Making Your Plan Happen
Utilities & Community Facilities Element
The Wisconsin statutes describe the “Utilities and Community Facilities” element as a compilation of objectives, policies, goals, maps, and programs to guide the future development of utilities and community facilities. This infrastructure includes sanitary sewer, storm water management, water supply, and solid waste disposal facilities, on-site wastewater treatment technologies, recycling facilities, parks, telecommunications facilities, power-generating plants and transmission lines, cemeteries, health care facilities, child care facilities, and other public facilities, such as police, fire, and rescue facilities, and other governmental facilities.
This page provides access to programs related to the “Utilities and Community Facilities” element. You will find links to information about DNR programs, sample plans and model ordinances, and related resources.
Please choose a topic from the drop-down list below for resources related to the "Utilities and Community Facilities" element of your comprehensive plan
Sewer Servive Area Planning Sewer service area planning anticipates a community's future needs for wastewater treatment. This planning helps protect communities from adverse water quality impacts through development of cost-effective and environmentally sound 20-year sewerage system growth plans. If your community has undertaken sewer service area planning, you will want to make sure your “Utilities and Community Facilities” element is consistent with your adopted sewer service area plan.
Municipal Wastewater Discharge Permits Since passage of the 1972 Federal Clean Water Act, Wisconsin communities have invested a tremendous amount of time, labor, and money to upgrade and construct wastewater treatment facilities. Approximately 650 municipalities hold WPDES permits to discharging to surface or groundwater in Wisconsin. As communities upgrade treatment facilities, some find combining systems into a joint regional treatment facility more economical. Other municipalities upgrade the existing facility or construct a new one at or near the existing site.
Municipal Storm Water Permits Although municipal separate storm sewer systems efficiently convey water to avoid flooding, they also transport polluted runoff directly into nearby lakes, rivers, and streams without the benefit of wastewater treatment or filtration by soil or vegetation. The goal of municipal storm water management is to decrease the pollutants carried to waters of the state through municipal storm water permitting.
Wisconsin's Drinking Water Capacity Development Program Capacity development is a program that helps public water systems strengthen their ability to consistently supply safe drinking water to their customers. The program assists system owners and operators, particularly small water systems, with improving their technical abilities, managerial skills, and financial resources to comply with federal Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
- Public Water System Plan Review
The DNR reviews and approves submitted plans for new water system construction or improvements. Approvals are needed prior to construction.
- High Capacity Well Information
DNR approval is necessary for the construction, reconstruction, or operation of high capacity well systems, school wells, and wastewater treatment plant wells. Prior approval is also necessary before a high capacity well or well system can be operated after a change of ownership.
Source Water Assessments Source water assessments provide a description of the assessment process, a map of the source water area and significant potential contaminant sources, and a determination of susceptibility for each public drinking water system.
Wellhead Protection Planning Wellhead protection planning is a preventive program that helps ensure communities have a long-term source of clean water. The goal of is to prevent contaminants from entering public water supply wells by managing the land that contributes water to the wells.
Solid Waste Management Program Wisconsin's Solid Waste Management Program has been in place for over 30 years. This DNR program strives to ensure proper management of solid waste and works with its customers to increase waste reduction, reuse, and recycling.
The DNR administers a number of programs that can support the implementation of your "Utilities and Community Facilities" element. The Bureau of Community Financial Assistance administers DNR grant and loan programs. Financial assistance program staff work closely with local governments and interested groups to develop and support projects that protect public health and the environment, and provide recreational opportunities.
- Grants
A variety of grants are available for acquisition of land and easements for outdoor recreation purposes (parks, trails, and recreational facilities), dam rehabilitation/abandonment, forest fire protection, household hazardous waste collection, municipal flood control, recycling, and well compensation.
- Loans
Loans are available for drinking water, wastewater, and brownfields projects through the Environmental Improvement Fund (EIF), an umbrella fund for the Clean Water Fund, Safe Drinking Water Loan, and Land Recycling Loan programs.
Public Lands and Property Taxes [PDF file]
This study completed by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue assesses the impact of public land ownership on local taxes. Contrary to common belief, the presence of public land in a community has little effect on property taxes in that community. Why? In Wisconsin, changes in state aid payments and special payments for public land usually neutralize the loss in tax base due to public lands.
Project for Public Spaces [Exit DNR]
The nonprofit Project for Public Spaces (PPS) has an international reputation for its work on the design and management of public spaces. PPS has helped over 1,000 communities in 44 states and 12 countries improve their parks, markets, streets, transit stations, libraries, and countless other public spaces. The PPS web site includes issue papers, “place making” diagrams, an image library, and other resources.
Trust for Public Land [Exit DNR]
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit working to protect land for human enjoyment and well being. TPL's legal and real estate specialists work with landowners, government agencies, and community groups to: create urban parks, gardens, greenways, and riverways; set aside open space in the path of growth; conserve land for watershed protection, scenic beauty, and close-to-home recreation; and preserve historic landmarks and landscapes. The TPL web site includes information on TPL’s conservation finance program, publications, and related resources.
Urban Open Space Foundation [Exit DNR]
The Urban Open Space Foundation (UOSF) is a statewide nonprofit organization that addresses the distinctive challenges and possibilities presented by open spaces in urban and urbanizing areas. The UOSF web site includes information on the organization’s community organizing, project planning, design, land acquisition and preservation, construction and management efforts.
Local Boating and Waterway Ordinances
Local municipalities may have regulations governing such things as water skiing, shore zones, speed limits, etc. State boating law provides a general framework of regulation, but it is up to local municipalities to provide regulations tailored to local conditions.
Smart Growth Planning and Electric Transmission Facilities [Exit DNR]
Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission provides suggestions for community planners and zoning officials on how to plan for electric transmission facilities in their local planning and zoning processes.
Renewable Energy Yellow Pages [Exit DNR]
Wisconsin's Renewable Energy Yellow Pages lists businesses and organizations as providers of products, services, or information about renewable energy. The businesses and organizations themselves provide information for these listings in response to a standard questionnaire.
Wind Energy Facility Siting Guidance [Exit DNR]
Documents at this page provide guidance for in siting wind energy facilities in Wisconsin. They apply to utility-scale wind turbines, not home or farm systems.
The Potential Effects of Wind Power Facilities on Resident and Migratory Birds in Eastern Wisconsin [PDF file; Exit DNR]
Despite its attractive qualities, wind power does have environmental impacts. One impact of considerable recent interest is the potential hazard of bird collisions with electricity generating wind turbines. This report outlines findings of a study to identify patterns of bird activity in the vicinity of Horicon Marsh and wind power facilities near Shirley, Wisconsin, assess mortality at operating wind power facilities, and predict potential effects of the wind generators on migratory and resident birds in eastern Wisconsin.
Last Revised: Friday October 17 2008
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