Who Participates in SSA Planning?

In 'designated planning areas,' the agency conducting the water quality planning has been designated by the governor. In nondesignated areas of the state, the department contracts with others to act as the WDNR agent for sewer service area water quality protection work. This is usually the regional planning commission for the area or a city or county planning department. In either case, these agents are the water quality planning agency and their job is to develop the sewer service area plan, analyze amendments, and often conduct reviews of sewer extensions and plumbing plans for conformance with the areawide water quality management plan, of which the sewer service area plan is one component.

Occasionally, the water quality planning agency responsibilities are split. The City of Wausau, for example, completed its own sewer service area plan and processed subsequent amendments, but the Marathon County Planning Department provides the other water quality planning agency services including reviews of amendments and sewer extension and plumbing plan conformance reviews. A wide variety of administrative assignments, subject to WDNR approval, are possible among the entities involved in the planning process.

Are Local Advisory Committees Mandatory?

Development of local advisory committees is not mandatory within designated AWQMP areas but is required in nondesignated areas (NR121.05(1)(g)4.b.). The local advisory committee helps create a community ownership of the plan and provides assurance that the public has participated in the planning process. An advisory committee provides a good working forum for long-range planning and intergovernmental cooperation. The advisory committee is often comprised of community representatives, the planning agency, and WDNR staff. Some advisory committees have chosen to outline their responsibilities through the adoption of committee by-laws. That's an option a community can consider.

Although designated AWQMP agencies aren't required to develop plans with advisory committee input, they work with the DMA(s) who own the sewage systems and are required to hold at least one public hearing.

Sewer service area plans or amendments can be initiated by the designated management agency, an entity seeking designated management agency status, a designated planning agency, or the department. An entity seeking designated management agency status must be within the sewer service area boundary. Individuals who desire an amendment to the sewer service area plan should see their designated management agency.

Who Should Be Represented On A Local Advisory Committee?

A local advisory committee should have broad representation including the designated management agencies, city council(s), village board(s), town sanitary district(s), and others from throughout the planning area. The planning agency (generally a regional or county planning agency), guides the committee, with department oversight, from the development of land use goals and objectives, to the identification of environmentally sensitive lands and population growth projections. Together, by group effort, a 20-year sewer service area plan is developed that defines the amount and location of land appropriate for sewered development and those not appropriate, i.e. environmentally sensitive areas. The WDNR works with the local committee and the planning agency throughout the planning process and has final plan approval authority.

How Are Sewer Service Area Plans And Updates Developed?

Designated AWQMP areas are required to have sewer service area plans completed for every community that has a sanitary sewer system. Nondesignated areas of the state are required to identify sewer service areas for selected urban areas within the standard metropolitan statistical areas and for areas with populations exceeding 10,000. Urban areas with treatment plants of 1.0 MGD or more within the standard metrolitan region of an existing sewer service area should take part in the planning process. NR 121 requires a sewer service area plan status review and possible plan update every five years.

Getting Started

A sewer service area plan is developed at the local level and approved by the WDNR. Local advisory committees are required in nondesignated areas of the state and provide a great way to involve the public in local land use planning. The East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, for example, uses an advisory committee structure. Whether the water quality planning agency is a regional planning commission, or another water quality planning agency, the agenct they need to work closely with the advisory committee and the department planner(s) as part of a planning team. Although sewer service area plan development varies from community to community, the plan development team should anticipate that certain components and issues need to be included in the plan regardless of location. A basic list of components to include and issues to address in a sewer service area plan follows.

How Do Community Characteristics Shape Sewer Service Area Plans?

Establishment of Goals, Objectives and Policies: Establishing goals and objectives for a community's development is the crux of making the sewer service area plan a plan for future growth, and it eliminates having to quickly react to unanticipated growth or events. This framework guides the direction of the sewer service area boundary and the protection of environmentally sensitive areas from the adverse water quality impacts of sewered development. The diversity of community interests and local government bodies involved in urban development activities and sewer extensions requires that common goals be established for urban service area planning. Sewer service area plan updates should reevaluate the goals, objectives and policies that have been used in the past (whether in previous sewer service area plans or other community land use plans), and discuss the point of departure, where applicable.

Goals can be defined as statements of the direction in which a plan or action is aimed. Objectives are specific statements of desired results which are measurable and contribute to the accomplishment of a goal. Policies are actions or guidelines directed toward achieving objectives which should be followed in day-to-day decision making. See Appendix __ for an example of a sewer service area plan goals, objectives and policies.

What Is The Planning Area?

You may choose to include a written planning area boundary description, but at a minimum the boundary should be shown on the sewer service area plan map accurately enough to describe its location by section, half-section, or quarter-section, township and range. Other significant features, such as a river or highway, may also make good planning boundaries. All environmentally sensitive areas within the planning area should be identified and delineated.

What Are The Existing Local Characteristics?

In describing a community's local characteristics, the plan should describe the area's:
Physical and hydrologic features, including its geology, soils, lakes, wetlands, and groundwater

Development and Trends:

Cities have historically serviced the new developing areas on their periphery by extending sanitary sewer and other services in exchange for obtaining the areas additional tax base through annexation, to pay for those services. The number of townships that now want urban-type development seems to be increasing (in spite of data that indicates urban townships have higher tax rates than rural townships), causing this local development boundary issue to arise frequently. Some communities have resolved this issue through the adoption of intergovernmental boundary agreements.

Land use plans

Are there land use or zoning plans in effect in the community, other than a previous sewer service area plan, that may have an affect on the sewer service area planning process? Many communities have comprehensive or master plans that address many of the same issues. Sewer service area issues that are addressed by already adopted community plans should be consistent with that plan, or discuss the reason for change from the land use plan(s). Communities that don't have comprehensive plans should be encouraged to use the planning forum to address (rather than react to) important land use issues, and particularly: intergovernmental boundary area development, the preservation of natural resources, and the preservation of prime agricultural land.

Capital improvements financing

This is closely related to the annexation issue. What is the community policy on paying for sewer line construction? A sewer service area plan can help a community plan and budget for sewer improvements. Other community development costs including water lines, roads, sidewalks, etc. should also be considered. There is a clear financial advantage to "infill" development that has these amenities already installed.

"Infill" and existing development

The land use analysis should identify existing land uses with sewer including vacant areas appropriate for "infill" development, and existing areas developed with onsite sewage systems in the past that are now appropriate for sanitary sewers. This discussion leads smoothly into the next section.

What Are The Community Growth Projections?

The plan should discuss the following:

• What is the official population estimate presently and the projection used for the planning period?
• What is the local population density standard in terms of persons per acre?
• What's the employment outlook?
• Is growth following past trends or has it changed?
• What are the development projections for residential and commercial/industrial growth?
• How will these trends affect the plan recommendation for future growth areas?

What Is The Sewerage System Capacity?

The wastewater treatment plant's condition should be discussed. Has it been part of a facility planning process?, how recently? Are there facility plan recommendations that would affect the sewer service area plan? Why was the selected treatment alternative chosen? How does its capacity compare to present loading and projected 20-year loading? Are there permit violations or other problems that would impact the sewer service area planning process?

What Is The Local Water Quality Assessment?

• Point Source Discharges
• Nonpoint Sources
• Groundwater

For more information, contact: Lisa Helmuth.