling units that Other 2 0.1 0.7 1.4 are available for rent or purchase in a community can represent the difference between a community Total 1,158 100.0 100.0 100.0 with intense pressure for housing Source: Census of Population and Housing (Summary Tape 1A) and inflated housing costs and a community in decline with abandoned homes. The supply of available dwelling units must be sufficient to allow for the formation of new households within the existing population, absorb in-migration of new households and permit existing households to reform because of a change in size or status. If the supply is insufficient, it is likely that housing costs will rise making it more difficult to find affordable housing for many residents.

The general rule is that the overall vacancy rate should not exceed three percent (1.5 percent for owned units and 4.5 percent for rentals). At this rate, there is generally enough dwelling units to maintain adequate housing choice among consumers.

Of the 1,158 housing units in the Town in 1990, over 98 percent were occupied, which is slightly higher than for all of Dane County and substantially higher than the state (Table D-2). Based on current market conditions, it seems the occupancy rate, is about what it was in 1990.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin D - 2 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Housing Element

Of the housing units that Table D-2. Occupancy and Vacancy Status: 1990 were vacant in 1990, Dane most of them were for sale or rent (Table D-2). Town of Cottage Grove County Wisconsin Only three of the units Number Percent Percent Percent were not the primary Occupied Units 1,141 98.5 96.6 88.6 residence of the occupant Unoccupied 17 1.5 3.4 11.4 (recreational, seasonal, or Total 1,158 100.0 100.0 100.0 occasional use).

Status of Unoccupied Units For Rent 3 17.6 48.1 12.8 For Sale 10 58.9 12.2 6.3 For Occasional Use 3 17.6 16.3 64.4

For Migrant Workers 0 0 <0.1 0.1

Others 1 5.9 23.4 16.4 Total 17 100.0 100.0 100.0 Source: US Census of Population and Housing (Summary Tape File 1A)

Housing Tenure During 1990, over 88 percent of the occupied housing units in the Town were owner-occupied (Table D-3). This rate was significantly higher than the ownership rate in Dane County and Wisconsin. Nationally, the homeownership rate in 1990 was about 64 percent. The comparatively low home ownership rate in Dane County is due in large part to the large number of rental units in Madison for the college student population. Table D-3. Occupied Housing Units by Tenure: 1990 Dane Based on the results of the Town of Cottage Grove County Wisconsin Community Survey, homeownership is much higher now than in 1990. Tenure Number Percent Percent Percent Since 1990, homeownership has Owner-Occupied 1,005 88.1 55.2 66.7 risen by some 11percentage points. Renter-Occupied 136 11.9 44.8 33.3 Much of this increase can be attributed to comparatively low Total 1,141 100.0 100.0 100.0 interest rates and a strong state and national economy during the 1990’s. Source: US Census of Population and Housing (Summary Tape File 1A)

Household2 Size The number of people living in a dwelling unit has implications for the number of housing units that may be needed. Even if the population were to remain stable, the declining trend in household size would suggest that more housing units will be needed to accommodate the same population.

Nationally, the average number of individuals living in a dwelling unit has been declining for the last 30 years. In Wisconsin, the average household size between 1970 and 1990 declined from 3.22 to 2.61, representing a decline of 19 percent.

Many factors have contributed to this trend, including: increasing number of single-parent homes, decreasing number of children per household and increasing life expectancy, especially for females. Although the decline in household size has been fairly steady for several decades, it

2 A household consists of an individual or individuals living together in a dwelling unit. Some households consist of one person, a traditional family, unrelated individuals, or any combination of families and individuals.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin D - 3 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Housing Element

is anticipated that the downward trend will Table D-4. Average Household Size: 1980 and 1990 moderate in the future and remain somewhat Percent stable. Change During 1990, the average household size was 1980 1990 1980 to 1990 3.11 in the Town, compared to 2.46 for all of Town of Cottage Grove 3.28 3.11 -5.2 Dane County and 2.61 for the State (Table D- Dane County 3.09 2.46 -20.4 4). Not only does the Town have a larger household size, but it is declining much Wisconsin 2.77 2.61 - 6.0 slower (-5.2 percent) over the last ten years Source: US Census of Population and Housing (Summary Tape File 1A) than what happened across the state (-6.0 percent) and Dane County (-20.4 percent).

Age of Housing Stock The age of the housing stock in a community is one measure of quality, although one must not assume that as the age of a home increases, its quality declines as well. Age of a building only suggests that as a home gets older it may be necessary to spend more time and money on upkeep and maintenance.

Table D-5. Year of Construction If basic maintenance is not done Dane on a continual basis, older Town of Cottage Grove County Wisconsin homes will soon become a Year Constructed Number Percent Percent Percent liability rather than an asset. The costs of maintenance can be 1980 to 1990 288 24.9 18.7 14.5 especially burdensome on low- 1970 to 1979 478 41.3 23.7 21.1 income households who may not 1960 to 1969 155 13.4 18.4 14.0 have the necessary resources. 1950 to 1959 76 6.5 12.9 13.5 1940 to 1949 0 0 6.8 8.4 In addition, some of the older homes that become substantially Prior to 1940 161 13.9 19.5 28.5 substandard, will be torn down or abandoned and must be Total 1,158 100.0 100.0 100.0 replaced to maintain the same

Source: US Census of Population and Housing (Summary Tape File 3A) number of units in the housing stock.

As shown in Table D-5, the bulk of housing in the Town (66.2 Table D-6. Median Year When percent) was constructed between 1970 and 1980. About 13 Constructed: 1990 percent of the housing units were constructed between 1960 Median and 1969 and 13 percent before 1940. Very few homes were Age constructed from 1940 to 1960. As one looks at the data, we can see how the Town has been transformed from an Town of Cottage Grove 1974 agricultural area with homes on individual farmsteads to an Dane County 1966 agricultural area with a strong bedroom community component. Wisconsin 1960

Source: US Census of Population and Housing As shown in Table D-6, the median year of construction was (Summary Tape File 3A) 1974, which is significantly newer than all of Dane County and the State.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin D - 4 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Housing Element

Residential Construction Over the last 11 years, single-family homes were Table D-7. New Residential Construction: 1990 to 2000 the predominant type of housing added to the Single- Duplexes/ Multi- housing stock (Table D-7). Few duplexes were Year Family Units Family constructed and no multi-family units were added. Most of the construction activity during 1990 36 0 0 this period occurred from 1990 to 1994. Over 1991 31 0 0 the last four years, nine single-family units have 1992 37 4/8 0 been constructed on average. 1993 32 3/6 0 1994 26 0 0 Housing Affordability 1995 12 0 0 As briefly mentioned earlier, housing 1996 19 0 0 affordability is a problem that affects many low- and moderate-income residents throughout 1997 9 0 0 Wisconsin. To gauge the affordability of owner- 1998 9 0 0 occupied homes in 2000, five representative 1999 11 0 0 home sales in the Town were analyzed to 2000 8 0 0 determine how many current households in the Total 230 7/14 0 Town could afford to purchase and live in that house. The selected houses are described in Source: Town of Cottage Grove Table D-8 along with monthly housing costs for a mortgage payment, property taxes, homeowners insurance and utilities.

Table D-8. Housing Costs for Selected Single-Family Detached Homes: 2000 Total Monthly Monthly Monthly Sales Mortgage Property Housing ID Description Price Payment1 Taxes Cost 2 1. 4 bedrooms,10 years old, 0.5 acres $134,000 $787 $249 $1,136 2. 3 bedrooms, 20 years old, 0.9 acres 143,000 839 278 1,217 3. 3 bedrooms, 25 years old, 0.95 acres 157,000 922 259 1,281 4. 4 bedrooms, 11 years old, 0.9 acres 171,000 1,004 299 1,403 5 4 bedrooms, 11 years old, 0.95 acres 190,000 1,115 353 1,568 1 Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage, a 20 percent down-payment, with an 8 percent interest rate.

2 Includes $75 for energy and $25 for insurance

These monthly housing costs are then compared to various categories of residents based on their monthly incomes and household size (Table D-10). Also listed is number of households that fall within each income category, as estimated from the results of the 2000 Community Survey (Appendix C).

As shown, 29 percent of the existing households in the Town could not afford the first house or the second house. About one-third of the households could not afford home 3, 4, or 5.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin D - 5 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Housing Element

Table D-9. Housing Affordability Analysis by Family Size and Income: 2000 Percent of Households Home 3 in Income 30% of Monthly Category 1 Income 2 #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 3.1 1 person LI = $560 6.1 2 persons LI = $640 1.4 3 persons LI = $720 1.1 4 persons LI = $800 28.9 28.9 0.7 5 persons LI = $864 Percent Percent 32.5 Couldn’t Couldn’t Percent 34.4 2.7 1 person MI = $879 Afford Afford Couldn’t Percent Couldn’t 34.4 0.3 6 persons LI = $928 This this Afford Afford Percent House House this Couldn’t 0.1 7 persons LI = $992 House this House Afford 9.4 2 persons MI = $1,004 this House. 0 8 persons LI = $1,056 4.0 3 persons MI = $1,130 3.6 4 persons MI = $1,255 X X 1.9 5 persons MI = $1,355 X X X 0 6 persons MI = $1,456 X X X X 0 7 persons MI = $1,556 X X X X 0.3 8 persons MI = $1,656 X X X X X 1. Estimates based on the results of the Community Survey (Appendix C) 2. LI stands for Low Income and MI stands for Moderate Income 3. Homes refer to those listed in Table D-8.

Special Housing Needs As the age of the population grows disproportionately older, the special housing needs of the elderly must be an important part of a community’s commitment to provide appropriate housing options for all of its residents. The availability of special facilities is especially important to residents who want to stay in the community they are most familiar with and remain near family and friends.

The Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS), Division of Supportive Living licenses a number of residential settings for the elderly along with facilities for the physically and developmentally disabled. Table D-10 lists various residential settings and the total capacity in the Town and also in the Village and Dane County. It should be noted that most of these facilities are filled to capacity and maintain waiting lists.

There are no facilities for the identified special need populations in the Town. There are two Community Based Residential Facilities in the Village with a total capacity of 35 people. Most of the facilities are located primarily in the Madison area with a few in some of the larger outlying communities.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin D - 6 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Housing Element

Table D-10. Special Needs Housing; Town of Cottage Grove and Dane County: 2000 Capacity Town of Village of Cottage Cottage Dane Facility Type Description Grove Grove County

A place where 3 or 4 adults receive care,

treatment or services (above the level of room Adult Family Homes (AFH) 0 0 60 and board) and that may include up to 7 hours (Licensed by the State) per week of nursing care per resident.

A place where 1 or 2 adults receive care, Adult Family Homes (AFH) treatment or service (above the level of room 0 0 105 (Licensed by the County) and board) and that may include up to 7 hours per week of nursing care per resident.

A place where 5 or more unrelated people live

together in a community setting. Services Community Based Residential provided include room and board, supervision, 0 35 1,720 Facility (CBRF) support services and may include up to 3 hours

of nursing care per week.

Facility for the Developmentally A residential facility for three or more unrelated 0 0 481 Disabled (FDD) persons with development disabilities

A residential facility that provides 24-hour services, including room and board to 3 or more Nursing Home 0 0 2,091 unrelated persons. These persons require more than 7 hours a week of nursing care.

Independent apartment units in which the Residential Care Apartment following services are provided: room and board, 0 0 303 Complex (RCAC) up to 28 hours per week of supportive care, personal care and nursing services.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, Division of Supportive Living

Review of Existing Federal and State Housing Programs

As a result of a number of unmet housing needs, various governmental and non-governmental efforts have developed over the years. These programs are intended to help provide decent and affordable housing, especially for low- and moderate-income persons, or persons with special housing needs (physically disabled, developmentally disabled, homeless and elderly). Exhibit D-2 is a summary of some available federal and state housing programs. It should be noted that this information is general and intended to show the range of options and available resources. Each of the programs has certain limitations and procedures for providing assistance.

In 1998, the Town along with 42 other communities entered into an agreement with Dane County that created the Dane County Housing Development Fund. Funds are loaned to housing developers that build housing for low- and moderate-income residents in the participating municipalities. The fund is capitalized on an annual basis with 20 percent of the amount allocated to Dane County through the Community Development Block Grant

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin D - 7 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Housing Element

allocation. In FY 2001, the fund is capitalized at $670,000 with future appropriations of $400,000 through 2003.

Exhibit D-2. Summary of Selected Federal and State Housing Programs and Revenue Sources Wisconsin Department of Administration, Division of Housing and Intergovernmental Relations (DHIR)

Local Housing Organization Grant (LHOG) Program. Provides funds, with a one to one match, to housing authorities, Indian tribes and non-profit housing organizations to improve their capacity to provide affordable housing for low-income persons.

Low-Income Weatherization Program. Provides funds through local weatherization programs for units occupied by low- income persons.

Rental Rehabilitation Program (RRP). Provides funds to owners of rental housing for repairs and improvements. Funded by HUD Home Investment Partnership Program.

Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago

Affordable Housing Program (AHP). Provides loans or grants to not-for-profit organizations or public entities to finance the purchase, construction, or rehabilitation of affordable rental housing.

Community Investment Program (CIP). Provides funds at below-market interest rate advances for financing the purchase or rehabilitation of rental housing.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Section 202/811. Provides capital advances under an annual competition to non-profit organizations for rehabilitation or construction of affordable multi-family rental and co-op housing for elderly persons and persons with disabilities.

Multi-Family FHA Mortgage Insurance. Provides federal mortgage insurance for private lenders to finance construction or rehabilitation of multi-family properties, nursing homes, intermediate care facilities, or board and care homes.

Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA)

Affordable Housing Tax Credit Program. Provides federal income tax credits for construction, rehabilitation and preservation of affordable rental housing.

Blueprint Loan. Provides short-term financing for front-end costs associated with creating multi-family housing under federal, state and local programs.

Foundation Grant. Provides grant funds to non-profit sponsors to help meet the housing needs of low- and moderate- income elderly, disabled, or person in crisis.

Housing Improvement Loan Program (HILP). Provides mortgage loan funds for rehabilitation and improvements for one- to four-unit owner-occupied dwellings.

Multi-Family Homeless Mortgage Loan. Provides non-recourse mortgage loans for projects benefiting individuals or families who are currently homeless or in danger of becoming homeless.

Multi-Family Taxable Revenue Bond Loan. Provides long-term, non-recourse mortgage loans through the sale of taxable bonds. Commonly used by developers of tax credit projects.

Multi-Family Tax-Exempt Revenue Bond Loan. Provides construction and long-term financing for new construction, purchase or rehabilitation of existing buildings for multi-family rental housing.

Source: 2000 Consolidated Plan Compile by: Mid-America Planning Services, Inc.

Review of Local Efforts

To date the Town has not participated in an effort to expand the number of affordable housing units. As previously noted, it can work with a developer to apply for funding through the Dane County Housing Development Fund to encourage the provision of more affordable housing.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin D - 8 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Housing Element

Selected areas of the Town could also be designated for higher residential densities as a way to encourage more affordable housing.

Future Housing Needs

Based on the overall intent of this Plan, the population of the Town over the next 20 years is expected to increase at an annual rate of 0.8 percent, resulting in a total increase of some 663 residents (Table D-11). To project the number of households over the next 20 years, these population projections were divided by the Exhibit D-3. Factors Affecting the Number of Households anticipated average household size for that time period. For the purpose of this Plan, it is Change in Population (+ or -) anticipated that the average household size will continue to fall, but at a slower rate than in the Change in Average Household Size (+ or -) past, to about 2.41 persons by 2020.

Given the anticipated decrease in household size, the number of households will consequently grow disproportionately faster than the population increase.

By 2020, the number of households in the Town should approach 1,868. Between 2000 and 2020, a total of 301 new households will form, or on average about 75 in each of the five-year increments.

Exhibit D-4. Factors Affecting the Number of Housing Units As the number of households in a community rises, so to the number of Change in Households (+ or -) housing units should increase. The number

Change in Vacancy Rate (+ or -) of dwelling units available should exceed the number of households in that a certain Number of Residential Units Lost from Housing Stock percentage of the units will be vacant at any point in time. A reasonable vacancy rate allows consumers a choice when newcomers move into an area and when residents create new households or decide to move within the community due to a change in household status, housing requirements, or lifestyle. In addition, more housing units will need to be constructed to replace housing units that are destroyed, demolished, or converted to non-residential uses.

The number of housing units was calculated by applying a vacancy rate to the projected number of households for each of the time periods. For the purpose of this Plan, it is assumed that the occupancy rate will hold fairly steady at about 95 percent over the next 20 years. Although it is likely that some of the existing housing units will be taken out of the housing stock, this amount will likely be insignificant and was not factored in the projections. Over the next 20 years about 317 new housing units will need to be added to accommodate the growth rate of 0.8 percent.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin D - 9 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Housing Element

Table D-11. Projections for Population, Households, and Housing Units: 2000 to 2020 Housing Year Population 1 Households 2 Units 3

Total Number 2000 3,839 1,567 1,649

2005 3,995 1,637 1,723

2010 4,157 1,711 1,801

2015 4,326 1,788 1,882

2020 4,502 1,868 1,996

Number Added During Period 2000 to 2005 156 70 74

2005 to 2010 162 74 78

2010 to 2015 169 77 81

2015 to 2020 176 80 84

2000 to 2020 663 301 317 Notes: 1 Population is based on a growth rate of 0.8 percent each year. 2 The number of households is calculated by dividing the population by the average household size for that time period. It is assumed that the household size will decrease from 2.45 in 2000 to 2.41 in 2020. 3 The number of housing units is calculated by applying a vacancy rate. It is assumed that the vacancy rate will be 95 percent throughout the planning period. It is further assumed that no existing housing units will be lost from the housing stock due to fire, demolition, or conversion to other non-residential uses.

Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations

The goals, objectives, policies and recommendations for this element are found in Chapter B.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin D - 10 Comprehensive Plan - 2020 Transportation Element

TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT

General Overview

Town residents depend on the transportation facilities in their community and the region to connect them to other areas of the state and to the rest of the nation and the world. The type, quality and location of transportation facilities are an important component in residents’ quality of life and in developing and maintaining a sustainable economy.

There is a significant relationship between transportation and land use. New development or changes in existing land uses, whether incremental or sudden, directly affects the safety and functionality of roadways and the demand for additional transportation facilities. On the other hand, the creation of new or improving existing transportation corridors can have a significant distributional affect on the type and timing of development within a community and/or a region. Thus, this element and the Land Use Element should support and complement one another.

For the foreseeable future, the private automobile will continue to dominant all modes of transportation. However, it is important to recognize that people have different needs and capabilities and that a good transportation system should include a variety of transportation choices.

Objective of Element The intent of this element is to provide basic information on the existing transportation Exhibit E-1. Basic Objectives of the Transportation Element network in the Town and in the region Assess existing transportation facilities. (Exhibit E-1). Next, statewide planning efforts are reviewed to assess how these Review statewide planning efforts. efforts may or may not affect transportation Review state programmatic budgets for transportation facilities within and around the Town. State projects. programmatic budgets are reviewed to Develop a long-term plan for transportation facilities in the determine what transportation projects, if community. any, are anticipated. The final section Develop goals and objectives that will accommodate the presents a future transportation network needs of current and future residents. plan for the Town. Taken together this review will help to better define issues, problems and opportunities that need to be addressed to accommodate residents’ needs. As an end product, the future transportation plan will guide development of the road network over the planning period. In addition, this element is intended to form the basis for transportation goals and objectives.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin E - 1 Comprehensive Plan - 2020 Transportation Element

Existing Conditions

Local Road Network Roadways serve two competing functions: access to individual properties and traffic mobility. These needs compete in that as the number of property accesses increases along a route, traffic mobility decreases (Exhibit E-2).

To help plan for current and future traffic conditions, it is useful to categorize roads based on their primary function. Arterials accommodate the movement of vehicles, while local streets provide the land access function. Collectors serve both local and through traffic by providing a connection between arterial and local roads. Exhibit E-2. General Relationship Map E-1 shows the various roads in the Town and how they Between Access and Mobility are classified according to the Department of Transportation (DOT). Hi gh

Principal Arterials. Interstate 94 is situated along the Town’s northern boundary and is part of the nationwide Interstate System. US Highway 12/18 is a principal arterial running between Madison and Ft. Atkinson and points beyond. CTH

N is a major north-south route and runs through the center Mobility of the village of Cottage Grove. It connects to 1-94 just north of the Town and with 1-90 to the south of the Town. Low Hi gh Minor Arterials. CTH BB is classified as a major collector and Access traverses the Town from east to west. It runs between Madison and Lake Mills to the east.

Collectors. Vilas Road between US Highway 12/18 and County Trunk BB is classified as a minor collector and a major collector from County Trunk BB to the interstate.

Local Streets. All other public roads in the Town that are not classified by the DOT are considered to be local roads.

Traffic Conditions As part of a statewide system, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation monitors traffic flow at selected locations on three-year cycles. Map E- I shows the locations of these counts taken in or near the Town during 1999. With the exception of the interstate, traffic on US Highway 12/18 is the highest and is the dominant east-west route leading to the Madison- metropolitan area. County Trunk BB sees less than one-half of the traffic occurring on US Highway 12/18.

Rustic Road Conditions In 1973, the state legislature created the Rustic Roads System to help citizens and local units of government preserve what remains of Wisconsin's scenic, lightly traveled country roads for the leisurely enjoyment of bikers, hikers and motorists. Throughout the state, there are over 680 miles in the system with 84 designated roadways.

There are only two designated roadways in Dane County, none of which are located in the Town. Lalor Road is about 2.3 miles in length and is located on the west side of Lake Waubesa. Dyreson Road is 2.9 miles in length and is located on the northwest side of Lake Kegonsa.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin E - 2 Comprehensive Plan - 2020 Transportation Element

Page reserved for Map E -1 -- Functional Classification and traffic counts

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin E - 3 Comprehensive Plan - 2020 Transportation Element

Air Transportation Within a 30-mile radius around the Town there are eight public use airports offering a full range of facilities and include the following: Blackhawk Airfield, Watertown Municipal Airport, Exhibit E-3. Public Use Airports in Region: 2000 Fort Atkinson Municipal Airport, Jana Airport (Edgerton), Verona Airpark, Morey Airport (Middleton), Waunakee Airport and Dane County Regional Airport (Exhibit E-3).

Of these Jana Airport in Edgerton and Verona Airpark are not part of the State Airport System and consequently are not eligible to receive public funding for improvements.

Blackhawk Airfield is located in the Village between Interstate 94 and CTH BB off of Kennedy Road. It is privately owned and operated. It is open to public use and is part of the State Airport System. The asphalt runway is 2,450 feet long and will accommodate most classes of general aviation aircraft. The airfield has a number of private hangars.

Dane County Regional Airport is the closest airport with full commercial service and general aviation facilities. Blackhawk Airfield and Morey Airport, both general aviation airports, are designated as reliever airports¹ to Dane County Regional Airport.

Table E-1. Projected Aviation Operations for Airports in State Airport System in Region: 2000 to 2020 Based on

Percent projections Change contained in the 2000 - Wisconsin State Airport Name 2000 2010 2020 2020 Airport System Blackhawk Airfield 21,700 22,600 23,500 8.3 Plan - 2020 (draft) Watertown Municipal Airport 49,820 53,420 57,120 14.6 these airports are Fort Atkinson Municipal Airport 6,700 6,700 6,700 0 expected to Morey Airport (Middleton) 19,110 21,310 24,710 26.5 experience Dane County Regional Airport 167,400 176,000 183,700 9.7 increased traffic levels in varying degrees (Table E- 1). Of the airports shown, only Morey Airport is expected to see a larger percentage increase in aviation operations² than the statewide average of 16.4 percent. Aviation operations at Blackhawk Airfield are expected to increase a modest 8 percent over the next 20 years.

1 A reliever airport is a general aviation airport in a metropolitan area that general aviation pilots can use as an alternative landing area to more congested commercial service airports.

² An aviation operation is defined as either a landing or a takeoff. A plan that takes off and returns would account for two operations.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin E - 4 Comprehensive Plan - 2020 Transportation Element

Railroad Facilities There are a number of freight railroads operating in Exhibit E-4. Railroads in Region: 2000 the region (Exhibit E-4). Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Company operates a line between the village of Cottage Grove and Madison that connects into a number of other routes. Traffic on the line is infrequent and used on an as-needed basis. Lumber and fertilizer are commonly shipped on this line.

Amtrak provides passenger service between Minneapolis - St. Paul and Milwaukee and points beyond. The two closest Amtrak Stations are located in Columbus and Portage.

Bicycle / Walking Trails The Glacial Drumlin State Trail is located in the Town and is part of a statewide network of trails being developed by the Department of Natural Resources and other collaborators. The trailhead is located in the Village and the trail extends east into Waukesha County. This trail accommodates a wide range of activities including biking, hiking, pleasure walking and snowmobile use. The DNR is currently working to secure the necessary right-of-way to extend the trail from the trailhead to the west into Madison where it will connect to additional trails.

Besides this trail, there are no other designated trails within the Town. Traffic volumes and road widths on many of the Town's streets allow bicycle traffic. However, as traffic volumes continue to climb, opportunities for bicycle use will decrease especially for families with children. Subdivisions situated in the Town do not have sidewalks.

Special Transit Facilities Within the Town there are no public transit facilities. The Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) offers transportation service for older adults for personal and medical needs. In addition, the Dane County Department of Human Services administers a transportation program to provide nutrition, shopping and adult day care group trips for seniors and people with disabilities.

Review of Existing Transportation Plans

There are a number of statewide transportation planning efforts that will have a bearing on the presence or absence of transportation facilities and services in the region (Exhibit E-5). Most of these efforts developed umbrella policy documents that provide general goals and policies covering the state. The following sections provide a brief overview of the plans that have been completed or that are in a draft phase and how they might affect area residents and the preparation of this Plan.

In addition to these statewide plans, the DOT is working with Dane County and the city of Madison on an area-wide transportation plan entitled "Transport 2020".

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin E - 5 Comprehensive Plan - 2020 Transportation Element

Exhibit E-5. Statewide Transportation Plans

Title Responsible State Agency Status Translinks 21 Department of Transportation Adopted - 1994 Wisconsin Bicycle Transportation Plan - 2020 Department of Transportation Adopted - December, 1998 Midwest Regional Rail System Department of Transportation Published – February, 2000 Wisconsin State Highway Plan 2020 Department of Transportation Adopted - February, 2000 Wisconsin State Airport System Plan 2020 Department of Transportation Adopted – February, 2000 State Recreational Trails Network Plan Department of Natural Resources Adopted January, 2001 Wisconsin Pedestrian Plan Department of Transportation Proposed completion – 2001 State Rail Plan Department of Transportation Proposed completion - 2002

Compiled by: Mid-America Planning Services, Inc.

TransLinks 21 Beginning in 1994, the Department of Transportation began a planning process to develop a comprehensive, intermodal transportation plan as mandated by the federal government in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). The resulting plan, Translinks 21, is intended to guide transportation policies, programs and investments through the year 2020.

It outlines an aggressive program, estimated to cost $39 billion over a 25-year period, which is about $8.9 billion over projected spending levels. Translinks 21 is intended to provide policy level guidance on the preparation of individual modal plans for highways, airports, railroads, bikeways and transit. Key programmatic elements are shown below in Exhibit E-6.

Exhibit E-6. Translinks 21 -- Major Programmatic Elements State Highways • Complete construction of the multilane Corridors 2020 Backbone network (more fully described below). • Fund a new $175 million Country Roads Program to maintain less-traveled state highways and provide habitat and landscape improvements to enhance the scenic, historic and other attractions surrounding the highway. Passenger Rail • In conjunction with Amtrak, develop new high-speed passenger rail service to various locations in the state. Air service • Invest $50 million in airports to replace anticipated shortfalls in the federal Airport Improvement Program. Intercity Bus • Invest $160 million to maintain existing intercity bus service and provide service to communities over 5,000 population. • Invest $25 million to help communities establish intercity passenger transportation stations connecting intercity bus, rail, auto and in some cases air services with each other and with municipal bus, taxi, or elderly and disabled services. Public Transit • Implement five new initiatives to maintain, improve and expand use of public transit in larger communities. Other • Increase funding for the Local Road Improvement Program (LRIP), which helps local communities pay for needed improvements on local routes.

Compiled by: Mid-America Planning Services, Inc.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin E - 6 Comprehensive Plan - 2020 Transportation Element

Wisconsin State Highway Plan – 2020 Exhibit E-7. Corridors 2020 The State Highway Plan 2020 outlines investment needs and priorities for the state’s investment needs and priorities for the state’s 1,800 miles of State Trunk Highway through the year 2020. Given the financial realities of maintaining this extensive road network (need exceeds anticipated funds), the plan establishes priorities for funding. Most of the funding is allocated to Corridors 2020 backbone and collector routes as shown in Exhibit E-7.

Interstate 94 and 90 are considered part of the backbone of Corridors 2020 and will continue to receive a high degree of maintenance and improvement when needed.

Wisconsin Bicycle Transportation Plan – 2020 The Wisconsin Bicycle Transportation Plan – 2020 presents a blueprint for developing and integrating bicycling into the overall transportation system. In an effort to promote bicycling between communities, the plan Backbone analyzed the condition of all county trunk and Collector state trunk highways in the state and produced maps showing the suitability of these roads for bicycle traffic. Suitability criteria were based primarily on road width and traffic volumes with secondary consideration given to pavement condition, passing opportunities and percent and volume of truck traffic.

The plan also identified state trunk highways Exhibit E-8. Proposed Midwest Regional Rail System suitable as “Priority Corridors and Key Linkages” that connect communities over 5,000 population and other major bicyclist destinations. Although these mapped routes currently occur only on state trunk highways, the plan anticipates that the routes will be extended to include other segments of County Trunk Highways as Smart Growth Plans are prepared and adopted in the future.

Midwest Regional Rail System Since 1996, transportation officials from 9 Midwest states, Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration have been developing a proposal to bring more efficient high-speed passenger rail to Midwest residents. The recently adopted, Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, lays out a general framework for developing and improving the 3,000-mile rail network, known as the Midwest Regional Rail System (MWRRS) (Exhibit E-8). The overall project would cost more than $4 billion and would be implemented over 10 years. Although representatives from the participating entities

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin E - 7 Comprehensive Plan - 2020 Transportation Element

jointly developed the proposal, individual states will need to implement and fund specific projects within their state’s jurisdiction. As of this date, the state has not authorized any specific projects. Implementation of all or part of the MWRSS in Wisconsin will likely be addressed in the state’s Rail Plan currently under development.

As proposed, passenger railroad service would be more accessible for area residents, with a line running through the Madison area. Up to 10 round trips per day is anticipated between Madison and Milwaukee. Construction of this route as proposed in the plan would occur in years 2 and 3 of an 11-year implementation schedule.

Wisconsin State Airport System Plan - 2020 The Wisconsin State Airport System Plan – 2020 has a 21-year planning horizon and provides a framework for the preservation and enhancement of public-use airports that are part of the State Airport System. Of the 143 public-use airports in the state, 100 are part of the system. Based on coverage of existing airports and anticipated demand, the plan recommends that no new airports be brought into the System and that no existing airport be eliminated.

The plan categorizes needed improvements into three groups: pavement, instrument capability and airport service level. The recommended set of policy scenarios generates a statewide total of estimated project costs for the 21-year planning period of nearly $1.1 billion (1999 dollars). Although estimated costs were developed for each of the airports in the system, the plan did not itemize the costs for each airport so it is difficult to determine which airports have been identified as needing improvements over the next 21 years.

State Recreational Trails Network Plan The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is currently in the process of preparing the State Recreational Trails Network Plan, which will be an amendment to the Wisconsin State Trail Strategic Plan. This plan identifies a network of trail corridors throughout the state referred to as the “trail interstate system” that potentially could consist of more than 4,000 miles of trails. These potential trails follow highway corridors, utility corridors, rail corridors and linear natural features (e.g. rivers and other topographic features).

Given the scope of the plan and the inter-jurisdictional nature of linear trails, the DNR will need to work in partnership with the Department of Transportation, affected counties and other local units of government and interested user groups. The department would act as a facilitator helping with acquisition and in some instances development, as funding permits. This Plan and the DOT’s Pedestrian Plan (discussed above) should be seen as complementary as there is often little distinction between recreational use of a trail and using the trail as a means of inter-city transportation. Even though a proposed trail corridor may not run through a community, the plan encourages communities and counties throughout the state to develop additional trails linking to the statewide trail system.

The plan shows the extension of the Glacial Drumlin State Trail from the village of Cottage Grove westward to Madison along the rail line operated by the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Company. As of yet no timetable has been set for completing this link.

Transport 2020 Transport 2020 is a current planning project undertaken by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the city of Madison and Dane County. The project focuses on transportation within and between Monona, Middleton, Madison and Sun Prairie. The study includes highway alternatives such as advanced technologies to improve highway operations and highway widening options, rapid transit alternatives and rail alternatives. Obviously, the selected alternatives will affect transportation within the Town.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin E - 8 Comprehensive Plan - 2020 Transportation Element

Programmed Transportation Improvement Projects

State and County Trunk Highways The Department of Transportation makes improvements to State Trunk Highways as listed in the Six-Year Highway Improvement Program. As shown in the current budget, there are a number of projects on US Highway 12/18. None of these are located within the Town or will have little affect on the traffic circulation system in the Town.

Airports in State Airport System Sponsors of airports in the State Airport System are eligible to apply for state and federal funding to help augment the cost of airport improvement projects that range in scope from very small improvements to major development and reconstruction projects. The Bureau of Aeronautics programs airport improvement projects around the state based on state and federal priority ratings, state and federal funding availability and other factors. The result is a Five-Year Airport Improvement Program that is updated every year. The projects listed in the first two years of the program are programmed for completion, while those in latter years are tentative.

Over the next 5 years, no improvements are currently planned at Blackhawk Airfield. Improvements to taxiways are programmed at Watertown Municipal Airport. At Dane County Regional Airport over $29.8 million is programmed for a variety of improvements. However, none of these will improve these facilities to significantly increase capacity or accommodate larger aircraft.

Future Transportation Plan

By in large, the Town’s network of roads is in good condition and is an asset to build upon. To accommodate the anticipated growth over the next 20 years, only a few road improvements are needed as depicted in Map E-2 and as listed below.

Upgrade Gaston Road from CTH N to the town line to a minor collector. Upgrade Vilas Road from Gaston Road to CTH BB to a minor collector. Upgrade Vilas Hope Road from CTH BB to the town line to a minor collector. Upgrade Buss Road from Gaston Road to CTH BB to a minor collector. Improve the intersection at Gaston Road and Vilas Road. Improve the intersection at CTH BB and Vilas Hope Road. Improve and realign the intersection at Vilas Road and CTH BB.

All of these projects are needed to accommodate high-density residential development in this area and the potential siting of a new public school near Buss Road and Gaston Road.

In addition, a number of improvements are needed to accommodate and promote bicycle use in the Town. These are shown on Map E-2 and are listed below.

Designate a number of roads in the eastern half of the Town as a bicycle route to take advantage of the Glacial Drumlin State Trail. These roads include: Ridge Road, West Ridge Road, W. Jargo Road, Nora Road and Uphoff Road. Construct a bike lane along CTH BB from the Village to Ridge Road. Construct a bike lane along Gaston Road from CTH BB to Vilas Road. Construct a bike lane along Vilas Road from Gaston Road to Bass Road. Construct a bike lane along Vilas Hope Road from CTH BB to the town line. Construct a bike lane along CTH BB from the Village westward.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin E - 9 Comprehensive Plan - 2020 Transportation Element

Construct a bike lane along Baxter Road from the town line to CTH BB. Construct a series of bike/pedestrian paths between existing and future subdivisions in the northwest quadrant of the Town.

The addition of these bike facilities will allow residents in the higher density residential areas of the Town to safety get to and from the Glacial Drumlin State Trail and to other destinations.

Goals, Objectives, Policies and Recommendations

The goals, objectives, policies and recommendations for this element are found in Chapter B.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin E - 10 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Element

AGRICULTURAL, NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT

Objective of Element

The basic purpose of this element is to provide background information on a wide variety of agricultural, natural and cultural resources and features in the Town (Exhibit G-1). This information will help the Town recognize Exhibit G-1. Basic Objectives of the Agricultural, Natural, and and identify important resources that Cultural Resources Element need to be protected and/or effectively Provide background information on a wide variety of managed. It will also identify if there is agricultural, natural and cultural resources in and around the anything that may limit the development community. potential within the Town (e.g. poor soils, Provide maps that document the location and extent of these floodplains, wetlands, bedrock, resources. groundwater pollution, etc.). Collectively, this information will help the Town Identify areas for development with the least impact on “Grow Smart” which is one of the major important resources and features.

tenants of this plan and state statutes. Identify physical limitations, if any, to development.

Agricultural Resources

Agriculture within the Town is a dominant feature of the landscape and Table G-1. Prime Farmland: Town of Cottage Grove: 2000 within the local economy. Historically, Percent dairy farms were the most dominant component of agricultural in the Town. Soil Classification Acres Of Total Overtime, however, many of the dairy Prime Farmland 9,210 45.3 farms have ceased, while a few of the Prime Farmland, if drained 1,723 8.5 dairy farms have grown much larger. Prime Farmland, if drained and not flooded 581 2.8 This trend toward fewer operators and Prime Farmland, if not flooded 26 <0.1 larger farm operations in the Town is part of a larger statewide and national Not Prime Farmland 8,765 43.1 trend. No Data 35 <0.1 Total 20,340 100.0

According to the Natural Resources Source: U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Service (NRCS), Note: Acreage includes all land uses and may be developed. approximately 45 percent of the soils are classified as prime farmland (Table G-1). It should be noted that some portion of this sum is not in agricultural production in that some could be used for residential uses and the like. Another 2,330 acres would be prime farmland under certain conditions. Land considered not prime farmland is interspersed throughout the Town with extensive areas oriented in a southwest to northeast direction (Map G-1).

Based on an inventory conducted during the summer of 2000, a map was prepared that shows the areas that were actively being farmed at that time. These areas were further divided into those that were farmed by the property owner and those that were farmed by a lessee. This is included here as Map G-2.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin G - 1 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Element

Page reserved Map G-1 Prime farmland

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin G - 2 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Element

Page reserved Map G-2 Farmed Land

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Based on this inventory, about 76 percent of the Town is actively farmed. Of this total, 56 percent is farmed by the landowner and 44 percent by a lessee. Obviously, agriculture is important to the Town as an economic base. It also is at the heart of the Town’s rural character and charm.

Natural Resources

Geology Exhibit G-2. Glacial Deposits in Region The bedrock underlying the Town primarily consists of sandstone and limestone. Beneath these sedimentary rocks is the crystalline rock, which is impermeable to water. Rhyolite, granite and basalt are common components. The surface geology and landforms in the region (and much of Wisconsin) were formed by the continental ice sheets that advanced and retreated from the region several times during the period of time known as the Pleistocene Epoc. Glaciated deposits are grouped into two categories depending on how the materials were moved. If the materials were transported by moving water, the resulting deposits are referred to as outwash deposits and are characterized by well- sorted materials and stratified layers. If the ice sheets physically moved or carried the materials, the deposits are unsorted and unstratified and are known as till deposits. Although there are two main types of glacial deposits, they appear in a wide variety of landforms.

Glacial landforms in the Town are varied and widely dispersed. Outwash plains, terraces and fans appear in a band running from the southwest to the northeast and also in the western part of the Town. Source: “Glacial Deposits of Wisconsin (Map 10) 1976 A small handful of isolated end moraines are Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey interspersed in the area. The largest end moraines (till deposits) are located near the village of Cottage Grove and in the southern half of the Exhibit G-3. Sand and Gravel Potential of Selected Glacial Landforms Town. The remaining portion of the Glacial Landform Sand and Gravel Potential Town consists of ground moraine features.

Outwash (plains, terraces, Likely source of commercial deposits. The Pleistocene deposits generally fans and valley trains) Generally found in flat-lying formations of cover the bedrock throughout the varying quality and depth. region in varying depths up to 400

feet. However, bedrock is near the Ground Moraine Low potential. Production is limited to other surface in the southwest portion of the glacial landforms superimposed on the Town generally south of US Highway ground moraine, including gravel-cored 12/18. Isolated bedrock outcroppings drumlins and isolated kames, eskers and are also located around Coyt Drive, similar features. near Jargo Road, Hope Road and near

the north end of the village of Cottage End Moraine Low potential. Isolated, small pockets may Grove (Map G-3). exist in association with outwash plains and ice contact deposits.

Source: Land Resources Analysis Program, 1976

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin G - 4 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Element

Map G-3 Bedrock

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin G - 5 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Element

Metallic and Non-Metallic Resources There are no known metallic mineral deposits of economic value in or near the Town and no exploration has occurred. No detailed work has been done to map the extent of non-metallic deposits (sand and gravel).

Although most of the commercial sources of sand and gravel are generally associated with the outwash deposits, small, isolated pockets of sand and gravel can be found as summarized in Exhibit G-3. There is a number of gravel pits scattered throughout the Town. Based on information from Dane County, 51 conditional use permits have been issued for gravel pits. Three major sites are still active. Currently, there is one hardrock quarry in the Town located off of Gaston Road. It has been worked for a number of years and should be depleted by 2003- 04. Map G-3 indicates that the most promising hardrock resources are in the southern part of the Town.

Soils Exhibit G-4. Soil Associations Found in the Town Soils in the region were formed from the Soil Association General Description Pleistocene deposits transported by

continental glaciers that moved across Dodge-St. Charles- Well drained and moderately well drained, deep the land many thousands of years ago. McHenry silt loams Some of the soils found in the Town developed from sandy loam glacial till and are generally grouped into two soil Plano-Ringwood- Moderately well drained and well drained, deep associations Dodge-St. Charles- Griswold silt loam and loam McHenry Association and the Plano- Ringwood-Griswold Association (Exhibit Batavia-Houghton- Well drained and poorly drained, deep and G-4). These are generally found on Dresden moderately deep and shallow silt loams and elevated sites and contain silt loam. The mucks that are underlain by shale or limestone Batavia-Houghton-Dresden Association is associated with the streams in the Source: Soil Conservation Service (1978) Town, where much is quite common.

Some of the soils within the Town pose a number of limitations for development. The most common limitation is related to the use of individual septic systems (Map G-4). Some of the soils do not allow proper drainage, while others are saturated.

Groundwater Groundwater in Dane County is contained in four geologically distinct aquifers. The lowest aquifer is composed primarily of sandstone and is the most productive aquifer. Aquifers closer to the surface tend to yield lesser amounts of water. Adequate supplies of groundwater for domestic, commercial and agricultural uses are available.

Although the groundwater quality is generally good it is susceptible to contamination from various point sources and non-point sources located within the Town and in the surrounding area. In 1987, the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey published a composite map of the state showing groundwater susceptibility, or the ease with which a contaminant can enter the groundwater, based on five features: depth to bedrock, bedrock type, depth to water table, soil characteristics and surficial deposits. Although the map is not intended for site- specific use, it indicates that the region as a whole is quite susceptible.

The Department of Natural Resources maintains a database containing well information for many public and private wells in the State. A review of this database found that there are a number of wells with elevated levels of nitrates and volatile organic compounds. Nitrates can commonly enter the groundwater from individual septic systems and from standard farming practices. The Town is located in an atrazine prohibition area as delineated by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. Atrazine is a chemical used to grow corn and is found in groundwater in the region. No wells in the Town are known to contain atrazine.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin G - 6 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Element

Map G-4 Soil Limitations

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin G - 7 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Element

Map G-5 Nitrates

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin G - 8 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Element

Map G-6 VOCs

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin G - 9 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Element

Surface Water and Wetlands The Town is located in the Rock-Fox River Basin as shown in Exhibit G-5 on a drainage divide between the Yahara River and Upper Koshkonong Creek watersheds. The principal streams are Koshkonong Creek to the east and Door Creek to the west. Koshkonong Creek is classified as a warm-water sport fishery, while Door Creek and Little Door Creek are classified as forage fisheries. Over the years, significant portions of each of these creeks have been straightened to help drain the soil primarily for agricultural purposes. Numerous drainage ditches also empty into the unaltered reaches.

Exhibit G-5. Major River Basins of Wisconsin

The straightening and ditching has negatively affected water quality conditions and fish habitat. There are no open lakes or ponds except for some small isolated ponds.

Most of the significant wetlands in the Town are associated with Door and Koshkonong Creeks and their tributaries. According to the Wisconsin Wetland Inventory for Dane County, there are significant areas with wetland characteristics totaling some 2,200 acres (Map G-7).

Vegetation Presettlement vegetation in the region consisted primarily of prairies and oak savannas characterized by open grasslands with scattered bur and white oaks. Frequent (almost yearly) wildland fires kept intolerant trees and shrubs from gaining a foothold, thus sustaining largely a prairie environment. To a lesser extent, sedge meadows existed in the wetter parts of the prairie region.

Since white settlement, fires have largely been controlled resulting in a change in vegetation and many of the prairies have been converted to agricultural uses. Many of the areas not used for agricultural purposes have developed into dense, closed forest ecosystems. On dryer hillsides, forests of white, red and black oak dominate, while mesic forests of sugar maple, basswood and elm are common on wetter sites.

Threatened and Endangered Species Based on information contained in Wisconsin’s Natural Heritage Inventory there are 70 plants and 75 animal species in Dane County that are threatened, endangered, or a species of special concern. None are known to exist in the Town.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin G - 10 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Element

Map G-7 Surface Water and Wetlands

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin G - 11 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Element

Cultural Resources

Historical Overview Based on archaeological evidence so far discovered, the first inhabitants to what is now Wisconsin arrived over 10,000 years ago when the continental glaciers retreated northward. To help understand man’s presence in the state, archeologists have defined general times periods as summarized in Exhibit G-6.

Exhibit G-6. Archaeological Periods in Wisconsin Time Period Name General Description 10,000 years Paleo-Indians Paleoindians followed the woolly mammoth, mastadon and bison into the region as ago glaciers retreated.

8,000 years ago Archaic As the climate continued to warm, the large mammals of the Ice Age, were replaced by many of the animals found in the state today. People lived in small family groups, harvested wild plants, nuts and acorns and hunted small animals such as deer and elk

3,000 years ago Woodland Period People tended to live in villages. The first evidence of agricultural activities, pottery and the use of bows and arrows. Many mounds were built often in the shape of shape of animals, including turtles, birds and bears, which are referred to as effigy mounds.

1,000 years ago Mississippian Period The people in this period, know as Oneota, lived in larger villages with extensive agricultural fields, often growing corn, beans and squash. The Oneota were part of a complex trading network that extended to both coasts.

1634 to present Historic Period The arrival of Jean Nicolet, a French explorer, in 1634 marked the beginning of the Historic period.

Source: The State Historical Society of Wisconsin and others

Unfortunately, much of the evidence from the pre- Exhibit G-7. Distribution of Paleo-Indian Burial history has been lost with increased urbanization Mounds in Wisconsin and land alteration. Isolated prehistoric sites such as temporary or permanent settlements or extractive sites have been identified throughout the state. As noted in the above exhibit, people during the Woodland Period often built burial mounds. Although single mounds have been found, most occurred in groups, in some cases 30 or more in one location. The Town is located in an area of the state where Indian mounds are most common (Exhibit G-7). Numerous burial mounds are found in and around the Madison area.

Archaeological Resources No systematic archaeological survey has been conducted in or around the Town. Based on a review of records maintained by the Wisconsin State Historical Society, there are a number of known sites of archaeological significance (Map G-8).

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin G - 12 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Element

Historic Resources There are no historic sites in the Town that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. According to the Architecture & History Inventory (AHI) maintained by the State Historical Society, there are over 30 structures with some historical significance (Map G-8).

Many of these are located along US Highway 12/18 and were identified as part of the road improvement project. This inventory has not been updated in quite awhile and it is conceivable that some of the structures identified have been destroyed or no longer retain much historical significance. The Town should conduct a reconnaissance survey to update the information contained in the AHI.

Goals, Objectives, Polices, and Recommendations

The goals, objectives, policies and recommendations for this element are found in Chapter B.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin G - 13 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Element

Map G-8 Arch Resources and Historic Resources

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin G - 14 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Economic Development Element

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT

Objective of Element

The primary purpose of this element Exhibit H-1. Basic Objectives of the Economic Development Element is to present background information Understand the economic base of the community and statewide about the local economy and its trends affecting the community and region. relationship to the region. County, regional and state economic Identify and describe economic development programs at the local development programs are briefly and state level.

reviewed to identify possible Assess the community’s strengths and weaknesses relative to programs that the Town could take attracting and retaining new economic growth. advantage of to encourage Identify desirable businesses and industries. appropriate economic development. In any economic development effort, Identify environmentally contaminated sites suitable for commercial it is helpful to identify the strengths and industrial uses. and weaknesses of the Town in attracting and retaining businesses and industries. This element also identifies businesses and industries that would be compatible with the Town. Finally, properties in the Town are analyzed to determine if any sites are contaminated and what could be done to encourage suitable reuse.

Labor and Economic Characteristics

Labor Force Since about 1992, the national economy has done Table H-1. Civilian Labor Force and Unemployment Rate; Dane County and extremely well as reflected Wisconsin: 1992-1999 in a declining Dane County unemployment rate (Table Percent Change Wisconsin H-1). Wisconsin typically Civilian From Previous Unemployment Unemployment has a lower unemployment Year Labor Force Period Rate Rate rate than the nation and 1992 229,100 n/a 2.2 5.2 Dane County typically has a much lower 1993 237,600 3.7 2.2 4.7 unemployment rate than 1994 242,800 2.2 2.3 4.7 the state. Since 1992, the 1995 248,000 2.1 1.8 3.7 civilian labor force has seen 1996 257,700 3.9 1.7 3.5 substantial expansion up 1997 259,900 0.8 1.7 3.7 until 1996 when the rate of increase declined somewhat 1998 261,678 0.7 1.5 3.1 and then posted an overall 1999 258,941 -1.0 1.3 3.0 numeric decline in 1999. It Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development is anticipated that the labor force will continue to grow in the coming years, but at a somewhat slower rate than in the past.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin H - 1 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Economic Development Element

Data from the 1990 Census reveals that Table H-2. Commuting Patterns; Town of Cottage Grove: 1990 about one in five people in the local labor Travel Time Persons 1 Percent 2 force (16 years and over) traveled more Worked at home 63 3.1 than 30 minutes to work (Table H-2). Given the commute times, most of the Less than 9 minutes 189 9.3 Town residents likely went to work in the 10 to 19 minutes 633 31.1 Madison area. The vast majority of 20 to 29 minutes 702 34.5 workers stayed in Dane County. This data 30 to 44 minutes 326 16.0 reinforces the observation that the Town 45 minutes or longer 123 6.0 is largely a bedroom community of the Madison urban area. Total 2,036 100.0

Aside from farmers, only a small Place of Work percentage of residents (3.1 percent) In Dane County 1,961 96.3 worked in their place of residence. Given the national trend of more and more Elsewhere In Wisconsin 75 3.7 people working out of there homes, it is Out of State 0 0 anticipated that a larger percentage of Total 2,036 100.0

residents work at home now than did 10 Source: 1990 Census of Population and Housing (STF 3A)

years ago. Notes: 1. Only includes those workers 16 years and over. 2. The numbers in the percent column may not add up to 100 due to rounding. Economic Base Table H-3 shows employment statistics for Town residents 16 years and over by industry in 1980 and 1990. Between 1980 and 1990, 525 new jobs were added, representing an increase of 34.5 percent. During this 10-year period, there were declines for those working in the construction sector and the agricultural, forestry and fisheries sector and substantial gains were evident in entertainment and recreation services, health services, other professional services, retail trade and finance, insurance and real estate. Since 1990 there has been a substantial increase in the construction sector, given the relatively strong housing market due to the strong economy.

When compared to the state employment data, the percentage of Town residents in each of the categories generally mirrored the state in 1990. The exceptions were government (double the state proportion) and finance, insurance and real estate. Town residents involved in the manufacturing sector accounted for 8.1 percent of the total, while manufacturing accounts for over 15 percent throughout the state.

As shown in Table H-4, the average weekly wage of people working in Dane County increased 13.1 percent between 1996 and 1999 across all industries. Those sectors where the weekly wages rose substantially faster than all the sectors included the following: construction, retail trade and services. Retail trade posted the largest increase over this 3-year period with an increase of 19.5 percent. During 1999, construction and government wages were the highest, while wages in retail were the lowest. In 1999, workers in Dane County on average received $27 more per week than did the average worker in the state. Workers in the transportation and public utilities sector saw the largest differential of $171. Manufacturing workers received on average $33 less than their counterparts throughout the state.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin H - 2 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Economic Development Element

Table H-3. Employment by Industry; Town of Cottage Grove and Wisconsin: 1980 and 1990 Percent Change 1990 1980 1990 1980 1990 1980 to Wisconsin Employment Category Persons 1 Persons 1 Percent 2 Percent 2 1990 Percent 2 Agriculture, forestry and fisheries 103 68 6.8 3.3 - 34.0 4.6 Mining 0 0 0 0 0 0.1 Construction 108 97 7.1 4.7 - 10.2 4.9 Manufacturing, non-durable goods 142 147 9.3 7.2 3.5 9.3 Manufacturing, durable goods 113 165 7.4 8.1 46.0 15.1 Transportation 89 102 5.9 5.0 14.6 3.8 Communications and other public utilities 57 64 3.8 3.1 12.3 2.0 Wholesale trade 77 92 5.1 4.5 19.5 4.0 Retail Trade 202 335 13.3 16.4 65.8 17.1 Finance, insurance and real estate 124 204 8.2 10.0 64.5 5.8 Business and repair services 64 96 4.2 4.7 50.0 3.7 Personal, entertainment and recreation services 45 85 3.0 4.2 88.9 3.6 Professional and related services: - Health services 105 187 6.9 9.1 78.1 8.8 Educational services 129 161 8.5 7.9 24.8 8.2 Other professional and related services 53 93 3.5 4.5 75.7 5.5 Public administration 109 149 7.2 7.3 36.7 3.2 Total 1,520 2,045 100.0 100.0 34.5 100.0

Source: 1990 Census of Population and Housing (STF 3A)

Notes 1. Only includes employed persons 16 years and older

2. Total may not add up to 100 due to rounding.

Table H-4. Average Weekly Wage by Industry Group; Dane County and Wisconsin: 1996 and 1999 1996 1999 Amount Amount Percent Above Above Change Dane or Below Dane or Below 1996 to Industry County State County State 1999 Government $639 $35 $693 $45 8.5 Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing $405 $53 $450 $61 11.1 Construction $603 $27 $712 $45 15.3 Manufacturing $594 - $29 $665 - $33 11.9 Transportation and Public Utilities $625 $71 $687 $171 9.9 Wholesale Trade $608 $5 $682 - $7 12.2 Retail Trade $251 $8 $300 $24 19.5 Finance, Insurance and Real Estate $606 $24 $684 - $2 12.9 Services $453 $33 $526 $48 16.1 All Industries $512 $21 $579 $27 13.1

Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

Notes: Data is for the second quarter (April, May and June) for each year.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin H - 3 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Economic Development Element

Table H-5 shows Table H-5. The 10 Largest Employers in Region: 1998 the top ten Number of employers in the Company Product or Service Employees region in 1998 State of Wisconsin State Government Services 1,000 + based on employment data University of Wisconsin – Madison Educational Services 1,000 + maintained by the Madison Metropolitan School District Educational Services 1,000 + Bureau of American Family Insurance Insurance Services 1,000 + Workforce City of Madison Municipal Government Services 1,000 + Information. As CUNA Mutual Insurance Society Insurance Agents, Brokers and Service 1,000 + listed, state and local government, Kraft Foods, Inc. Food and Kindred Products Manufacturing 1,000 + education, health Dane County County Government Services 1,000 + care and insurance UW Hospital and Clinics Health Services 1,000 + are dominate Meriter Hospital Health Services 1,000 + employers in the Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Bureau of Workforce Information region. The Cottage Grove Cooperative with 250 employees is one of the largest employers in the immediate area.

Exhibit H-2. Size of Farms; Dane County: 1997 Agriculture is a significant part of the local economy and an important part of 1,000 acres or more the employment sector (albeit a relatively small role). Agriculture at the national 500 to 999 acres and state levels has been experiencing a number of shifts and trends. In large 180 to 499 acres part, agriculture in the Town has followed these trends. 50 to 179 acres As shown in Exhibit H-2, the vast 10 to 49 acres majority of farms in the County were 500 acres or less in 1997. However the trend 1 to 9 acres is toward larger farms and fewer operators. There are many reasons for 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% this trend and include a move toward Percent of Total greater efficiencies due to lower market prices, the move away from small dairy Source: 1997 Census of Agriculture operations that were quite common and the aging of farm operators.

Table H-6 shows the change in agriculture in Table H-6. Farming Characteristics; Dane County: 1992 and 1997 Dane County as measured Percent by a few parameters. 1992 1997 Change Between 1992 and 1997, the number of farms, the Farms 2,639 2,595 -1.7 number of acres in Acres in Farms 538,582 512,971 -4.8 farmland and the number Acres in Cropland 378,682 354,307 -6.4 of acres in cropland Operators Who Also Work Off the Farm 1,187 1,296 9.2 declined. Given the Farming As Principal Occupation (percent) 62.0 54.3 -12.4 economics of farming, an increasing number of farm Farming As Secondary Occupation (percent) 38.0 45.7 20.2 operators must rely on Average Age of Operator 51.0 53.1 4.1

income earned off the farm Source: 1997 Census of Agriculture to help keep the farming operation viable. Between 1992 and 1997, there was a decline of 12.4 percent in those who reported farming as their principal occupation. Further, the number of farm operators who

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin H - 4 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Economic Development Element

worked a portion of their time off the farm increased by over nine percent. In 1997, the average age of farm operators was 53.1 years compared to 51.0 just 5 years earlier. Few young people are entering farming suggesting the continued trend of larger farms and a potential conversion to non-farm uses.

Review of Economic Development Programs

This section is intended to provide a brief overview of some of the local and state programs that are available for economic development efforts.

State Programs At the state level there is a wide range of programs to assist business retention, expansion and relocation (Exhibit H-3). The Department of Commerce (DOC) is the lead economic development agency in the state and administers a number of programs. The Department of Transportation (WisDOT) plays a much smaller, but important, role as well.

Forward Wisconsin is a nonprofit organization created as a public-private partnership to attract new businesses, jobs and increased economic activity to the state. The group focuses on six target industries (computer & data processing services, plastics, business services, forest products, biotechnology and production machinery & equipment) and one primary back-up target (customer service centers).

Local Programs At the county level, the Dane County Economic Summit Council is an advisory group first established in 1990 by the County Executive to advance a common agenda for directing Dane County’s economic future. The 14-member Council is intended to advise the County on economic and community development issues and undertake projects to support positive development.

The Dane County Job Center fulfills a number of functions, but primarily helps area businesses with employee recruitment, training and retention. In an era of a changing labor market, increasing job specialization and higher skilled positions, a well-trained and educated workforce is critically important.

Dane County has a program entitled BUILD (Better Urban Infill Development) that is partially funded by County general revenue and funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through Dane County’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The program is intended to foster redevelopment and infill development projects. Although targeted to these areas, they may contain an economic development component or basis.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin H - 5 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Economic Development Element

Exhibit H-3. Summary of Selected Economic Development Programs for Communities and Businesses The Community Development Block Grant-Public Facilities for Economic Development (CDBG-PFED) Program is a federally funded program administered by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. A CDBG-PFED grant is designed to assist communities that want to expand or upgrade their infrastructure to accommodate businesses that will create new jobs. A local unit of government is limited to $1,000,000 per calendar year and no more than $750,000 can be used to benefit a single business or a group of related businesses. The Community Development Block Grant-Economic Development (CDBG-ED) Program is a federally funded program administered by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. It is designed to assist businesses that will invest private funds and create jobs as they expand or relocate to Wisconsin. The Department of Commerce awards funds to a local unit of government as a grant, which then loans the funds to a business that commits to create jobs for low and moderate- income residents. When the business repays the loan, the community retains the funds to start a local revolving loan fund. This fund can then be used to finance additional economic development projects within the community. Community Development Block Grant- Blight Elimination and Brownfield Development Program (CDBG-BEBR) is a federally funded program administered by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. It is designed to help communities with assessing or remediating environmental contamination of an abandoned, idle, or underused industrial or commercial facility or site in a blighted area, or that qualifies as blighted. Enterprise Development Zone (EDZ) Program is a tax credit program for major business startups or expansions that are located in one of the designated areas of the state that suffers from high unemployment, declining incomes and property values and other indicators of economic distress. Tax credits are only available on income generated within the zone and the total of tax credits within each zone is capped at $3 million. Community Development Zones are specially designated areas in the state. Once created they exist for 20 years with a potential for extending the zone for another 5 years. The zones range from small rural areas to large metropolitan areas. A certified employer in a zone can earn a tax credit against a Wisconsin income tax liability for job creation and for environmental remediation. Rural Economic Development (RED) Early Planning Grant Program is designed to assist rural business with 25 employees or less. Grants may only be used for professional services such as preparation of a feasibility study, market study, or business plan. Wisconsin Development Fund – Technology Development Fund (WDF) helps finance product research and development and commercialization. Wisconsin Development Fund-Major Economic Development Program (MED) provides financial assistance for business startups or expansions that can create or retain a significant number of jobs and to leverage private capital investment. Transportation Facilities Economic Assistance and Development Program funds transportation facilities improvements (road, rail, harbor and airport) that are part of an economic development project.

Selected Survey Results

The 2000 Community Survey contained a number of questions to gauge support for and the Town’s role in economic development (Exhibit H-4). Roughly half of the respondents supported economic development in the Town. Little support was offered when asked if there should be an industrial park in the Town. Respondents showed even less support for industrial development or for the Town purchasing and developing an industrial park. Mixed support was voiced for the Town helping existing local businesses to grow and expand.

Exhibit H-4. Economic Development Preferences: 2000

Should the Town attempt to attract new industries/businesses? 56% 33% 11%

Should the Town assist local businesses to grow and expand? 54% 34% 12%

Should the Town promote economic development? 56% 29% 15%

Should the Town buy & develop an industrial/business park? 28% 54% 18%

Should there be an industrial/ business park in the Town? 44% 41% 15%

Should the Town encourage industrial development? 23% 65% 12%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Yes No No Opinion

Source: 2000 Community Survey (Questions 6 to 11)

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin H - 6 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Economic Development Element

Desirable Businesses and Industries

During the planning process, participants were asked to identify businesses and industries they felt would be appropriate for the Town. Using this list as a starting point, a list of desirable businesses and industries, was developed and is included below.

Many of the preferred types of businesses relate to agricultural production, processing, research and support services. These are seen as very compatible with the Town’s rural character and its desire to maintain the agricultural base. The other types of businesses are seen as support services for the residential component in the Town. These types of businesses while generally compatible within the Town are not suitable in all locations. Therefore, areas are specifically identified in the future land use map that would be most appropriate for them.

Preferred Businesses and Industries

small construction company agricultural specialty producers landscaping contractor agricultural tourism / recreation retail agricultural research / high-tech professional services support businesses for agriculture home-based businesses storage facilities (in underused agricultural bed & breakfast buildings) dentist veterinarians – large animal gas station agricultural commodities processing restaurant aquaculture

Assessment of Strengths and Weaknesses

After the planning participants were asked to identify desirable businesses, they were asked to think of reasons why those preferred businesses would likely locate in the Town (strengths) and also why they would not want to locate in the Town (weaknesses). Again, these responses were used to prepare the assessment of strengths and weaknesses outlined below. Most of the identified strengths relate to the Town’s physical proximity to a large metropolitan area and transportation networks. The abundance of prime farmland is seen as necessary to supporting the agricultural businesses.

Strengths

good location reliable workforce good environment (natural, social, increasing population etc.) prime farmland close to large metropolitan area close to the University of Wisconsin- good transportation network Madison free flowing traffic close to state capital good education system no parking problems

Weaknesses relate to a wide range of issues, some of which are unique to the Town and others common to many towns in the region. Some of the other weaknesses arise from or relate to the Town’s agricultural base and low-density development pattern. Other weaknesses are inherent to nature of town government (can’t create TIF districts).

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin H - 7 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Economic Development Element

Weaknesses

no public water or sewer Town can’t create a Tax Increment zoning restrictions Financing (TIF) District, unlike cities and taxation too high villages not enough population competition

Environmentally Contaminated Sites

Throughout the state, many properties have become polluted in such a way that inhibits their continued use. Aside from the environmental consequences, these properties are often underutilized and/or abandoned creating negative effects on the local economy. To address this growing problem, the State has developed the authority and resources to help clean up these sites so that they can again be used and contribute to the local economy. As documented in the Land Use Element, there are a number of brownfield sites in the Town.

Contamination from the Hydrite Chemical Company (formerly North Central Chemical Company) extends from the site to the east. Trichloroethylene (TCE) from the site has entered the shallow groundwater causing concerns about the safety of drinking water. All of the homes in the Town are on private wells and the Department of Natural Resources is requiring that some homeowners in the affected area deepen existing wells to bypass the contaminated groundwater. New wells in the affected area will need to be at least 350 feet deep. As of this date, the extent of the pollution is not precisely known. The Town needs to work with the appropriate state and federal agencies to ensure that the contamination is cleaned up to the extent possible and as quickly as feasible.

Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations

The goals, objectives, policies and recommendations for this element are found in Chapter B.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin H - 8 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Intergovernmental Cooperation Element

INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION ELEMENT

General Overview

Coordination and cooperation among the many units of government at all levels is a very important goal. Yet, there are instances where the actions of one governmental unit can negatively affect another unit as in the case of annexation, creation of a tax increment financing (TIF) district, or certain transportation improvement projects, to name just a few. In such instances, it is important for the various units of government to strive for consensus to the mutual benefit of all involved. In the absence of this, financial and human resources can be wasted with little result. More importantly, intergovernmental conflict can foster a negative attitude toward all governmental units. Even where conflict does not exist, cooperation between local units of government can often provide more or different services at a lower cost to taxpayers.

Objective of Element

The intent of this element is to briefly identify those governmental units that Exhibit I -1. Basic Objectives of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Element. the Town may affect or interact with relative to this Comprehensive Plan Identify and describe the roles of other governmental units. and its implementation (Exhibit I-1). Identify problems and opportunities. Also, existing intergovernmental Develop goals and objectives that will continue existing agreements are identified and briefly intergovernmental coordination and cooperation and create new described. Finally, this element is intended to identify existing or areas for cooperation. potential conflicts with other governmental units. All of this is intended to lay the foundation for goals and objectives that will maintain existing relationships and foster new areas of cooperation in the coming years.

Review of Other Governmental Units

County Government The town of Cottage Grove is located in eastern Dane County. The city of Madison is the county seat. The County was created in 1836. The Dane County Board of Supervisors includes 39 members and the town of Cottage Grove is located in Supervisory District 21. Following the official population counts from the 2000 census, the county is in the process of redistricting. This could divide the Town into more than one supervisory district.

Cities and Villages The city of Madison is the largest city in the county and is located immediately to the west. The city of Monona is located between Madison and the Town. Sun Prairie is located to the northwest.

The village of Cottage Grove is located in the northern part of the Town. Other villages located to the east include Deerfield, Marshall and Cambridge. The village of McFarland is located to the southwest.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin I - 1 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Intergovernmental Cooperation Element

The village of Cottage Grove recently adopted a comprehensive plan pursuant to state statutes and was reviewed prior to the preparation of this plan.

Towns The town of Cottage Grove is bordered on the north by the town of Sun Prairie, by Deerfield to the east, by Pleasant Springs to the south and by Blooming Grove to the west.

Regional Planning Commission Within Wisconsin there are nine Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs), which are formed by executive order of the Governor. All but five counties in the state – Columbia, Dodge, Jefferson, Rock and Sauk – are served by a RPC. They provide planning assistance on regional issues, assist local interests in responding to state and federal programs, act as a coordinating agency for programs and activities and provide planning and development assistance to local governments.

The Dane County Regional Planning Commission only serves Dane County (all of the other RPCs serve more than one county). The offices of DCRPC are located in Madison.

School District The Town is located in the following six school districts: Deerfield Community, Marshall, Monona Grove, McFarland, Stoughton Area and Sun Prairie Area. Each of these are located in Cooperative Educational Services Agency (CESA) District #2. Its offices are located in Milton.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is geographically organized into eight district offices throughout the state. Dane County is in District 1, along with Columbia, Dodge, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Rock and Sauk counties. Its offices are located in Madison.

As noted in the Transportation Element, WisDOT has recently completed or is nearing completion on a number of statewide transportation planning projects. These documents were reviewed to understand how these efforts would directly or indirectly affect the provision of transportation services in the region and to the Town. In addition, WisDOT programmatic budgets were reviewed to identify what projects, if any, have been programmed that might increase existing transportation capacity, efficiency and/or safety in the area.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is organized into five geographic regions. Dane County is located in the South Central Region along with 12 other counties.

The DNR has been very successful over the years in working with local governments to establish recreational trails throughout the State. The State Recreational Trails Network Plan (draft) was reviewed to identify existing and proposed trails in the region.

Intergovernmental Cooperation

The Town and Village currently share police, fire and EMS services, which helps to reduce overall costs for both jurisdictions and create greater continuity in the provision of these vital services. The Town and Village also contract with the same solid waste company as a cost- savings measure.

As a consequence of litigation between the Town and Village over annexation issues, the Town and Village entered into stipulated settlement agreement and adopted a governmental

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin I - 2 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Intergovernmental Cooperation Element

agreement in 1996 pursuant to Wis. Stats. §66.023. This agreement will terminate 10 years after adoption, unless mutually extended by both parties. The agreement established growth areas for the Village and provided a mechanism to review annexation proposals that fall outside of those growth areas. For parcels to be annexed that are not located in one of the Village’s growth area, three-quarters of the total number of members on the combined Village and Town Boards must approve the annexation. The agreement also created a Boundary Committee consisting of Town and Village representatives to foster an ongoing dialogue. Since the agreement was adopted, it has been amended on two different occasions to accommodate annexation proposals.

Existing or Potential Areas of Intergovernmental Conflict

Over the years, the Village and Town have had a number of disagreements over annexation as previously mentioned above. Despite the adopted intergovernmental agreement, the Village and Town continue to have disagreements over annexation proposals as recently as 2000.

Both the Village and Town have had a long-standing concern about the possibility that the city of Madison may annex land in the western part of the Town. Along the Highway 12 /18 corridor, the City is at the western boundary of the Town. The City is also fairly close to the northwest corner of the Town. The Town should enter into a three-way agreement with the Village and the City to establish growth boundaries to create a green space along Madison’s eastern boundary. This will help to create greater certainty for all parties and help preserve the Town’s and Village’s unique community character.

Another area of conflict revolves around stormwater management. Door Creek and Koshkonong Creek flow into the Town from the Sun Prairie area to the north. It is believed that much of the flooding in the Town is due in large part to development in the Sun Prairie area. To remedy this situation, the Town will likely need to take the first step. It will need to determine to what extent the flooding is caused by upstream development and to identify potential solutions. Once this information is available, the Town can approach upstream jurisdictions to develop a watershed approach to this apparent problem.

Depending on where a proposed subdivision is located in the Town, there could be up to three separate reviews of the proposal. If the proposal is located in the extraterritorial area of the Village, the Town, County, and Village would all need to review it. In the remaining portion of the Town, both the Town and County would review the proposal. Given this layered approach to development review, there has been conflict between these entities not to mention the uncertainty and additional expense for subdividers. To help expedite the development review process, these three entities should work together to develop a unified review process that is based on intergovernmental coordination and that clearly defines the process and development criteria.

Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations

The goals, objectives, policies and recommendations for this element are found in Chapter B.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin I - 3 Comprehensive Plan – 2028 Land Use Element

LAND USE ELEMENT

General Overview

The character of any community is comprised of many interrelated factors. Among these, the character of established land uses often stands out as very significant. Aside from affecting the visual character of a community, land use patterns can affect many other aspects of our daily lives. Just a few examples will help to illustrate. The proximity of schools to residential areas affects how many children can safely walk or bike to and from school and how much is spent on busing. The mix of land use types directly affects local property taxes. Along with population levels, land use densities help to influence the number and types of businesses that a community can support. Land use patterns can also affect the cost of providing public services and the cost of housing within a community. How a community grows can affect the viability and desirability of established commercial centers and residential areas. The way in which residential areas and neighborhoods develop can affect the type of relationships we have with our neighbors, particularly with farmers. Taken together, land use patterns can significantly affect people’s perception of a community. Consequently, existing and future land use patterns are critical components of this plan.

Objective of Element

The intent of this element is to provide background information that will help to develop a future land use plan for the Town (Exhibit J-1). Changes in the municipal boundary of the Village resulting from annexations are reviewed, to provide a historical context for the growth of the Village. Existing conditions in the Town are also examined, including the following: land use patterns, the presence of waste disposal sites and contaminated sites, land use conflicts and local real estate forces. Based on the projections for population Exhibit J-1. Basic Objectives of the Land Use Element and the number of housing units Identify changes, if any, in the municipal boundary of the village of over the next 20 years, the acreage Cottage Grove. requirements for residential growth Prepare an inventory of existing land uses. are presented along with land requirements for commercial and Identify if there are any places that have been used to dispose of industrial land uses. Based on the wastes or that have been contaminated with an environmental land use projections, different land pollutant. development scenarios for the Assess local real estate forces. Town are presented and analyzed. Project how much land will be needed to accommodate anticipated The end product of this element is growth over the next 20 years. the preparation of a future land Prepare a future land use map based on these projections and on use plan, which is intended to information contained in the Agricultural, Natural and Cultural guide new development and Resources Element. redevelopment over the next 20 Develop goals and objectives that will accommodate the needs of years. current and future residents.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin J - 1 Comprehensive Plan – 2028 Land Use Element

History of Annexation

The village of Cottage Grove is the only city or village in the Town. The village of Cottage Grove incorporated as a village in 1924 and has annexed property a number of times. Table J-1. Development Areas as Proposed by the Village of Historically, annexation was done on a Cottage Grove rather piece-meal basis in the absence of a Town Town long-range plan. Acres Acres Town Time Period Undeveloped Developed Total The Village recently completed a 2000 + 306 0 306 Comprehensive Plan that shows the Village annexing lands currently in the 2005 + 238 135 373 Town (Map J-1). Its plan calls for 2010 + 534 81 615 development of two regional development 2015 + 355 36 391 areas. These regional development areas 2020 + 636 0 636 are intended to accommodate larger 2025 + 4,907 503 5,410 commercial and industrial enterprises. The first is located at the I-94 / CTH N interchange and the second is located Total 6,976 755 7,731 south of the Village centered at the Source: Data derived from Map 5 of Village of Cottage Grove Comprehensive Plan (April intersection of CTH N, Coffeytown Road 2000) and Nora Road. Over the next 20 years, the Village’s plan envisions annexing over 2,300 acres, which includes both developed and undeveloped land (Table J-1).

Existing Conditions

Current Land Use For the purposes of this plan, existing land uses were grouped into general categories for review and analysis. Individual properties were placed into one or more categories based on information obtained from various sources, including a windshield survey conducted during June 2000, recent aerial photographs and other support documents. Map J-2 shows the existing land uses, while Table J-2 describes the various categories and shows the number of acres in each category and as a percent of the total area.

The corporate limits of the Town encompass approximately 21,595 acres. Collectively, agriculture and open space/woodlands account for over 93 percent of the land area. It should be noted that these land use categories also include farmsteads and homes not located in a subdivision.

Subdivisions account for 2.2 percent of the land area. Most of the subdivisions are located in the northern half of the Town and a few are located in the southwest quadrant of the Town. There are no subdivisions in the southeast quadrant of the Town.

Land classified as park accounts for 330 acres, or 1.5 percent of the total, the bulk of which is a golf course. Each of the remaining land uses account for less than 2 percent of the total. The few commercial and industrial land uses in the Town are located near the Village.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin J - 2 Comprehensive Plan – 2028 Land Use Element

Page reserved for Map J-1. Village growth areas or Village Plan

[Note: There shall be no changes in the maps as part of the 2007 Phase 1 Amendment to the Comprehensive Plan. Changes in the maps are anticipated in the 2007 Phase 2 Amendment.]

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin J - 3 Comprehensive Plan – 2028 Land Use Element

Page reserved for Existing Land Use -- Map J-2.

[Note: There shall be no changes in the maps as part of the 2007 Phase 1 Amendment to the Comprehensive Plan. Changes in the maps are anticipated in the 2007 Phase 2 Amendment.]

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin J - 4 Comprehensive Plan – 2028 Land Use Element

Table J-2. Land Use Summary: 2000

Percent

Category Typical Uses Acres of Total Single-Family Residential single-family detached homes on a single lot 472.0 2.2

any building containing two dwelling units on a single lot regardless Two-Family Residential 1.7 > 0.1 of ownership status any building containing three or more dwelling units regardless of Multi-Family Residential ownership status (includes triplexes, four-plexes, apartments, 0 0 townhouses and condominiums)

Mobile Home mobile homes on a single lot or part of a mobile home park 0 0

Commercial offices 42.2 0.2

manufacturing / processing plants of all types, quarries, and Industrial 226.2 1.0 gravel/sand pits Wholesaling & Open mini-storage, wholesale and open storage operations 4.8 < 0.1 Storage

Retail commercial, retail stores 80.2 0.37

Governmental / Institutional municipal buildings, fire stations, community centers, libraries and 7.6 < 0.1 Services post offices, schools Other Public & Semi-Public hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes, churches, auditoriums and 34.3 0.2 Services sports assembly

Public and private Infrastructure such as roads, railroads, utility Transportation and Utilities 233.7 1.1 plants and communication infrastructure

Trail non-motorized pedestrian trail 44.8 0.2

public recreational areas, dedicated open space areas and golf Park 329.8 1.5 courses, whether public or private

Open Space / Woodland woodlots 3,206.4 14.8

agricultural operations, including farms raising traditional or specialty Agriculture 16,911.3 78.3 crops and animals, sod farms, tree farms and nurseries

Total 21,594.9 100.0

Mid-America Planning Services, Inc.

Note:

Agriculture and Open Space/ Woodland categories include home sites and farmsteads.

The percent total column may not add up to 100 due to rounding.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin J - 5 Comprehensive Plan – 2028 Land Use Element

Waste Disposal Sites and Contaminated Sites Throughout the state, properties have become contaminated from accidental spills or improper storage or disposal of solid and hazardous wastes. Likewise, there are many sites that have been used to dispose of solid and/or hazardous wastes. The presence of a contaminated site or a waste disposal site in or near a community may have implications for the continued and future use of the site and for adjoining properties.

To determine if any of these sites are located in the Town existing sources of information were reviewed. Table J-3 lists various state registries along with a description of each. It should be noted these registries only contain those sites that have been identified – others may exist that have not been identified. Likewise, these registries are constantly being updated as new sites are added and cleaned-up sites are removed.

Table J-3. Known Waste Disposal Sites and Contaminated Sites: 2000 Number of Sites Name and Description of List or Registry Within the Town

Registry of Waste Disposal Sites in Wisconsin. A listing of 4,299 sites where solid or hazardous wastes have been or may have been disposed. Inclusion of a site on this list does not suggest that 5 environmental problems have occurred, are occurring or will occur sometime in the future . (The number indicates both active and closed sites.) Bureau of Remediation and Redevelopment Tracking System . This database includes all of the contaminated sites in the state. (The number indicates active sites that have not been reported as closed. 89 Often sites have been closed but not reported as such .)

Superfund Sites in Wisconsin – Wisconsin Sites on the National Priorities List (NPL) This registry identifies those sites that are eligible for clean up under the federal Superfund program. 0

Mid-America Planning Services, Inc.

As listed in Table J-3 there are 5 waste disposal sites within the Town. One of these sites is associated with the Hydrite Chemical Company and the other 4 sites are landfills that have been closed. The Town and Village operated a landfill for a number of years off of CTH N and Natvig Road south of the Village.

As reported in the Bureau of Remediation and Redevelopment’s database there has been a number of chemical spills in the Town over the years. Although 89 sites are listed as open in the database, most have been cleaned up and closed. The remaining sites are in various stages of clean-up and remediation. The vast majority of the chemical spills have occurred at the facilities of Hydrite Chemical Company and the former North Central Chemical Company.

Contamination from the Hydrite Chemical Company extends from the site to the east. Trichloroethylene (TCE) from the site has entered the shallow groundwater causing concerns about the safety of drinking water. All of the homes in the Town are on private wells and the Department of Natural Resources is requiring that some homeowners in the affected area deepen existing wells to bypass the contaminated groundwater. New wells in the affected area will need to be at least 350 feet deep. As of this date, the extent of the pollution is not precisely known. The Town needs to work with the appropriate state and federal agencies to ensure that the contamination is cleaned up to the extent possible and as quickly as feasible.

Based on what is known as of this writing, it is believed that the localized groundwater pollution will not significantly influence the preparation of the future land use plan. Because the information on these registries is constantly changing, it will be necessary to periodically review these lists in the future.

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Land Use Conflicts Land use conflicts can arise when incompatible land uses are located, or potentially located, in close proximity to one another. People, individually or collectively, may view one of them as incompatible with the other. Localized concerns about the compatibility of certain land uses can vary widely from community to community. The nature of a conflict depends on localized circumstances and the character of the affected individuals or constituents. Conflicts can also develop as demographic characteristics of an area or community change with time.

Regardless of the cause or nature of land use conflicts, they can have significant implications for residents’ quality of life and localized real estate market forces. In addition, the presence of land use conflicts in a community can affect the development of options for future land development patterns. It is therefore appropriate to assess the nature or extent of existing land use conflicts within the Town.

At present, there are no substantial aboveground land use conflicts. However, the groundwater contamination from the Hydrite Chemical Company has the potential to create a substantial conflict.

Given the rural character of the Town, with a sizable residential population, there is a potential for a wide range of conflicts. First, extractive sites can negatively affect (e.g. dust, noise and traffic) residential uses if situated too closely. Second, given the trend in agriculture of developing higher density animal operations to improve economies of scale, the potential exists for one of these operations to locate in or near a residential area or for residential uses to encroach on established agricultural operations.

Local Real Estate Forces The real estate market in the area is generally quite homogeneous and is driven by the economic engine of the Madison metropolitan area. Most of the housing demand has been for lots in subdivisions in rural areas of the Town. Most of the people living in the Town like the rural lifestyle, but also enjoy the cultural and social features of a larger metropolitan area. It is expected that as the region continues to experience growth, the demand for this type of development pattern will only increase.

Commercial and industrial land uses in the Town account for a rather small area. Most of this development occurs in or near the Village. In the absence of a central water and wastewater treatment facility in the Town, this trend of limited commercial and industrial uses is expected to continue.

Future Land Use

Overview Recognizing that the population of the Town will grow in the future, it becomes necessary to determine how much land should be allocated to accommodate the growth and where the growth should occur and when. The goals and objectives contained in this plan were reviewed for guidance in preparing the future land use map shown at the end of this report. This map will be used to manage growth in the short- and long-term and will form the basis for zoning regulations and other types of development regulations.

Prior to developing the future land use plan, conceptual development plans were prepared to help planning participants visualize and compare different development options. In all, four of these concept plans were prepared and reviewed. The Selected Development Concept Plan is shown at the end of this report.

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These development plans consist of discrete development areas that vary in terms of use, size, configuration, location, development timing and relative location to other development areas.

Each of the concept plans had unique differences and relative advantages and disadvantages when compared with the others. In preparing the conceptual development plans the following guidelines, along with the goals and objectives of this plan, were used to delineate the various development areas:

1. minimize the amount of land taken out of agricultural production; 2. avoid environmentally sensitive land such as woodlots, steep slopes, important wildlife resources and floodplains; 3. locate new development in areas with public facilities or in areas that represent a logical extension of those facilities; 4. create a logical development pattern to avoid sprawl and leap-frog development; and 5. avoid or minimize land use conflicts.

Based on the goals and objectives of this plan, a preferred concept was developed and is included here as Map J-3. Using this concept as a template, a specific land use plan was developed as What is a TDR Program? described in the following sections.

In the town of Cottage Grove, the TDR Program Transfer of Development Rights Program means that owners of land in a “sending area” may sell their “development rights” to owners of OBJECTIVES land in a “receiving area,” farmland and rural character are better preserved, farmers are

better compensated, and development is During the 1994 and 1995 Master Plan revision directed to suitable areas. process, the community emphasized their desire to direct new residential development toward areas of existing development (existing subdivisions and the Village of Cottage Grove) and maintain community separation between the Village of Cottage Grove and the City of Madison. The community also emphasized a desire to allow owners of farmland to capture a reasonable development value from their land. In an effort to achieve these multiple and sometimes conflicting goals, the Town established a transfer of development rights (TDR) policy in 2000 that permits voluntary transfers of development rights from defined sending areas to defined receiving areas. This policy allows for transfers of development rights via private transactions between willing sellers and willing buyers provided that such transfers occur in accordance with the standards established in the TDR Policy.

STAGE 1: PILOT PROGRAM

To initiate the Town’s TDR policy, a Pilot Program for transfer of development rights was conducted in 2000-2001. The Pilot Program was used to understand the interests of the private parties, the County and the Town; clarify the process by which receiving and sending areas would be designated; develop a method to document the designation and transfer of development rights, consider options for determining transfer ratios; and design documents and procedures to implement the TDR Program.

The initial transfer ultimately involved 2 sending areas:

(1) Schroeder Farm. One sending area was comprised of 119 acres of farmland (zoned A1-EX) located at Nora and Earlwyn Roads in the southwest corner of section 26 of the Town of Cottage Grove. This sending area was owned by Virgil and Joan Schroeder (“Schroeder Farm”). The Schroeder’s’ farm was located within those areas described by the Master Plan as being important for long-

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin J - 8 Comprehensive Plan – 2028 Land Use Element

term agricultural and rural character preservation and was therefore appropriate for sending area designation.

(2) Swalheim Farm. The other sending area was owned by Duane P. Swalheim (“Swalheim Farm”). This farmland {zoned A1-EX) consisted of 2 parcels located in the southwest corner of section 27 and the southwest corner of section 34 in the Town of Cottage Grove. The Swalheim farm was also located within those areas described by the Comprehensive Plan as being important for long-term agricultural and rural character preservation and was therefore appropriate for sending area designation.

The designated receiving area was a 20-acre parcel (zoned RH1) located on CTH BB just east of CTH N in section 10 of the Town of Cottage Grove. The receiving area was owned by Gary and Sharon Buckley (“Buckley Property”). This parcel met the criteria regarding soil quality, adjacent uses and long term land use goals appropriate for receiving area designation.

The development rights transferred were based on the Residential Development Unit or RDU System established in 1982. (See Stage 2 below for a detailed description of the RDU System.) The transfer ratio for the Pilot Program was 2:1. That is, 2 residential development rights were granted within the receiving area for each development right purchased from a sending area.

A “Grant of Limited Conservation Easement, Transfer of Development Rights and Deed Restrictions” (“TDR Easement”) was then recorded in the sending areas. This TDR Easement permanently documents the development right transferred under the TDR Program, places development restrictions on the agricultural property in the sending area and establishes specified rights for the Town and County.

STAGE 2: COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM

Following completion of the Stage 1 or Pilot Program, the Town entered into the Stage 2 or Comprehensive Plan Program. This second stage of the TDR Program builds on the previous effort and firmly establishes the TDR Program in the Town of Cottage Grove.

TDR Program Uses The Residential Dwelling Unit (“RDU”) System. When the Town of Cottage Grove adopted Exclusive Agriculture Zoning on May 15, 1982, the Town also began to use a “Residential Dwelling Unit System” or “RDU” System. Under this System, there are both transferable and nontransferable RDUs. Only transferable RDUs qualify for use in the TDR Program.

Only parcels exceeding 35 acres are granted transferable development rights or transferable RDUs. Table J-4 defines the number of transferable RDUs that are assigned based on the size of the parcel. 1It should be noted that the size of the parcel is governed by two rules. First, the size of the parcel shall be expressed in whole numbers (no rounding of fractions). For example, if a property owner has a 69.89-acre parcel, it is considered 69 acres for the purpose of determining the allocation of RDUs. Second, the parcel size is based on the gross area, which may include easements for roads, utilities and the like.

1 For parcels located in an area designated on the future land use map as commercial or as agribusiness, no RDUs will be granted in that they are designated for a higher use with a higher value which the landowner will be able to capture upon development. However, those properties in these two districts that are not identified for development until after 2026, are entitled to use their RDUs.

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Table J-4. Allocation of Residential Dwelling Units Based on Size of Parcel as of May 15, 1982 There is an additional type of RDU that is not Residential transferable. This type of RDU was created Development when the Town adopted its Master Plan in Size of Parcel (Gross) Units (RDUs) 1981. Property owners that have owned their 2 35 acres or more but less than 70 acres 1 property continuously since January 1, 1981 , 70 acres or more but less than 105 acres 2 are granted one additional or bonus RDU for each residence, provided it is used to create a 105 acres or more but less than 140 acres 3 parcel for that residence so that it can be sold. 140 acres or more but less than 175 acres 4 Unlike RDUs that are based on acreage, this 175 acres or more but less than 210 acres 5 RDU is not transferable to a subsequent owner 210 acres or more but less than 245 acres 6 and must be used prior to January 1, 2011. 245 acres or more but less than 280 acres 7 This type of RDU cannot be transferred under the TDR Program. It is essential to understand 280 acres or more but less than 315 acres 8 both types of RDUs to make sure they are used Note: The one lot per 35 acres is meant literally with no fractions allowed. correctly under the TDR Program.

Calculating Both Types of RDUs and Using RDUs Under the TDR Program. Transferable RDUs are the “development rights” that may be transferred under the TDR Program. For example under the 75 acre scenario, an owner who is not the owner of record on January 1, 1981 has 2 transferable RDUs (that is, RDUs based on parcel size) may use the RDUs to build two single-family residences or 1 duplex on the owner’s property. In the alternative, the owner can build 1 residence or create a parcel for the original single family residence regardless how it is to be used and sell the remaining “development right” to another person who can use it in a “receiving area” in the Town, as provided in the TDR Program.

The following is an example of calculating both types of RDUs under the RDU System, and then using transferable RDUs under the TDR Program. A person who owned 75 acres with 1 residence continuously since before 1981 is entitled to 2 RDUs based on acreage and 1 RDU to create a parcel to sell the residence. If the owner used all of these RDUs on the property, 4 parcels could result from this one tract –3 would be for residential purposes and the remaining lot would be for agricultural purposes. The parcel for the existing dwelling could be up to 10 acres and the 2 other residential lots would be 2 acres or less. Assuming that 14 acres would be converted to residential uses, the agricultural parcel would be 61 acres, or roughly 81 percent of the original parcel. In this case, a deed restriction would be filed to run with the land to ensure that it could not be used for residential purposes in the future. In the alternative, the owner could create one parcel for the existing dwelling, create one agricultural parcel and have 2 transferable RDUs to sell under the TDR Program.

Buyer Beware: RDU’s Run With The Land and Should Be Verified. RDUs are associated with a particular parcel of land, rather than a particular landowner. Therefore, RDU’s are said to “run with the land.” The size of the parcel only sets the initial number of RDUs that were allocated to the parcel. Once the RDUs associated with a particular parcel on May 15, 1982 are used, no further land divisions are available under the RDU System. Therefore, a person purchasing land in the Town should verify whether the sale includes any RDUs or if the seller has already used them.

Deed Restrictions and Notice Required. If more than one party now owns portions of the original farm unit, the Town shall require a deed restriction prohibiting further residential development on that portion of the 1981 farm unit owned by the petitioner requesting the final split(s). The Town shall also require a deed notice document be placed on all other parcels comprising the 1981farm.

Land transfers occurring after January 1, 1981 do not result in new allotments of RDU. When land sales after January 1, 1981 are not accompanied by clear documentation as to whether or

2 January 1, 1981, corresponds to the date when the Town adopted its master plan.

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not RDUs are also being transferred, the Town will consider the following options to determine the proper allotment of allotment of RDUs: 1. The Town encourages landowners to make clear the terms of land sales in the sales contract or deed. The Town will request that any supporting documentation be included with development proposals. Supporting documents may include, but are not limited to, sales contracts, deeds, affidavits and written agreements. 2. In the absence of clearly understood supporting documentation, the Town will attempt to determine the intent of the land sale by requesting testimony from all affected landowners (i.e., those owning portions of the original farm unit, or those involved in the land sale question). The Town will share this information with the Dane County Department of Planning and Development, and may request that an agreement or affidavit be filed with the register of Deeds clarifying the status of the remaining RDUs. 3. The Town may also consider site characteristics to determine if a land transfer included a RDU such that the Town Plan siting standard and criteria could be satisfied. The Town will review site characteristics including, but not limited to: road access; soil suitability; history of farming activity; and environmental features. 4. In the absence of sufficient evidence, supporting documentation, or testimony, the Town will require the applicant to obtain a County Density Study.

Limited transfers between parcels are allowed. Transfer of dwelling unit rights between any two contiguous or non-contiguous parcels under single ownership at the time of transfer, may be allowed under the following conditions: 1. The parcel to which the RDU is to be transferred must be less suitable for agriculture use than the parcel(s) from which the RDU is to be transferred, as determined through an evaluation of the County Land Conservation soil groupings, unless no other acceptable options are available. 2. The overall development density of the parcel to which the RDU is to be transferred shall not undermine the Town’s objectives to preserve natural areas and provide a rural atmosphere for Town residents. 3. The parcel(s) from which the RDU is proposed to be transferred must clearly have a sufficient number of RDUs left to transfer under the Town’s policy. 4. The Town Board and Plan Commission will evaluate proposed development on parcels that have RDUs transferred to them for consistency with goals, objectives and policies of this Plan, to assure that the appearance and density does not adversely affect rural character.

Inventory of RDUs. As part of the preparation of this plan, the Town conducted an inventory of RDUs. A written record was established so there would be a more accurate accounting of those properties and landowners with eligible RDUs. This inventory may be of use as landowners consider the transfer of RDUs under the TDR Program.

Table J-5. Existing Residential Development Units As of January 2006, there were (RDUs) by Land Use District approximately 199 valid RDUs according to Approximate Percent the County Land Information Office. Table J- District Number of Total 5 shows the approximate number of RDUs in Agriculture 89 44.9 each of the land use districts. The location of Medium-Density Residential 0 these RDUs is shown on Map J-5. The Madison ETJ 44 22.1 methodology the County used in identifying Cottage Grove ETJ 31 15.5 these RDUs on Map J-5 is as follows: Agribusiness/Sustainable 4 2.0 Commercial The Acreage comes from a GIS recreation of Open Space/Community/ 31 15.5 the 1982 plat map page for the Town of Separation Cottage Grove. Each original farm is an Total 199 55.1 aggregation of current parcels to represent Source: Dane County land Information the same area and GIS system was then used Notes: September 2006 to compute the acreage. The information on

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the map does not represent an entitlement to land division. It is a rough and incomplete document and landowners must still go through all standard Town of Cottage Grove and Dane County processes in order to use any “splits.”

Map J-5 shows 199 splits available in the Town. This number excludes non-conforming parcels, bonus splits or homes built under “substantial income” provisions. Further, when determining the number of splits any one property is entitled to, the Town will utilize the acreage shown for the parcel on the Tax Roll, not the GIS parcel measurement.

TDR Program Procedures. The guidelines for implementing the TDR Program established by this Comprehensive Plan have been developed by the Town of Cottage Grove in consultation with the County. Implementation guidelines set forth procedures for property in the sending and receiving areas, miscellaneous provisions and draft documents that provide reasonable assurance of the following:

(1) To assure that those interested in participating are more accessible, a list will be maintained at the Town Hall for owners interested in selling development rights under the TDR Program;

(2) To assure that the conveyance of development rights is properly tracked on the sending area property, the development rights are in fact conveyed and the sending area property is deed restricted, a “Grant of Limited Conservation Easement, Transfer of Development Rights and Deed Restrictions” (“TDR Easement”) shall be executed and recorded in the sending areas when a development right is sold under the TDR Program.

(3) To assure that zoning and land division review is completed, review procedures shall be set forth for the receiving area property.

(4) To assure that the sequence of approvals is appropriate, miscellaneous provisions shall be developed to make sure that the Plat is not approved without first obtaining the development rights and that the TDR Easement is recorded.

TDR Program procedures are set forth in Town of Cottage Grove Ordinances §§15.15.4 and 15.15.5.

Designation of Sending and Receiving Areas There are 3 land use district that are considered “Sending Areas” and 1 land use district plus the Village of Cottage Grove and City of Madison that are considered “Receiving Areas”, if and only to the extent allowed by the Village of Cottage Grove and/or City of Madison. The Sending Areas are designated on Map J-4 as: 1.Agricultural including the Village’s ETJ; 2. Open Space/Community Separation; and 5.Open Space/Recreation/Community Separation. The Receiving Areas are designated on Map J-4 as Medium Density Residential, City of Madison ETJ Area and Village of Cottage Grove ETJ Area. The areas within the city of Madison and village of Cottage Grove would also be considered Receiving Areas. In order for development to occur in a Receiving Area, the Developer must meet all qualifications of that area and have the appropriate number of RDUs or development rights. Development rights or RDUs may already be associated with a particular piece of property or may be transferred from Sending Areas to Receiving Areas as provided in the TDR Program.

Sending and Receiving Areas and Transfer Ratios Possible Sending and Receiving Areas are shown in Table J-6, described in the Land Use Districts section below and identified on Land Use Plan Map J-4.

The transfer ratio establishes the needed incentive so that landowners and RDU buyers are motivated to transfer their RDUs from the Agricultural District to a district where

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin J - 12 Comprehensive Plan – 2028 Land Use Element

compact development is more appropriate. The Table J-6. Town RDU Units incentive for a developer Transferred to a Receiving Receiving Areas is that the developer can Area City of Village of 3. Medium buy one RDU from a Madison Cottage Density Sending Area and develop Sending Grove more than one dwelling Sending Area Area Residential unit with that RDU in a Total Receiving Area. A Agricultural 89 units 36 36 17 property owner with 1 City ETJ 44 units 44 development right in the Village ETJ 31 units 31 Agricultural District can sell and transfer it to a Agribusiness 4 units 4 0 person owning land in a Open Space/Recreation 31 units 16 15 0 residential district who /Community Separation can build the number of 199 100 82 Total 17 dwelling units specified by the transfer ratio in the residential district. All other land use requirements must also be met, such as needed zoning approval and other subdivision approvals (including CSM, plat and extraterritorial approvals, as appropriate). The actual transfer ratio is set forth in Town of Cottage Grove Ordinance No. 2007-02, adopted on May 7, 2007, as codified in Section 15.15.3.1 of the Town of Cottage Grove Code of Ordinances. The transfer ratio set forth therein may be amended by ordinance of the Town Board, provided that a concurring resolution is obtained from the Dane County Board.

Land Use Districts As shown on the Land Use Plan (Map J-4), this plan uses 6 different land use districts. Each area is intended to accomplish unique objectives and consequently have different land use and development standards. Each area is described below.

1. Agricultural District Purpose: This district is intended to protect farmland and minimize the amount of land taken out of production. A limited number of residential lots can be created consistent with standards established for the district. Allowable Uses: See Exhibit J-2. Use of Residential Development Units (RDUs): In order to create a buildable lot in this district, a property owner must have a RDU based on the acreage they own in the district or from another parcel in the same ownership. At the landowner’s discretion, RDUs originating from this district can be 1) used to create a buildable lot out of the parent tract from which it originated; 2) transferred to another parcel in the same ownership; 3) transferred to Medium-Density Residential at the rates specified by separate Town Ordinance; or 4) sold to a developer for use in the City of Madison and/or the Village of Cottage Grove, if allowed. All transferred RDUs must comply with the provisions of the district where they will be used. Residential Density: If a RDU is used in the Agricultural District to create a new vacant lot, said lot shall be no larger than two (2) acres. If the RDU is being used to create a lot that includes a farm residence and/or farm building(s) that existed as of the effective date of this plan, said lot shall be no larger than 10 acres. The intent of this provision is to maintain farmland in larger contiguous blocks to maximize efficiency and reduce fragmentation of parcels to the greatest extent practical. Lots created in the Agricultural District will be subject to review on a case-by-case basis based on development standards as adopted.

2. Open Space/ Community Separation Purpose: This district is intended to maintain a permanent open space protection area between the city of Madison and village of Cottage Grove in the town of Cottage

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Grove. The Town recommends that any land within the district that is annexed into either the City or Village not be used for any additional residential units or any urban use. Allowable Uses: See Exhibit J-2. Use of Residential Development Units (RDUs): In order to create a buildable lot in this district, a property owner must have a RDU based on the acreage they own in the district or from another parcel in the same ownership. At the landowner’s discretion, RDUs originating from this district can be 1) used to create a build able lot out of the parent tract from which it originated; 2) transferred to another parcel at the rates specified by Town Ordinance: Residential Density: If a RDU is used in this District to create a new vacant lot, said lot shall be no larger than two (2) acres.

3. Medium-Density Residential District Purpose: This district is intended to accommodate residential uses at moderate densities. Allowable Uses: See Exhibit J-2. Use of Residential Development Units (RDUs): In order to create a buildable lot in this district, a property owner must have a RDU based on the acreage they own or obtain a RDU originating in the sending Districts. All RDUs transferred into this district must comply with the provisions of this district. At the landowner’s discretion, RDUs originating from this district may be used to create a buildable lot out of the parent tract from which it originated. Residential Density: 0.5-acre lots to 1-acre lots.

4. Agribusiness and Sustainable Commercial District Purpose: This district is intended to accommodate those businesses that are related to or support the continuation of agricultural production in the Town and region or are built as part of planned community with sustainable technology. This would include sharing energy consumption and resource recycling. Allowable Uses: See Exhibit J-2. Note: Commercial activities must be constructed utilizing sustainable technology.

5. Open Space/Recreation/Community Separation Purpose: This district is intended to advance several purposes depending on its location. An area along the western boundary of the Town is shown to provide an undeveloped buffer next to the Madison area. The other district shows property were the landowner intends to keep the property in an undeveloped condition. It is further intended to maintain existing and future recreational opportunities including the Town’s Sustainable Development Standards. Allowable Uses: See Exhibit J-2.

6. Resource Protection District Purpose: This district is an overlay district intended to recognize those natural resources that are protected by local, state or federal regulations or that need special restrictions intended to protect the resource. Resources in this district include wetlands, floodplains and steep slopes. Development Requirements: All development shall conform to all local, state or federal regulations that may apply to these features. It is anticipated that some land in this district may be undevelopable because of such regulations. Developable land maybe used if an RDU is available on that parcel. Location: The location of the floodplains, wetlands and steep slopes are shown in generalized format on the Land Use Plan Map J-4.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin J - 14 Comprehensive Plan – 2028 Land Use Element

Exhibit J-2 -- Goes Here

Page reserved for Land Use Plan -- Map J-4.

[Note: There shall be no changes in the maps as part of the 2007 Phase 1 Amendment to the Comprehensive Plan. Changes in the maps are anticipated in the 2007 Phase 2 Amendment.]

2007 Phase 1 Amendment-Approved Town Pub Hrg 2007-05-07-Changes Based on ZLR Town-2007-12- 13-Clean

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin J - 15 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Implementation Element

IMPLEMENTATION ELEMENT

Objective of Element

This element is intended to bring the Exhibit K-1. Basic Objectives of the Implementation Element many pieces together and outline the steps needed to implement this plan. Describe what actions will be needed to implement the goals, Next, the ways in which the different objectives, plans and programs identified in this plan. elements of the plan are consistent Describe how this plan is internally consistent. with and support the other elements Describe how citizens and governmental leaders alike can measure are described. Finally, the process the community’s progress in achieving the intent of this plan. and requirements for amending this Identify the process and requirements for amending this plan. plan are described.

Plan Implementation

Implementation of this plan is one of the last things to be done to ensure that the blueprint for community development is achieved. Without implementation, a plan is worth little. This plan is to be implemented on a number of fronts, ranging from administrative changes, to adoption of new land development regulations, to revision of existing ones, and to developing entirely new functions for the Town.

This section provides a listing of specific actions that the Town will need to take. The action items are grouped into general categories for organizational purposes (Exhibit K-2). Given the constraints of time and resources, this plan is to be implemented over a number of years. Some activities are easily accomplished in a short period of time and others are not. Some require urgent action, while others are less urgent. For these reasons, completion dates are included where applicable to help prioritize resources and personnel. However, to be consistent with state statute (§ 66.1001(3)), all of the Town’s ordinances, plans and regulations that relate to land use, shall be consistent with this plan beginning on January 1, 2010.

The Town Board and Plan Commission should review this section at least once every year and update it as necessary. This structured review will help to identify items that have been completed and help to devise an annual work plan for the Plan Commission and community members.

Exhibit K-2. Implementation Schedule

Primary Timing Responsibility Description

General Upon Adoption Town Board Submit the adopted Plan to Dane County for review and approval.

Upon Adoption Town Staff Consistent with state law (§66.1001 (4)(c) Wis. Stats.), send a copy of the adopted Plan and adopting ordinance to Pinney Public Library (Madison Library System) so that it can be included in the Library’s collection for public review.

Upon Adoption Town Staff Consistent with state law (§66.1001(4)(c) Wis. Stats.), send a copy of the adopted Plan and adopting ordinance to the clerk of the following jurisdictions: Village of Cottage Grove and Towns of Blooming Grove, Burke, Christiana, Deerfield, Dunn, Medina, Pleasant Springs and Sun Prairie.

continued

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin K - 1 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Implementation Element

Exhibit K-2. Implementation Schedule - continued

Primary Timing Responsibility Description

Annually Town Board Prepare a six-year capital improvement program each year that will be adopted as part of the overall budget.

Annually Town Board Apply for Smart Growth dividends as appropriate. (The first applications will be accepted during 2002.)

Annually Plan Commission Prepare and submit a report (preferably written) to the Town Board concerning the progress that has been made towards implementing the plan.

Annually Town Board Include “Implementation of the Comprehensive Plan” on the Board’s agenda at least once a year to review the Plan Commission’s report and take other action as necessary.

Ongoing Town Staff Incorporate general information about the Comprehensive Plan and efforts to implement it in newsletters that the Town may send to residents.

Ongoing Town Board Issue periodic press releases to the local media describing the status of implementing the plan.

2002 Town Staff Create a periodic newsletter to be mailed to residents that contains information about local events and administrative items.

2002 Town Staff Prepare a one or two page description of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan and make it available to the public at the Town Hall.

2002 Town Board Create a foundation to accept donations to help fund special projects undertaken in the Town.

2002 Town Staff Create a simple website for a broad audience including: residents, developers, business people and adjoining jurisdictions.

Housing 2002 Plan Commission Update the Housing Element based on results of the 2000 Census of Population and Housing. (Data from the Census is released as it is compiled and should be available by the fall of 2001.)

Transportation Annually Town Staff Prepare a road surface management inventory each year and use the findings to help prioritize capital expenditures for road improvement projects.

2008 Town Staff Conduct a study to investigate needed intersection improvements at Gaston Road and Vilas Road and also at Vilas Road and CTH BB.

Utilities and Community Facilities Annually Town Staff Investigate the use of Community Development Block Grant funds to help finance public infrastructure and apply for grants when appropriate.

2002 Plan Commission Complete a comprehensive review of existing development fees to ensure that developers are paying their fair share of the costs necessary to accommodate new growth and that conversely the fees are fair and equitable.

2010 Town Board Authorize funding to purchase land for park areas.

Agricultural Resources Ongoing Plan Commission Promote use of the Town’s Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program.

2002 Town Board Adopt a Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program.

Natural Resources 2002 Town Board Adopt development standards that will protect environmentally sensitive resources including woodlots, riparian habitat, wetlands and steep slopes.

2002 Town Board Adopt interim regulations to protect isolated wetlands if the State does not adopt such regulations in a timely manner.

continued

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin K - 2 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Implementation Element

Exhibit K-2. Implementation Schedule - continued

Primary Timing Responsibility Description

Cultural Resources 2004 Plan Commission Prepare an up-to-date inventory of historic resources using the State Historical Society’s Architectural Historic Inventory (AHI) as a basis.

2004 Plan Commission Send a copy of the Village’s historic resources inventory to the State Historical Society so that they can update their records in the Architectural Historic Inventory (AHI).

2005 Plan Commission Consider implementing an ordinance to encourage preservation of historic resources. This should only be initiated if the inventory indicates the presence of historic resources meriting some level of protection.

2002 Town Board Adopt an ordinance to protect important archaeological sites and burial sites.

Economic Development Annually Town Staff Investigate the use of Community Development Block Grant funds (CDBG- PFED) to help foster economic development and apply for grants when appropriate.

2006 Town Board Plan for and develop an agri-business park.

2002 Town Board Create an “Economic Development Committee” of the Town Board to support economic development and to periodically meet with Town farmers and business people, individually or collectively.

Intergovernmental Cooperation 2002 Town Board Work with the city of Madison to develop an intergovernmental agreement outlining future growth areas for the City.

2002 Town Board Work with the village of Cottage Grove to develop an intergovernmental agreement outlining future growth areas for the Village.

2002 Town Board Send a letter to the school districts in the Town inviting a school representative to annually present a short report to the Board concerning issues important to the school district.

Land Use / Community Character 2002 Town Board Work with Dane County to revise the existing zoning ordinance to implement and reflect the spirit and intent of this plan.

2002 Town Board Develop a Town land division ordinance to implement and reflect the spirit and intent of this plan.

2002 Town Board Revise the existing sign regulations to implement and reflect the spirit and intent of this plan.

2002 Town Board Develop an Official Map that shows the location of various public facilities to be constructed in the coming years.

2004 Town Board Review the appropriateness of developing regulations to allow for and encourage traditional neighborhood development.

2004 Town Board Review the appropriateness of developing regulations to allow for and encourage conservation subdivisions where a portion of the project is reserved for conservation purposes into perpetuity.

2002 Town Board Revise residential street standards to allow narrower streets to create a more pedestrian friendly atmosphere, enhance safety, reduce infrastructure costs, reduce the amount of impervious surface and promote efficient land utilization.

Ongoing Town Staff Enforce building codes.

Ongoing Town Board Consult this plan when reviewing rezoning requests.

Ongoing Town Board Consult this plan when reviewing subdivision proposals.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin K - 3 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Implementation Element

Internal Consistency

When drafting a comprehensive Plan for a community, the possibility exists that the individual pieces of the plan may not support other elements to the extent they should or, in the worst case, contradict other elements.

As envisioned and crafted, the elements of this plan fit together into a cohesive direction for future decision making in the Town. The real danger comes in when amendments are made in the coming years to address a particular issue without regard to the rest of the plan.

One of the major determinants of this plan are the population projections. The population projections on which this plan are based were developed fairly early in the process and are used in the following areas: in projecting the number of housing units that will be added during the next 20 years, in projecting how much land to allocate to different land uses and in assessing the adequacy of transportation systems, utilities and community facilities.

Plan Monitoring

Monitoring of the adopted Plan is another important ingredient for a successful planning process. Without a regular and objective evaluation, the adopted goals and objectives soon lose their weight and the plan becomes irrelevant as conditions change. Within 2 years of adoption, the Plan Commission should review this plan. Following that initial review, the Commission should annually conduct a review.

The purpose of these reviews is to update population projections, if necessary, and to identify those objectives that have been accomplished and those that are effective, ineffective, or causing unintended results. Those objectives that are ineffective or are causing unintended negative results should be deleted or changed to produce the desired result. In addition, the review should include a critique of efforts to implement the action items outlined in the Implementation Element.

If monitoring shows that the plan contains the best available data and reflects the desired direction of the community, then it will not be necessary to initiate the amendment process. If the review shows that changes should be made, the amendment process would then be initiated. Only by monitoring this plan can citizens and governmental leaders alike measure the community’s progress in achieving the intent of this plan.

Plan Amendments

Exhibit K-3. Amendments Should Keep the As a result of the monitoring process, the plan should Plan Current While Maintaining the Long-Term Perspective be amended in the future to incorporate new information and to address new challenges and 1 opportunities facing the community . It is envisioned Short Long that minor amendments be made as needed, but not Term Term too often that this plan simply reflects what we may want today with little thought for the coming years. The struggle is to keep the plan focused with a long- term view and current to address new ideas and opportunities. All amendments must be made consistent with state statutes.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin K - 4 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Implementation Element

It is recommended that amendments should be done no more than twice a year. Proposals for amendments can come from residents of the Town, from the Plan Commission and from the Town Board.

Although state statutes (§66.1001(2)(I)) require that this plan be updated no less than once every 10 years, it is recommended that the Plan Commission undertake a review every 5 years to determine if a Plan update is necessary prior to the mandatory 10 year update.

Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Recommendations

The goals, objectives, policies and recommendations for this element are found in Chapter B.

1 The Town Clerk has a computer file of this document and can be used as a basis for future amendments.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin K - 5 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 General Provisions

GENERAL PROVISIONS

PART 1. GENERALLY PART 2. INTERPRETATION

Section 1-1. Authority. Section 2-1. Interpretation of Boundaries of This plan is enacted pursuant to and Future Land Use Districts. consistent with §66.1001 Wisconsin Statutes. (a) Boundary Line Interpretations. Interpretations regarding future land use district boundaries and designations shall be made in Section 1-2. Applicability. accordance with the following rules: (a) Jurisdictional Area. The provisions of this (1) Political Boundaries. District boundaries plan shall be applicable throughout the town of shown as following, or approximately Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, the boundary of which following, any political boundary shall be may change over time as the boundary of the construed as following such line. village of Cottage Grove changes through (2) Property Lines. District boundaries shown annexation or detachment. as following, or approximately following, any property line shall be construed as (b) Conformance with Plan. After January 1, following such line. 2004, all programs and actions adopted by the (3) Section Lines. District boundaries shown Town that affect land use shall be consistent with as following, or approximately following a this plan. Prior to that date, this plan shall be section line, quarter-section line, or used as a guideline. quarter-quarter section line shall be construed as following such line. (4) Centerlines. District boundaries shown as Section 1-3. Repeal of Prior Comprehensive following, or approximately following, any Plan. stream, creek, easement, railroad, alley, Any and all comprehensive plans previously road, street, highway or similar feature adopted prior to the effective date of this plan are shall be construed as following the hereby repealed. centerline of such feature. (5) Natural Boundaries. District boundaries shown as following, or approximately Section 1-4. Severability. following, any natural feature such as a If a court of competent jurisdiction lake, pond, wetland, woodlot edge, determines that a section, subsection, paragraph, floodplain or topographical features such sentence, clause, or phrase in this plan is as watershed boundaries shall be unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, the validity construed as following such natural of the remaining portions shall continue in full feature as verified by field inspection when force and effect. necessary. (6) Other. In instances where a district boundary does not follow one of the lines Section 1-5. Effective Date. or features listed above, the line shall be This plan shall be effective upon adoption. as drawn as provided for in subsection b.

(b) Division of Parcels. Where one or more Section 1-6. Development Expectations. district boundary line divides a parcel into two (2) As outlined in Part 3, this plan is subject to or more areas, the following interpretation of the amendment and revision including the Future boundary and designation shall apply: Land Use Map. As such, no special development (1) Parcels of 2 Acres or Less. For parcels of rights are conferred upon any property by any two (2) acres or less, the designation of designation or inclusion on the Future Land Use the largest area of the lot shall apply to Map. the entire lot. (2) Parcels Larger than 2 Acres. For parcels larger than two (2) acres, the parcel shall be divided as depicted by the boundary.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin L - 1 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 General Provisions

Section 2-2. Interpretation of Goals, Objectives, and Policies. Proposals to amend this plan shall be submitted (a) Recognizing that some of the goals, to the Town Clerk between February 15 and objectives and policies may advance or serve March 15, except those recommended by the competing interests in varying degrees, this plan Town Board, which may be submitted anytime shall be interpreted so as to promote the public during the year. interest to the greatest extent.

(b) In the construction of goals, objectives Section 3-2. Burden of Proof. and policies, the following shall be observed, The person that proposes an amendment to unless such construction would be inconsistent the Future Land Use Map shall have the burden with the text or with the manifest intent of the of proof to show that the proposed amendment is Comprehensive Plan: in the public interest and internally consistent (1) Singular and Plural Words. Words in the with the remainder of the Plan. singular include the plural and words in the plural include the singular. (2) Tense. Words in the present tense include Section 3-3. Application and Review the past and future tense and the future Procedure. tense includes the present tense. (a) Submittal of Application. The applicant (3) Shall or Will. The word "shall" or "will" is shall submit a complete application to the Town mandatory. Clerk along with the application fee if any (See (4) May or Should. The word "may" or Sections 3-4 and 3-6). "should" is permissive. (5) Include. The word "includes" or "including" (b) Transmittal of Application to Plan shall not limit a term to the specific Commission. The Town Clerk shall forward one (1) examples listed, but is intended to extend copy of the application to each member of the its meaning to all other instances or Plan Commission. circumstances of like kind or character. (c) Preliminary Review. The Plan Commission shall review the application at one of its regular Section 2-3. Responsibility for or special meetings. No decision shall be made at Interpretation. this time. In the event that any question arises concerning any provision or the application of (d) Placement of Public Notice. The Town Clerk any provision of this plan, the Plan Commission shall provide for appropriate public notice for the shall be responsible for such interpretation and public hearing conducted by the Plan shall look to the overall intent of the Commission. Comprehensive Plan for guidance. The Commission shall provide such interpretation in (e) Interdepartmental/Agency Review. The writing upon request and keep a permanent Town Clerk shall forward one (1) copy of the record of said interpretations. application to appropriate Town personnel and local units of government that would be directly effected by the proposed amendment. PART 3. AMENDMENT (f) Plan Commission Hearing. Allowing for Section 3-1. Initiation. proper public notice, the Plan Commission shall The following may submit an application for a conduct a public hearing to review the Plan amendment: application. (1) Town Board; (2) Plan Commission; (g) Plan Commission Recommendation. The (3) any resident of the Town; Plan Commission shall make a written (4) any person having title to land within the recommendation to the Town Board to either: Town; deny the proposed amendment; or (5) any person having a contractual interest approve the proposed amendment without in land to be affected by a proposed revision; or amendment; or approve the proposed amendment with (6) an agent for any of the above. revision(s) that it deems appropriate. Such revisions to the proposed amendment shall be

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin L - 2 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 General Provisions

limited in scope to those matters considered (4) a written description of the proposed in the public hearing. change; (5) a written statement outlining the reason(s) (h) Town Board Public Hearing. The Town for the amendment; and Board shall hold a public hearing, allowing for (6) other supporting information the proper public notice, to consider the proposed applicant deems appropriate. amendment. (b) Other Amendments. For all other types of (i) Town Board Decision. After reviewing the amendments, the application shall include the application and the Plan Commission’s following: recommendation, the Town Board shall make a (1) a written description of the proposed decision to either: change; deny the proposed amendment; or (2) a written statement outlining the reason(s) approve the proposed amendment without for the amendment; and revision; or (3) other supporting information the approve the amendment with revision(s) that applicant deems appropriate. it deems appropriate. Such revisions to the proposed amendment shall be limited in scope to those matters considered in the Section 3-5. Limitations on Amending the public hearing. Comprehensive Plan. (a) Internal Consistency. Amendments shall (j) Notification of Decision. Within five (5) days be made in such a way so as to preserve the following the decision, the Clerk shall mail the internal consistency of the entire Plan. applicant, by regular U.S. mail, the original copy of the decision and notify the Plan Commission in (b) Granting Special Privileges or Placing writing of its decision (if it is not the applicant). If Limitations, Not Permitted. No amendment to the proposed amendment is denied, the change the Future Land Use Map shall contain notification shall indicate the reasons for the special privileges or rights or any conditions, denial. If the amendment is approved, an limitations, or requirements not applicable to all ordinance to that effect shall be adopted. other lands in the district.

(k) Update History of Adoption and Amendment. The Plan Commission shall update Section 3-6. Fees. the table entitled “History of Adoption and (a) Landowner-Initiated Amendments. For all Amendment” found in Section II of this plan. amendments to the Future Land Use Map that are initiated by the owner or another person having a contractual interest in land to be Section 3-4. Application Content. affected by the proposed amendment, an (a) Landowner-Initiated Amendment to the application fee, as set by the Town Board and on Future Land Use Map. An application submitted file at the Town Clerk’s office, shall be submitted by a landowner to amend the Future Land Use at the time of application. Map shall include the following: (1) a scaled drawing of the subject property; (b) Other Amendments. For all other types of (2) a legal description for each of the parcels amendments, no application fee shall be in the subject property; assessed. (3) a map of the existing land uses occurring on and around the subject property;

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin L - 3 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 General Sources

General Sources

C – Issues and Opportunities Wisconsin Department of Administration. 1993. Wisconsin Population Projections: 1995 to 2015.

D – Housing Element Wisconsin Department of Administration and Department of Commerce. 2000. 2000 Consolidated Plan: For the State’s Housing and Community Development Needs. Madison, Wisconsin.

U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Commerce. 1980. 1980 Census of Population and Housing.

U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Commerce. 1990. 1990 Census of Population and Housing.

E – Transportation Element Dane County. 2000. Bicycle Transportation Plan. Madison Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. Madison, Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 2000. State Recreational Trails Network Plan. Madison, Wisconsin

WisDOT. 1994. Translinks 21 (A Multimodal Transportation Plan for Wisconsin’s 21st Century). Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Madison, Wisconsin.

WisDOT. 1998. Wisconsin Bicycle Transportation Plan - 2020. Bureau of Planning, Division of Investment Management, Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Madison, Wisconsin.

WisDOT. 1999. Wisconsin State Airport System Plan 2020 (Draft). Bureau of Aeronautics, Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Madison, Wisconsin.

WisDOT. 2000a. Wisconsin State Highway Plan 2020 – Summary Report. Bureau of Planning, Division of Investment Management, Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Madison, Wisconsin.

WisDOT. 2000b. Wisconsin State Highway Plan 2020 – Technical Summary. Bureau of Planning, Division of Investment Management, Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Madison, Wisconsin.

WisDOT. 2000c. Midwest Regional Rail System - A Transportation Network for the 21st Century – Executive Report. Wisconsin Department of Transportation, et al. Madison, Wisconsin.

WisDOT. 2000d. 1999 Wisconsin Automatic Traffic Recorder Data. Bureau of Highway Programs, Data Management, Division of Transportation Investment Management, Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Madison, Wisconsin.

WisDOT. 2000e. 1999 Wisconsin Highway Traffic Volume Data. Bureau of Highway Programs, Data Management, Division of Transportation Investment Management, Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Madison, Wisconsin.

WisDOT. 2000f. WisDOT’s Five-Year Airport Improvement Program. Bureau of Aeronautics, Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Madison, Wisconsin.

WisDOT. 2000g. 2000 – 2005 Six-Year Highway Improvement Program Project Summaries and Listings (April 2000). Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Madison, Wisconsin.

WisDOT. 2000h. (Map) Wisconsin Railroads: 2000. Bureau of Planning, Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Madison, Wisconsin. Map Scale: None noted.

Wisconsin Rustic Roads – A Positive Step Backward http://www.dot.state.wi.us/opa/rusticrd.html

F – Utilities and Community Facilities Element Dane County. 1996. Parks and Open Space Plan for Dane County, Wisconsin. Dane County Park Commission. Madison, Wisconsin.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin iii - 1 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 General Sources

Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services. Day Care Directory. Division of Children and Family Services, Bureau of Regulation and Licensing, Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services.

1999 Public Library Annual Report. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

G - Agricultural, Natural, Cultural Resources Element Curtis, J.T. 1959. The Vegetation of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press.

Dane County Regional Planning Commission. 2000. Door Creek Wetlands Resource Protection Plan. Madison, Wisconsin.

Hole, Francis D. and Clifford E. Germain. 1994. Natural Divisions of Wisconsin. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Madison, Wisconsin. (original map scale 1:100,000)

Land Resources Analysis Program. 1976. Glacial Deposits of Wisconsin – Sand and Gravel Resource Potential; Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, University of Wisconsin-Extension, and State Planning Office, Wisconsin Department of Administration. (original map scale 1:50,000)

Rowe, Chandler. 1956. The Effigy Mound Culture of Wisconsin. Publications in Anthropology No. 3. Milwaukee Public Museum; Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Soil Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Soil Survey of Dane County, Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Planning. 1978. “Wisconsin Wetland Inventory”. Map scale 1:24,000

Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources. http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/er/nhi/

Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory. The State Historical Society of Wisconsin. http://www.shsw.wisc.edu/ahi/

J – Land Use Element Bureau of Remediation and Redevelopment, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/

Bureau of Remediation and Redevelopment, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 1999. Registry of Waste Disposal Sites In Wisconsin.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin iii - 2 Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Appendix A

Appendix A

Smart Growth -- Local Comprehensive Planning Goals1

a. Promotion of the redevelopment of lands with existing infrastructure and public services and the maintenance and rehabilitation of existing residential, commercial, and industrial structures.

b. Encouragement of neighborhood designs that support a range of transportation choices.

c. Protection of natural areas, including wetlands, wildlife habitats, lakes, woodlands, open spaces, and groundwater resources.

d. Protection of economically productive areas, including farmland and forests.

e. Encouragement of land uses, densities, and regulations that promote efficient development patterns and relatively low municipal, state governmental, and utility costs.

f. Preservation of cultural, historic, and archaeological sites.

g. Encouragement of coordination and cooperation among nearby units of government

h. Building of community identity by revitalizing main streets and enforcing design standards.

i. Providing an adequate supply of affordable housing for individuals of all income levels throughout each community.

j. Providing adequate infrastructure and public services and an adequate supply of. developable land to meet existing and future market demand for residential, commercial, and industrial uses.

k. Promoting the expansion or stabilization of the current economic base and the creation of a range of employment opportunities at the state, regional, and local levels.

l. Balancing individual property rights with community interests and goals.

m. Planning and development of land uses that create or preserve varied and unique urban and rural communities.

n. Providing an integrated, efficient and economical transportation system that affords mobility, convenience, and safety and that meets the needs of all citizens, including transit-dependent and disabled citizens.

1 These goals were taken from state statutes (§16.965 (4b) and §1.13 (2))

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Appendix B

Appendix B

Public Participation Plan

Purpose In order for the Comprehensive Plan to operate effectively, in according to the law and to address the needs of the citizens of the Town of Cottage Grove, the residents must be kept informed and provided an opportunity to participate in the planning process. Further, public participation will be used to collect data and opinions that can be obtained in no other way. Written comments from the residents included on the survey will be passed on to the town board and plan commission members. The information received will be used to determine the needs of the Town and develop community goals.

Public Participation Efforts 1. Community-Wide Survey 2. Interviews 3. Workshops 4. Conduct Public Planning Meetings 5. Public Hearing 6. Receive and respond to written requests

Methodology • Conduct a Town-Wide survey of residents at each dwelling. The survey will collect data and opinions from the residents concerning direction and types of growth, housing conditions, and need for economic development.

• Hold 15 one hour interviews with officials and interested citizens in the Town.

• Conduct the monthly planning meetings open to the public and invite participation by the public. Provide the public participants with the same information including the handouts as provided to the council and plan commission members.

• Hold 2 workshops with citizen participation to identify problems and potentials in the Town.

• Hold at least one public hearing as described in the plan.

• The official notice of hearings will be by public notice in the official newspaper with a class one notice at least 30 days preceding the hearing. In addition, the public notice shall be posted at: 1. the Town Hall, 4058 County Trunk Highway N., Cottage Grove, WI 2. the Corn Palace on CTH N at Coffeetown Road, Cottage Grove WI. 3. the intersection of Gaston Road and Brown Thrush Trail, Cottage Grove, WI. 4. American Way in America Heritage Subdivision, Cottage Grove, WI. These notices will include time, place and date of hearing, as well as a summary of the proposed Comprehensive Plan or amendment to such plan. Penny Ericson, Clerk, will provide additional information regarding the proposed Comprehensive Plan ordinance and information relating to where and when the proposed Comprehensive Plan or amendment to such will be passed. A copy of the plan or amendment to such plan may be inspected before the hearing or a copy of the plan or amendment may be obtained at the Town Hall, 4058 County Trunk Highway N, Cottage Grove.

• Citizens may submit written comments or questions on the Comprehensive Plan to the Town Clerk at Town Hall, County Trunk Highway N, Cottage Grove, WI. The Town will respond in writing to those comments or questions if requested to do so.

As adopted by the Town Board.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Appendix C

Appendix C

Community Survey

Important Survey Dates: Initial mailing: September 2000 Second mailing: October 2000 Final tabulation: December 2000

Surveys mailed: 1,254 Surveys returned: 881 Response rate: 70.3 percent

Survey results were compiled in total and by a number of sub-groups. Results included here include total and for the following sub-groups:

Those living on a farm Those living in the Town 10 years or less (35.9 percent of the total) Low- and moderate-income (LMI) households (34.6 percent of the total)

Other tabulations are available in the Town Clerk’s office. Written answers or comments were recorded as written. They were not tabulated by sub-group.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin Comprehensive Plan – 2020 Appendix D

Appendix D

Development Concepts Background Report

The following maps present different development concepts that were considered in the planning process. Although there are four different maps, no single map was chosen as the best. Rather, a final development concept map was prepared that drew upon the best of each of the concepts. (It is included in the Land Use Element.) The selected concept map was then used to prepare the future land use map.

Town of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin Town of Cottage Grove

TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS PROGRAM General Information

What does Transfer of How do I know if my property is located within a sending area? Development Rights mean? Please review the attached map to make this determination. Sending areas are The Transfer of Development identified as 1. “Agricultural” and 8. “Open Space/Park”. Only those properties Rights (TDR) is a tool for located within these areas are eligible as sending areas. protecting farmland and other resources from development How do I know the number of development rights tied to my property? while still allowing residential

development to occur in other The general rule of thumb is that properties in the sending areas have one areas. Through transferable development right for every 35 acres owned as of 5/15/1982. Parcels comprehensive and land use under 35 acres do not have any transferable development rights. However, several planning, communities are able other factors ultimately determine the actual number of transferable development to identify areas where they rights on a property. These other factors are described in detail in the town want to maintain the existing comprehensive plan and include the exact acreage, existing residences on the agricultural or rural property, length of ownership, and the history of the property. environment (“sending areas”)

and areas where they want to The best way for both sellers and buyers to determine the actual number of direct new residential transferable development rights is to request a density study from Dane County. The development (“receiving landowner must grant permission for the density study and the application fee is areas”). $100. However, this fee is waived for landowners participating (or thinking of

participating) in the Town’s TDR program. Development rights are comparable to other rights that come with a parcel of land How much are my development rights worth? such as mineral rights, water rights, or logging rights. When The value of development rights is unique to each property. Ordering a full narrative appraisal report from a certified appraiser is a good way to determine the value. a landowner sells all or a portion of his or her Providing the results of the density study to the appraiser helps ensure that he or she development rights, the right has the information they need to complete their job. Ultimately the sales price is to develop or subdivide that determined through negotiations between the seller and buyer. Hiring an attorney is parcel of land is permanently recommended for the negotiation process. reduced by the number of development rights sold. In general, appraisers will look at other land transactions in Dane County to However, the landowner still determine the value of the development rights on your property. First, they will determine the highest and best use of the property in its current condition, before the retains all other rights and responsibilities associated with development rights are sold, e.g. rural residential development. They will look at the land. other sales in Dane County on similar properties to determine the value of the highest and best use of the property in its current condition. Second, they will determine the TDR in the Town of Cottage highest and best use of the property once the development rights have been Grove is a voluntary program removed, e.g. agricultural or recreational property. Again they will look at other sales between willing buyers and on similar properties to determine the value of the highest and best use once the sellers via private transactions. development rights have been sold. Finally, they will calculate the difference between the highest and best use with development and the highest and best use without the Owners of farmland are able to capture development value development rights to determine the value of the development rights. from their land by selling some or all of their development How do I go about transferring my development rights? rights to a willing buyer. Only properties identified in sending There are two options for transferring your development rights. The first is to or receiving areas in the Town hire a real estate broker or attorney that can try to find a potential buyer for you. of Cottage Grove The second is to contact the Town of Cottage Grove. The Town will then try to Comprehensive Plan 2020 are find a potential buyer. Once you have found a potential buyer you should work eligible for participation in the with your attorney during the sales process. TDR program. Town of Cottage Grove

TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS PROGRAM Participating as a Seller of Development Rights

Optional: Meet with Town or County representatives to discuss the TDR Program.

Recommended: Hire an attorney if you are interested in participating.

Request a density study on your property through the Town of Cottage Grove. Forms are available through the Town. Landowners making the request through the TDR Program will have the $100 fee waived.

Commission a full-narrative appraisal report from a certified appraiser. The appraisal fee ($1,000+) can be negotiated with your buyer. Be sure to give the appraiser a copy of the density study. Multiple appraisals can be ordered if you are unsatisfied with the values presented.

Decide if you are still interested in the participating based on the density study and appraisal report.

Not interested: You are under no obligations to Interested: Submit an Offer to Sell to your buyer or continue. You may use the information you have review Offer to Purchase submitted to you by your collected thus far for your personal benefit. buyer.

At a minimum, any purchase contract that you enter into should include: ¾ Copy of the restrictions that will be placed on your property so that you know exactly what you are being paid for. ¾ Contingency that the Town and County must approve the transaction

Don’t Accept Offer: You are under no obligations to Accept Offer: Notify the Town that you have an continue. You may use the information you have accepted Offer. Complete any obligations required by collected thus far for your personal benefit. sale. Consult with your bank if the property is mortgaged. Prepare to close.

The Town will notify you when the Town and County have approved the transaction.

Close the transaction with the buyer.