Elk Mound making progress on comprehensive plan update
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
ELK MOUND — The Village of Elk Mound has completed the survey process for the update of the village’s Smart Growth comprehensive land use plan.
According to state statutes, comprehensive plans must be updated every 10 years, and the last time Elk Mound’s plan was updated was in 2012, said Karin Wolf, clerk-treasurer, at the Elk Mound Plan Commission’s August 1 meeting.
The Elk Mound Village Board approved having the village’s staff complete the comprehensive plan update in June.
Municipalities will sometimes hire a consultant, such Cedar Corporation, Ayres Associates or CBS Squared, to update the comprehensive plan.
According to state law, municipalities that wanted to continue making land use decisions were required to have a Smart Growth comprehensive land use plan in place by January 1, 2010.
Each comprehensive land use plan must contain sections on issues and opportunities; housing; transportation; utilities and community facilities; agricultural, natural and cultural resources; economic development; intergovernmental cooperation; land use; and implementation.
Comprehensive plans must also have public participation, and a survey of residents is used as one tool for obtaining public participation.
All together, 325 surveys were sent out to Elk Mound residents, and 62 of the surveys were returned, representing a participation rate of 20 percent, Wolf said.
The goal is to complete the comprehensive plan update by the end of the year, she said.
Here are the responses to some of the questions on the survey:
• Should the village provide funding for a school resource officer? — 30 responded yes, and 27 said no.
• Should the village provide funding for additional patrol officers? — 32 responded yes, and 27 said no.
• Should the village establish a “railroad quiet zone?” — 24 said yes, and 38 said no.
• Should Elk Mound have a car wash? — 25 said yes, and 36 said no.
• Should Elk Mound have a Laundromat? — 26 said yes, and 34 said no.
During the update to the village board about the comprehensive plan at the village board meeting following the plan commission meeting, Wolf presented information to the village board that the total cost for updating the comprehensive land use plan would be about $4,700, which includes bid from Ayres Associates to do the mapping for the comprehensive plan at a cost of $4,000.
