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Sustainability committee to weave recommendations into Cross Plains comprehensive plan; proposes energy goal and survey questions
Summary
Committee members volunteered to map sustainability recommendations into specific comprehensive-plan chapters, to add sustainability questions to the July community survey, and to propose a municipal energy goal (committee proposed: meet 80% of village operations' electricity needs with renewables within 10 years).
Committee members agreed to integrate the Village of Cross Plains sustainability plan into the ongoing comprehensive-plan update rather than creating a standalone sustainability chapter.
Committee members proposed an approach of assigning individual volunteers to review specific comprehensive-plan chapters, compare them with the sustainability plan, and return suggested insertions or language. Assigned chapters and volunteers include: Chapters 1 and 2 (Jenny), Chapter 3 and others (Michael), Chapter 4 (Melissa), Chapter 5 (Steve), Chapter 6 (Jen). The committee set an internal timeline: first set of chapters to be discussed in July and remaining chapters in August.
Survey and goals: staff confirmed a grid-style sustainability question is already in the draft community survey (items include reduce/reuse/recycle, energy-efficient building design, alternative energy such as solar/wind, reducing fertilizers and road salt, energy-efficient vehicles and EVs, local food, community gardens, green building standards, redevelopment to reduce trip lengths, and financial incentives). Committee members recommended adding at least one goal-oriented question to the survey. After discussion the committee coalesced around drafting a measurable municipal goal for the survey and public input: "meet 80% of village operations' electricity needs with renewable energy within 10 years" (committee language to be refined for the survey instrument).
Committee members discussed how survey wording can influence results and recommended specific question formats: keep the grid-style Likert items for many sustainability topics and add a discrete question on whether residents support a village energy/renewables goal. Staff said the July survey launch remains and that additions can be made if the committee provides suggested language soon.
"Would you support a carbon goal of x amount by this date?" a member asked; another member recommended a more general question on whether residents support "the village setting an energy goal." Members agreed to ask both general and specific questions, and staff committed to circulating the existing RFP/survey materials and to accept up to a few suggested questions the committee wants added.
Ending: Volunteers will benchmark peer municipalities (Middleton, Oregon, Verona) for language and implementation examples, draft recommended insert language for assigned chapters, and return suggested survey questions and goal wording ahead of the July survey distribution.
