Cross Plains sustainability committee outlines edits to comprehensive plan, seeks editable copy for submission

The Cross Plains Sustainability Committee on Aug. 13 reviewed chapters of the village comprehensive plan and agreed to produce a single document of recommended insertions and edits to incorporate the committee’s sustainability goals.

Committee members discussed proposed language additions for utilities and community facilities, housing and neighborhood development, economic development, and stormwater management. Members identified specific items they want included or clarified in the plan — including stormwater planning and basin management, incorporation of the village’s parks and open-space work, clearer treatment of accessory dwelling units and multifamily design standards, voluntary sustainability incentives for new construction, and a stronger energy/utility section. The committee asked staff to try to obtain an editable copy of the draft comprehensive plan so members can insert recommended language in-track and present the marked-up draft to the plan commission.

Why it matters: the village comprehensive plan is the policy document that shapes zoning, capital projects and long-term utilities investments. Committee members said they want sustainability objectives and implementation options visible in the plan so future developers and commissions can consider them during review.

Most immediate topics and committee next steps

- Stormwater and basin management: Members noted the comprehensive plan references a Cross Plains Area stormwater management plan (engineer report dated 1996) with goals slated for completion by 2015 and questioned the status of those items. The committee requested staff follow up with Town & Country (the village engineering firm) to determine what work was completed and what remains. Members also discussed an existing parcel the village owns that has been identified for retention/slow-release work related to Brewery Creek and said they will seek the current status of construction and grant funding.

- Parks, open space and new development: Committee members praised a recently updated parks and open-space section (noting a 2025–2029 reference) and flagged a developer buyout in a recent subdivision that appeared to substitute a payment (discussed as roughly $600,000 in one meeting comment) rather than providing an on-site park for an initial phase of about 100 houses. They asked that the committee’s recommendations clarify how new development should address parkland and open space.

- Housing and accessory dwelling units (ADUs): Committee members proposed that the plan explicitly encourage sustainable features in new housing (improved insulation, high-efficiency windows, support for rooftop solar, rainwater harvesting for nonpotable uses and graywater systems, and use of higher-recycled-content materials). Members also proposed revising ADU definitions and setback/lot-coverage rules to allow appropriately sized accessory units that preserve privacy and safety while increasing housing options.

- Energy and lighting: Members said the plan presently lacks a distinct energy section and recommended either creating a standalone energy chapter or adding a clear utilities/energy subsection. The group also discussed lighting controls and a lighting ordinance, including the potential to include village encouragement of shielded lighting and nighttime-lighting policies that could support tourism (e.g., night-sky destination concepts) while reducing light pollution.

- Implementation and incentives: Committee members discussed incentives (examples suggested included tax abatements or other village incentives, or using TIF or grant conditions to encourage sustainable building features). Participants acknowledged state building codes limit municipalities from mandating some energy measures; they discussed voluntary approaches and financial incentives instead.

Committee directions and staff follow-ups (discussion vs. decision)

- Discussion only: members debated policy language for zoning, energy and housing, and identified topics to add or clarify. They did not adopt new ordinances or change code in the meeting; those are prospective recommendations to the plan commission.

- Directions to staff (assignment): the committee asked staff to try to obtain an editable copy of the draft comprehensive plan (so members can place tracked changes) and to confirm how the plan commission will accept recommendations. Members also asked staff to request status updates from Town & Country on the Cross Plains Area stormwater management plan and on the retention/slowdown project related to Brewery Creek.

- Formal actions: the committee approved the July 9 meeting minutes and later moved to adjourn. No new ordinances, code changes or formal policy adoptions were made at this meeting.

Context and background

Members noted the comprehensive plan’s chapter on utilities and community facilities includes references to water supply (the village now has three wells) and to a parks/open-space grid. They said the parks section appears recently refreshed (2025–2029 date shown) and that the plan references community input (a 2024 survey). The group compared Cross Plains with neighboring Middleton’s approach (Middleton’s plan includes a stormwater utility and more advanced energy/light policies) and discussed whether to invite external expertise or consultants for technical subjects such as stormwater or for examples from other municipalities.

What comes next

Committee members agreed to consolidate edits into a single recommendations document. If staff can supply an editable plan file, members said they will track-change suggested language directly; otherwise they will assemble a Google Doc or Word list of proposed insertions with suggested wording to forward to the plan commission alongside community-survey results. The group also flagged an existing $1,000 “focus on energy” grant the committee holds and said they will consider implementation options once plan edits and priorities are clearer.

Ending: the committee set follow-up work to gather the editable plan document, the Town & Country stormwater status, and to compile recommended language for submission to the plan commission; no regulatory actions were adopted at the meeting.