COUNTY TO HEAR UPDATE ON HIGH-TECH MAPPING
January 16, 2019
Sharon Corrigan, County Board Chair
608.333.2285
County Board
Thursday Board meeting also includes updated zoning code
Two major documents related to geography, records and land use are before the Dane County Board Thursday at its first full meeting of 2019.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in Room 201 of the City-County Building.
First off, Supervisors will get an informational presentation on the most recent update of the Dane County Land Information Plan, an ongoing effort to bring modern digital record-keeping to local units of government. The 2013 state budget included provisions to create a new statewide digital map.
An updated Land Information Plan is? required for participation in the Wisconsin Land Information Program, which provides funding for geospatial technology and data. Examples of geospatial data include high resolution aerial photos, parcels, land use, school districts, voting wards, streets, trails and more.
“It is critical to have modern geospatial data and tools to foster inter-governmental cooperation, provide the best information for decision-making and easier access for residents of Dane County to obtain data,” says Supervisor Tanya Buckingham (District 24, Monona) who serves on the county’s Land Information Council. “This report explains the priorities in maintaining and updating the geographic and land information systems.”
Dane County in 1991 established the Land Information Office, which operates as the steward of county geospatial data used in offices all around the county for everything from zoning and park management to the 911 system.
The plan before the County Board on Thursday will act as a guide to support growth of that information network and lays out how funds from grants and retained fees will be prioritized. It is available at https://dane.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=6847266&GUID=B37BF076-6707-4426-A6C0-0CBA3E3F5F56.
Also on the agenda is an update to Chapter 10 of the Dane County Zoning Code. Some three years in the making, it’s the first comprehensive rewrite of the zoning rules in nearly 70 years.
Supervisor Mary Kolar (District 1, Madison), who chairs the county’s Zoning & Land Regulation Committee, emphasized the cooperative nature of the zoning code amendment. It involved County Board Supervisors, County staff including Brian Standing, the Dane County Towns Association, real estate and other industry members, along with the Zoning & Land Regulation subcommittee chaired by former Supervisor Dennis O'Loughlin.
“As this has been a lengthy process involving countless meetings, I can understand why a revision has been delayed,” says Kolar. “Yet I'm very pleased with the results. Dane County and the towns of Dane County worked together to complete this overdue effort. The subcommittee and staff listened to those who will be most affected by the ordinance and adapted the specific regulations to best serve all involved.”
If the Board approves the zoning code rewrite Thursday, Town Boards will have a year to act on the ordinance amendment. Towns will have three options: adopt the new code and adopt zoning maps to reflect the new zoning districts; not adopt the code and adopt and administer a zoning code on their own; do nothing and have no zoning in the town.
The new zoning code is available https://dane.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=6690007&GUID=0F7A2633-6305-4E9F-95C7-499DEF638B5C.