Update to Comprehensive Master Plan

Comprehensive Master Plan Project Committee Meeting Agendas

January 2009

Chapter 2: Community Issues & Opportunities, the second chapter of the City of Franklin Comprehensive Master Plan Update, was tentatively adopted by the Comprehensive Master Plan Update Project Committee/Plan Commission at its December 18, 2008, meeting.  This approval is subject to further consideration by the Project Committee after the other draft chapters of this plan are completed and reviewed, and after the receipt of public input.  Chapter 2:  Community Issues & Opportunities, provides a brief summary of the current character and demographics of the City, and sets forth the principles, goals, and objectives to be used to guide the rest of the Plan. 

Please contact the Department of City Development at 414-425-4024 or Joel Dietl, Planning Manager, at jdietl@franklinwi.gov with any questions or comments about this draft chapter. 

The next chapter of the Comprehensive Master Plan Update, Chapter 3: Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources, is anticipated to be presented to the Comprehensive Master Plan Update Project Committee/Plan Commission in January 2009.

December 2008 

Chapter 1:  Introduction, the first chapter of the City of Franklin Comprehensive Master Plan Update, was tentatively adopted by the Comprehensive Master Plan Update Project Committee/Plan Commission at its December 4, 2008, meeting.  This approval is subject to further consideration by the Project Committee after the other draft chapters of this plan are completed and reviewed, and after the receipt of public input.  Chapter 1:  Introduction, provides a brief background and history of the City and the reasons why the update is being undertaken at this time. 

Please contact the Department of City Development at 414-425-4024 or Joel Dietl, Planning Manager, at jdietl@franklinwi.gov with any questions or comments about this draft chapter. 

The next chapter of the Comprehensive Master Plan Update, Chapter 2: Community Issues & Opportunities, is anticipated to be presented to the Comprehensive Master Plan Update Project Committee/Plan Commission later this month.

October 2008

A public hearing will be held on November 6, 2008, to obtain public comment on the revised/updated proposed Southwest Overlay District and the accompanying proposed Pre-Sanitary Sewer Land Use/Zoning, Land Division, and Public Service Policy, and the proposed Post-Sanitary Sewer Scenario Map. 

More specifically, it is being proposed that the City of Franklin Comprehensive Master Plan be amended to include the proposed Pre-Sanitary Sewer Land Use/Zoning, Land Division, and Public Service Policy, and the proposed Post-Sanitary Sewer Scenario Map; that the City of Franklin Unified Development Ordinance be amended to include the proposed Southwest Overlay District; and lastly, that the subject southwest area be rezoned to include the proposed Southwest Overlay District.   

Minor changes were made to the proposed Overlay District, Policy, and Map by the City of Franklin Comprehensive Master Plan Update Project Committee after the September 4, 2008, Informational Meeting (changes are included in the above linked documents).

After the public hearing, the Plan Commission will consider the public comments, will consider approval of the proposed Policy and Map, and will consider forwarding a recommendation to the Common Council on the proposed Overlay District and rezoning. 

Should you have any questions about this information, please contact the Department of City Development at 414-425-4024 or Joel Dietl, Planning Manager, at jdietl@franklinwi.gov.


August 2008

An Informational Meeting will be held on September 4, 2008, to present the revised/updated proposed Southwest Overlay District and accompanying proposed Pre-Sanitary Sewer Land Use/Zoning, Land Division, and Public Services Policy.

Please continue to visit this webpage and review the upcoming agenda's of the Comprehensive Master Plan Update Project Committee for the latest information on this topic. 

Should you have any questions about this information, please contact the Department of City Development at 414-425-4024 or Joel Dietl, Planning Manager, at jdietl@franklinwi.gov.

July 2008

Proposed Zoning Overlay District for the
Southwestern Portion of the City of Franklin

Materials as presented at the July 1, 2008, Open House & Public Information Hearing

Materials include a draft of the proposed Overlay District, the proposed Pre-Sanitary Sewer Land Use/Zoning, Land Division, and Public Services Policy, the draft Post-Sanitary Sewer Scenario Map, and a memo dated May 16, 2008 (revised June 26, 2008) providing a brief overview of the proposal for the southwestern portion of the City.

Please continue to visit this webpage and review the upcoming agenda's of the Comprehensive Master Plan Update Project Committee for the latest information on this topic. 

Should you have any questions about this information, please contact the Department of City Development at 414-425-4024 or Joel Dietl, Planning Manager, at jdietl@franklinwi.gov.

June 2008

Open House and Public Hearing to Consider a Proposed Zoning Overlay District for the Southwestern Portion of the City of Franklin Scheduled for July 1, 2008

The Department of City Development and the City of Franklin's consultants, working in cooperation with the Plan Commission/Comprehensive Master Plan Update Project Committee, have now completed a draft of a proposed zoning overlay district for the southwestern portion of the City of Franklin (roughly that area along West Ryan Road and southward to the city limits, and along South 76th Street and westward to the city limits). 

If adopted and implemented by the City of Franklin, the proposed Southwest Overlay District would generally allow more opportunities for development and land divisions than is currently permitted by city ordinances and plans within the southwestern portion of the City. 

More specifically, the proposed Southwest Overlay District is intended to provide opportunities for development and land division for the property owners within the southwestern portion of the City in such a manner that would not adversely impact possible future public sanitary sewer and water extensions.  It is important to note that much of the current zoning for this portion of the City, and the currently adopted Comprehensive Master Plan, generally do not permit development or land divisions until such time as public sanitary sewer service is provided. 

The proposed Southwest Overlay District also intends to allow all existing legal and conforming development and parcels to remain as is if the property owners so wish. 

Before any action is taken on this matter, the City of Franklin would like to obtain public input and comment on this proposal.  Therefore, an Open House has been scheduled for July 1, 2008, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Franklin City Hall Common Council Chambers.  A Public Hearing will be held immediately after the Open House at 7:00 pm also at the Franklin City Hall Common Council Chambers.

The Open House is intended to provide residents and other interested parties an opportunity to review the proposed Overlay District and supporting documents and to ask questions of staff and the Plan Commission about this matter.  Copies of this information will be available at the Open House, and at the offices of the Department of City Development.  This information will also soon be available on the City website. 

Should you have any questions about this information, please contact the Department of City Development at 414-425-4024.

The City of Franklin, along with its consultant Planning and Design Institute, Inc. (PDI), are currently preparing an update of the City of Franklin Comprehensive Master Plan.  The Comprehensive Master Plan has had a number of amendments over the years, but no comprehensive review or revision since it was originally prepared in 1992.
 
The updated plan, when completed and adopted by the City of Franklin Common Council, is intended to help guide and direct the growth of the City over the next 20 years.  For that reason, the plan addresses many important topics and issues, such as land use, transportation, economic development, housing, utilities and community facilities, and agricultural, natural and cultural resources.
 
It is very important to point out that this plan is not cast in stone.  It is intended to be reviewed every year, to ensure that it continues to reflect the vision and goals of the community.  If necessary, amendments of the plan could occur.  Furthermore, it is anticipated that the plan will be updated every five years or so, and the plan completely redone every 10 to 20 years.
 
As draft chapters are completed and reviewed by the Project Committee, they will be posted on this page.  The meetings of the Project Committee are open to the public, and will usually be held the second Thursday of every month in the City Hall at 7:00 p.m..  Notice of these meetings will be posted one week ahead of time on the City web site and in City Hall.
 

 Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Comprehensive Master Plan?

A comprehensive master plan is a governmental policy document that contains information about a community's human and natural resources, community issues and values, goals and objectives in the development of a community, future uses of land as planned by a community and depicted on maps, matters of importance in the building of a community, the vision of a community for its future growth and existence, the interrelation of a community with surrounding communities, and the methods by which the elements of the plan may be implemented. In other words, a comprehensive master plan is a guide for the future growth and development of a community.

The comprehensive master plan that is currently in effect for the City of Franklin was adopted in 1992. The City of Franklin Comprehensive Master Plan is a document that addresses a range of topics with regard to the future of the City, including:

  • Population and Employment Projections and Analyses
  • Natural Resources
  • Land Uses and Community Character
  • Zoning and Real Property
  • Development Objectives, Principles, Standards, and Design Criteria
  • Transportation
  • Neighborhood Plans
  • Park and Open Space Plans
  • Public Sanitary Sewer and Public Water Supply
  • Public Buildings and Facilities
  • Recommendations for Plan Implementation

Cities are authorized by State law to prepare and implement comprehensive master plans, as set forth in §62.23(3) of the Wisconsin Statutes. This law has been supplemented by the State Legislature with the adoption of the Wisconsin Comprehensive Planning Law, §66.1001 of the Wisconsin Statutes. The text of these Statutes is available from the Revisor of Statutes Bureau, at www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/stats.html.

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2. Why is the City working on a Comprehensive Master Plan if it already has one?

The City has grown and has changed significantly since the existing Comprehensive Master Plan was prepared in the early 1990s. Because the Comprehensive Master Plan is used to inform important decisions relating to land use, public infrastructure, and the quality of life for City residents and businesses, it is important to have a plan that is up to date.

In addition, the existing Comprehensive Master Plan must be updated and amended to meet the requirements of the Wisconsin Comprehensive Planning Law. After the City's current Plan was adopted, the State Legislature promulgated a list of items, called "elements," that units of local government are required to include in their comprehensive master plans. (Several of these elements are already included in the existing Comprehensive Master Plan for the City of Franklin .)

As required by State Law, the elements that must be addressed in the Comprehensive Master Plan are:

  • Issues and Opportunities
  • Housing
  • Transportation
  • Utilities and Community Facilities
  • Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources
  • Economic Development
  • Intergovernmental Cooperation
  • Land Use
  • Process for Implementation of the Comprehensive Plan

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3. Is Franklin required to have a Comprehensive Master Plan?

Under the Wisconsin Comprehensive Planning Law, all units of local government that regulate land use will need to have an updated comprehensive master plan in effect by January 1, 2010. Beginning on that date, State Law requires that the City zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, and official maps shall be consistent with the City's Comprehensive Master Plan, in accordance with §66.1001(3) of the Wisconsin Statutes. Future zoning and land use decisions in the City of Franklin will be based on the updated Comprehensive Master Plan.

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