Mapping the Future

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If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.

Urban planning is the process of guiding and directing the use and development of land, the urban environment, infrastructure, and human services in ways that ensure a high quality of life, wise management of natural resources, efficient use of infrastructure, economic success, and equitable outcomes for all people.

Planning is a future-oriented profession that creates both short- and long-term visions for the community. Planners look five, twenty, and even fifty years into the future to anticipate the future consequences of current trends and activities, and to ensure present actions enhance the quality of life in the City now and into the future.

Urban planning is particularly important when a community is growing as fast as Sun Prairie. Sun Prairie has grown from a community of just over 4,000 in 1960 to over 38,387 today. We are expected to grow to a population of over 40,000 by 2030 (WI Dept. of Administration). The graph illustrates the exponential growth of the City's population over the last few decades.

This rapid population increase has led to a corresponding growth in the urban environment. Use the slider below to view Sun Prairie in 2022 as compared to 1974.

As cities grow quickly, they face numerous challenges that necessitate effective urban planning:

• Infrastructure - Rapid urban growth, especially when that growth is outward, necessitates additional infrastructure such as roads, public transportation, parks, and water and sanitary systems. Urban planning is essential to anticipate and accommodate the increased demand for infrastructure services to ensure they remain efficient and sustainable.
• Housing Demand - With overall population growth and more people moving into cities, there is a heightened demand for housing. Urban planning helps to identify suitable locations for new housing developments, ensuring access to essential amenities and services, while reducing strains on infrastructure.
• Land Use Management - Effective urban planning helps allocate land use in a way that balances the needs of different sectors, promotes economic growth, and preserves green spaces and natural resources.
• Environmental Sustainability - The arrangement of the built environment has a tremendous and long-lasting impact on how much energy and other resources we consume. Rapid urbanization can cause increased pollution, loss of green space, and habitat destruction. Urban planning seeks to mitigate these impacts by promoting sustainable development practices, such as avoiding urban sprawl by increasing the density of areas that are already developed.
• Transportation – Individual mobility choices are strongly influenced by urban design and land use and this greatly affects how we live our lives. Rapid urban growth, particularly in the suburbs, has created a car-centric society. Urban planners contribute to designing and managing local and regional transportation systems and seek to limit the undesirable impacts of the automobile.
• Social Equity - Urban growth can exacerbate social inequities, leading to issues such as gentrification, displacement of marginalized communities, and unequal access to services and opportunities. Urban planning aims to foster social equity by promoting inclusive development, affordable housing policies, and access to essential services for all residents. Planners aim to make equity an intentional goal of community policy-making.

Increasing the density of urban areas with infill development, as opposed to encouraging continued urban sprawl by pushing developments to the edges of the City, can help counteract many of the above issues.

• Higher density allows for more efficient use of land. This means that essential infrastructure and services (e.g. roads, water, sanitary, police, EMS, fire) can be concentrated in a smaller space, reducing the need for cities to construct extensive infrastructure networks over a large area. This reduces the cost of services for residents, while also preserving natural habitats, agriculture, and other vital open spaces on the urban fringe.
• Higher population density supports the viability of public transportation systems, such as buses, and can encourage the development of walkable and bikeable neighborhoods. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, traffic, and noise by reducing dependence on personal automobiles.
• Dense urban areas typically have a greater concentration of amenities and services, including shops, restaurants, schools, healthcare facilities, and cultural institutions. This proximity allows residents to access essential services and jobs more easily, reducing travel distances, expanding economic opportunity, and enhancing overall quality of life.
• Increased density supports a wider range of housing options, catering to different income levels, household needs, and lifestyles.
• Higher density fosters social inclusion by bringing people from diverse backgrounds and walks of life into close proximity. This can promote a sense of belonging and community cohesion, breaking down social and economic barriers, and promoting equity among diverse groups.

The need to manage urban growth in an equitable and sustainable manner underscores the importance of proactive urban planning. Sun Prairie will continue to grow and change - that is inevitable. With proper urban planning, we aim to ensure that the City remains livable, sustainable, equitable, and resilient for current and future generations.

The main tools urban planners utilize to manage growth and make development decisions are  Comprehensive Planning  and  Zoning . Comprehensive planning is used to create a vision for the long-term success of a community and its residents, while zoning is the day-to-day implementation of that vision. The following sections will discuss what these tools are, how they work, and how they shape the urban environment.

"The City of Sun Prairie seeks balanced growth, safe and healthy neighborhoods, and opportunity for all residents to pursue their dreams and live full lives."

The  City of Sun Prairie Comprehensive Plan  (2019-2039) is a resource for managing the growth of the community. It is where the City's big picture visions and goals are articulated. These visions and goals are developed with extensive public input, including surveys, neighborhood meetings, focus groups, and stakeholder interviews. The Plan is designed to be a working document used by city officials to guide community development decisions, to assist with capital and operational budgeting, and as a tool to focus and stimulate private housing, business, and industrial investment in the community.

In 1999, the Wisconsin Legislature enacted legislation that expanded the scope and significance of comprehensive planning in the State. The legislation, sometimes referred to as the State’s “Smart Growth” law, provides a framework for the development, adoption, implementation, update, and amendment of comprehensive plans. The law is set forth in  §66.1001 Wis. Stats.  and it requires, beginning on January 1, 2010, that zoning and subdivision ordinances, and official maps be consistent with the adopted Comprehensive Plan.

The law also requires public participation at every stage of plan development. The City's most recent Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2019. This Plan was drafted through a collaborative process with consultants, City staff, and a 19-member Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee that was appointed by the Council. Residents were involved through a series of neighborhood meetings, surveys, focus groups, and public hearings. The opinions and ideas gathered through this process helped shape the goals, policies, and action items found throughout the Plan.

State Statutes require that nine elements, or topics, be included in the Comprehensive Plan:

1. Issues and Opportunities
2. Housing
3. Transportation
4. Utilities & Community Facilities
5. Agricultural, Natural, & Cultural Resources
6. Economic Development
7. Intergovernmental Cooperation
8. Land Use
9. Implementation

Sun Prairie's Comprehensive Plan is composed of two Volumes:

• Volume 1: Community Indicators - uses data and community surveys to develop a picture of existing conditions and to help us understand the issues and opportunities facing the City.
• Volume 2: Goals, Policies, and Actions
  • Goals are general statements about a desired future outcome.
  • Policies are intended to be used regularly to guide City decisions.
  • Actions are specific activities that the City should actively pursue.

Volume 2 includes Goals, Policies, and Actions for Elements 2-9 above; Element 1, Issues and Opportunities, is found within Volume 1.

The Goals, Policies, and Actions of the Comprehensive Plan influence the creation of development standards in the Zoning Ordinance. In addition, new short- and long-range City planning efforts, new development proposals, subdivisions, and zoning map amendments should all be consistent with and move the City toward the vision presented in the Comprehensive Plan.

One of the main tools of the Comprehensive Plan is the future land use map. The future land use map is a picture of what the community wants the City to be and establishes desired future land use patterns. On the other hand, the Zoning Ordinance, including the zoning map (discussed in the  following section ), is a picture of the land use designations and regulations currently in place.

An interactive future land use map is shown below, followed by descriptions of the districts. Click on a parcel below to see its designation or click on the legend symbol next to the "i" on the top right menu bar to see the legend.

The future land use map and its associated policies form the basis for land development decisions and are to be consulted whenever development is proposed, especially when a zoning change or land division is requested. Zoning changes and new developments should be consistent with the future land use category shown on the map and the corresponding plan text.

The future land use classifications also identify those existing City of Sun Prairie zoning districts that are compatible with each future land use category (shown as “acceptable zoning districts” below). The list of potentially acceptable zoning districts are used by the City to confirm whether rezoning requests are generally consistent with the Plan.

Zoning is the most common method of land use control used by local governments and is one of the main regulatory tools through which the Comprehensive Plan is implemented. Zoning refers to the division of land into distinct areas or zones, each with specific regulations dictating land use, building heights, density, and other factors. The primary purpose of zoning is to regulate land use and development in a manner that promotes orderly growth, protects property values, and ensures the health, safety, and welfare of the community.

Zoning ordinances typically consist of two key parts: a zoning map and a text document that includes development standards. A zoning map is a visual representation of the zoning regulations and land use designations for a particular area, while the text of the ordinance lays out the development standards specific to each zoning district shown on the map.

An interactive zoning map is shown below, followed by short descriptions of the zoning districts. Click on a parcel to see its designation or click on the layers symbol next to the "i" on the top right menu bar to see the legend. To find more information on specific development regulations, you can find the City's Zoning Ordinance  here .

RH-35ac - Rural Holding: This district is intended to permit development which is solely of a rural community character. The land use standards for this district permit very low density single-family residential development at an average density of one dwelling unit for every thirty-five acres, as well as a variety of agricultural and agricultural support land uses.

CR-5ac - Countryside Residential: This district is intended to permit development which has a very low density, countryside community character. The land use standards for this district permit primarily low-density single-family detached residential development and a variety of related institutional land uses.

SR-4 - Suburban Residential: This district is intended to permit development which has a moderate density, suburban community character. The land use standards for this district permit both single-family detached residential development and certain types of moderate density single-family attached development.

MR-8 - Mixed Residential: This district is intended to permit development which has a moderately high density community character which lies somewhere between suburban and urban. The land use standards for this district permit both single-family detached residential development and certain types of moderately high density single-family attached development permitted by right, and both moderately high density single-family attached development and certain types of multi-family development permitted as a conditional use.

UR-12 - Urban Residential: This district is intended to permit development which has a high density, urban community character. The land use standards for this district permit both single-family detached and single-family attached development permitted by right, and multi-family development permitted as a conditional use.

SO - Suburban Office: This district is intended to permit high-quality office and institutional land uses at an intensity compatible with a suburban community character. This district is used to provide for the permanent protection of an area for those who desire a high-quality office environment.

NC - Neighborhood Commercial: This district is intended to permit a limited range of small-scale commercial development which is compatible with residential development. This district is used to provide convenience goods and services for adjacent residential areas.

SC - Suburban Commercial: This district is intended to permit large- and small-scale commercial development which is compatible with a suburban community character. A range of office, retail, and lodging land uses are permitted within this district.

UC - Urban Commercial: This district is intended to permit both large- and small-scale commercial development at high intensities with the goal of encouraging infill development. A wider range of office, retail, and lodging land uses are permitted within this district.

CC - Central Commercial: This district is intended to permit both large- and small-scale commercial development at intensities which encourage infill development, redevelopment, and the continued economic viability of existing development, particularly the downtown. To accomplish this, higher intensity commercial uses are permitted in this district than are allowed in the Suburban Commercial (SC) and Urban Commercial (UC) districts.

SI - Suburban Industrial: This district is intended to permit both large- and small-scale industrial and office development. The primary distinguishing feature of this district is that it is geared to light industrial activities such as assembly operations, storage and warehousing facilities, offices, and light manufacturing which are not typically associated with high levels of noise, soot, odors, and other potential nuisances.

UI - Urban Industrial: This district is intended to permit both large- and small-scale industrial and office development at a higher intensity than Suburban Industrial (SI) which is consistent with existing light industrial development in older areas of the City.

HI - Heavy Industrial: This district is designed to permit a very wide variety of heavy industrial uses which may occur both indoors and outdoors, including certain land uses which are permitted in no other zoning district because of their potential to create nuisances for adjoining properties.

*PD - Planned Development: Planned developments are intended to foster development and redevelopment in areas of the community that are experiencing a lack of significant reinvestment. Planned developments allow more flexible requirements for land uses, density, intensity, bulk, landscaping, and parking requirements. In exchange for such flexibility, a planned development is held to a higher design standard than normally required.

*For more information on procedures and requirements governing the creation of planned development districts, please  click here .

 Zoning standards , which correspond to the different districts on the zoning map, regulate how a parcel of land in a community may be used. In addition to type of land use, zoning regulates factors such as the height, shape, size and placement of structures, lot sizes, and the density of development. It can also regulate landscaping and architectural design, parking requirements, and signage requirements.

The intent of zoning is to balance individual property rights with the interests of the community as a whole with the goal of creating a healthy, safe, and sustainable living environment for all.

 A Plan Commission is a body of citizens that serve within local government, acting as an advisory group to the municipal governing body, in this case the City Council, on issues and policies related to planning, land use regulation, and community development. The Plan Commission is the primary government body that is utilized for both long- and short-range urban planning and implementation of both the Comprehensive Plan and the Zoning Ordinance.

Plan Commissions can serve an important role in promoting equity, social justice, and fairness in the distribution of resources, opportunities, and benefits within the community. This entails addressing disparities in access to affordable housing, transportation, jobs, education, healthcare, and other essential services, as well as combating discrimination, segregation, and environmental injustice.

The University of Wisconsin Extension's website on Plan Commissions is a great resource to help you understand the procedural roles and responsibilities of the Plan Commission-  click here to go to their website .

The City now has a  webpage  and map of current projects. This map includes both upcoming planning and zoning projects that are under review by city staff for either consideration by the Plan Commission or for administrative approval, and development projects approved by the Planning Division for construction.

Current planning and zoning projects could include new construction, new uses or changes of use requiring a conditional use permit (CUP), land divisions (subdivisions/plats), annexations, conceptual plans for a planned development, and amendments to the Zoning Ordinance, zoning map, and Comprehensive Plan.

This map represents planning and zoning level review only and does not represent the issuance of building permits. Click on the points for project specific information.

To view recent and upcoming City meeting agendas, staff memos and minutes, please  click here .

For information and current data on housing in Sun Prairie, visit the City's " Housing for All " website.

Several organizations represent planning professionals and generate educational resources, including:  American Planning Association ,  National Association of City Transportation Officials ,  Congress for a New Urbanism .

The University of Wisconsin-Steven's Point has an informational presentation on  Zoning Fundamentals. 

For information on how government can work to advance racial equity, see the  Government Alliance on Race and Equity's  website.

The  Racial Equity Tools  website has a large library of equity resources and data.

The US Environmental Protection Agency created a document on the environmental, economic and social benefits of density called " Creating Great Neighborhoods. "