Menomonee Falls planning staff set Sept. 9 open house as comprehensive plan nears final draft

Amy Bennett, planning and zoning administrator, presented an update on the Village of Menomonee Falls comprehensive plan update and urged board members to attend the public open house on Sept. 9 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the village boardroom. Bennett said the effort began the prior summer and included community surveys, focus groups and public engagement that informed nine required elements such as housing, transportation and land use.

"What is a comprehensive plan? Why does it matter? It's important for establishing the vision for the community over the next 20 years," Bennett told trustees, explaining that the plan is a basis for the zoning code and includes goals, strategies and maps. She said the planning commission has been reviewing draft chapters and the Sept. 9 open house will include boards and staff to answer questions; the full draft (in its InDesign layout) will be available that evening for the commission’s review.

Bennett outlined the next steps: a 30-day public comment period prior to a planning commission public hearing, a planning commission recommendation, a community-of-the-whole review and potential village board action on Dec. 1. Trustees praised staff and consultants for the sustained public engagement and encouraged board members to review full-size maps at the open house rather than relying on small-screen PDFs.

The update focused on outreach and map changes (including recharacterization of some commercial areas), and emphasized the plan’s role as a long-term vision and regulatory reference. Staff said planning commission presentations and all draft materials are posted on the village website.