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SCHEDULE

THE ZONING UPDATE ADOPTION TIMELINE
What’s the schedule for moving our proposed code revisions towards adoption? Find everything, including opportunities for public input, in this August 2, 2010 draft of the timeline.

THE ZONING UPDATE CHARRETTE
February 8-12, 2010
City of Fitchburg Community Center, Oak Hall Room
5510 Lacy Road, Fitchburg WI, 53711
To ensure the participation of all who are interested, the charrette includes multiple meetings, presentations and opportunities to drop by. See the rundown below, or consult the graphic schedule here.

PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS

Opening Public Workshop
Monday, February 8, 6-7:30 pm
This evening will consist of a 30-minute presentation to explain the process and goals of the charrette, then an opportunity for everyone to participate in discussions to help focus work for the rest of the week.

Open House & Pin-Up
Wednesday, February 10, 6-7:30 pm
This evening begins with a quick overview of progress to date, then turns quickly to an open house for community feedback. The design team will answer questions and record responses to work so far. This midpoint event is a great way for residents to get a quick sense of the direction the charrette is heading and to help the team make corrections and refinements.

Charrette Final Presentation
Friday, February 12, 6-7:30 pm
The presentation will be a Power Point with illustrations, maps and diagrams pinned up around the room for review. After the formal presentation, there will be an open microphone for public comment / critique, offering the team additional feedback to fine tune work moving towards a draft for the next phases of the City’s public process.

OPEN HOUSE DROP-IN HOURS
Wednesday, February 10, 1-5 pm;
Thursday, February 11, 9-12 pm and 1-2:30 pm
If you can’t attend a specific Focus Session (detailed below), the studio is open for drop-ins on Wednesday and Thursday. Stop in and share your thoughts, watch the designers, and give further critique. Maybe it’s something you forgot to share at one of the general sessions, but you’re welcome to come by and share one-on-one, or to leave your comments on the this web page.

FOCUSED TOPIC SESSIONS
Tuesday and Wednesday, February 9 and 10
Smaller group discussions are scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday to help participants drill down more deeply into key subjects. Everyone is invited. But the meetings will be facilitated to keep discussions on topic.

Development Community Summit
Tuesday, February 9, 8-10 am
This round table discussion is for the development community, so the planning team can better understand the nuances of developing in Fitchburg and suggest potential adjustments that can serve everyone’s goals. Specifically, this will be a technical working session where the development community digs into the details of the FBC metrics and offers edits to the Summary Table. We expect developers, builders, and large landowners to attend this session, but all are welcome.

Development Summit Continued
Tuesday, February 9, 10-12 pm and 1-6 pm
Charrette team members will continue to be available for 1:1 questions with developers.

Chamber & Business Community
Tuesday, February 9, 9-10:30 am
Here we’ll discuss the economic impacts of an updated code. The focus will be on topics such as mixed use, parking, and adjacent residential as well as the current signage ordinance. We will welcome active editorial suggestions for the code in this session. We expect the business and economic development community to attend this session, but all are welcome.

Civic Groups
Tuesday, February 9, 10:30-12 pm
Around this table, we talk about the effects and preservation of open space, stormwater management, and neighborhood protection. We hope the environmental and civic communities will join us for this session, but all are welcome.

Transportation
Tuesday, February 9, 1-2:30 pm
This is primarily a staff meeting with the addition of WI DOT. Also Public Works, Fire, Emergency, and Police. Public welcome to listen.

DNR / CAPRC
Tuesday, February 9, 1-2:30 pm
This session addresses the requirements of DNR and CARPC for development applications in Dane County. Critical issues include density projections and stormwater retention. Public welcome to listen.

Utilities
Tuesday, February 9, 3-4 pm
This includes all regional utility entities. Public welcome to listen.

Parks and Open Space
Tuesday, February 9, 3-4:30 pm
This includes Parks Director plus any members of the Parks Commission. Public welcome to listen.

Farming Community
Tuesday, February 9, 5-6:30 pm
We’ll discuss in detail the Ag community’s needs, on topics including Ag conservation, clustered development, and rural commercial options. Farmers and the Ag Community should attend this session, but all are welcome.

Schools
Wednesday, February 10, 9-10 am
We’ll address zoning’s impacts on planning for schools. Public welcome to listen.

FUDA Landowners
Wednesday, February 10, 10:30-12 pm
We’ll concentrate on issues related to this community of property owners.



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  • Our Task: To Code for Growth
    In Line with our Values

    We need rules that ensure our future growth is as inspired as the goals we've set out.

    That’s the simplest way to explain our ambitions to augment Fitchburg’s current zoning code to bring it in line with the City’s new Comprehensive Plan. That 2009 Plan is based on core principles of Smart Growth and on long-term sustainability on three levels – economic, environmental, and social. And the fact is, says Fitchburg Mayor Jay Allen, “our current zoning code does not adequately accommodate the values we want to shape our future.”

    Old-style zoning, created in an era when the object was to protect neighborhoods from dangerous industrial practices, focused on segregating building uses – offices, retail and residences – to keep people safe from noxious industry. But with the rise of the automobile, this seemingly practical approach began to super-size, devouring land out of proportion to our rate of population growth and creating ever-greater separation between the things we do and need.

    That’s taken its toll on our environment, our budget, our free time and our ability to be a real community. But now we have the chance to do something about it.

    Icon of Streetscape      

    Over the coming months, we’ll be exploring a new approach to zoning – one that focuses more on how buildings are arranged and less on how they’re used – to broaden our existing code to better foster the kind of growth envisioned in our Comprehensive Plan. We’ll look at setbacks and building frontages, the widths of streets and sidewalks, the interplay between private space and public space and the appropriate mixes of use in selected spots – all with an eye towards neighborhoods where residents can, if they choose, accomplish many daily tasks on foot.

    Through all of it, we’ll be customizing the code addition to the things we value. So the process will involve a lot of discussion about achieving the right look and feel in the right place.

    That means the process is committed to the same sort of public involvement as the process that created the Comprehensive Plan. At the heart of this effort is a public “charrette,” a multi-day collaborative workshop in which everyone is invited to join with a team of expert consultants to establish key components of any new zoning designation.

    That workshop will take place February 8-12. “All issues,” says the mayor, “are on the table, and anyone who wishes to participate in the process will have that opportunity. Together, we’ll look at ideas, ask questions, develop answers, come up with options, and choose the best direction. By the final night we will have a consensus on the first draft of this new addition to our code.”

    It’s a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” says the mayor, “to create the tools we need to handle new growth without over-extending City services.”

    Check this site often to keep up with the process. Not only will you find an ongoing overview of where we are, you’ll also have opportunity to weigh in on the different issues being discussed.