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Harrison commissioners preview draft future land-use map, announce public open house
Summary
Staff previewed a draft update to Harrison's future land-use map, explained limits from sewer-service boundaries and DNR permitting, and invited public comment at an open house and online comment form ahead of an anticipated April/May review cycle.
Village staff and the planning commission reviewed a draft future land-use map and discussed next steps for a comprehensive plan update, public engagement and constraints posed by sewer-service boundaries.
Staff said the last full comprehensive-plan update was in 2017 and noted the state statute cited during the meeting requires a plan update every 20 years, although staff argued Harrison's rapid growth suggests more frequent reviews may be appropriate. "The state statute requires the plan to be updated and re written basically every 20 years," a staff member said, while adding that local conditions could merit updates every three to five years.
Commissioners and staff highlighted limits on growth imposed by available sewer service and DNR permitting. The DNR has been unwilling to issue new wastewater-treatment permits for the type of facility discussed, and commissioners said expansion into areas outside the current service areas would require lift stations or intergovernmental arrangements.
Several planning commission members criticized the timing and scope of public engagement to date, saying key surveys and outreach events discussed earlier in the process had not occurred and that commission members had wanted more opportunity to review materials before the public open house. One commissioner asked for an analysis of the 2017 plan's implementation list so the public can see what was accomplished.
Staff announced an open-house presentation on Thursday (materials also available online) and said consultants will finish chapter text updates in early April; staff expects to bring revised materials back to the planning commission and the village board before scheduling the formal 30-day public hearing required before adoption.
The commission discussed clustering commercial uses around high-traffic intersections, the difficulty of preserving large wooded tracts without developer cooperation, and examples of developer-donated parks in recent years.
