TOWN OF SUN PRAIRIE

PLAN COMMISSION MEETING

March 17, 2008

Final Proposed Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan

Section R. of the Housing Plan is Amended to Read:

R. Future Housing Plan

The Plan includes a requirement that all development of land for residential purposes be mitigated by recording a conservation easement. The Town has concluded that density requirements such as the 1 residence per 35 acres policy contained in other town plans are of only limited value in regulating development, and have actually created a framework for allowing development. In lieu of a density requirement, the Town will use the LESA score method to evaluate whether land is appropriate for development and impose a cap on total residential growth. The conservation easement will ordinarily be 2 acres of land for each acre developed, but the Town may require more area if the impact of a development is substantial.

Factors affecting the number of housing units include change in household size, change in vacancy rate and the number of dwelling units lost from the overall housing stock. Factors affecting the number of households include changes in population and changes in the average household size. The current average household size in the town is 2.86

The desired growth rate for the Town over the next 20 years is 1.2 percent annually, resulting in a total population increase of 729 residents by the year 2023. To project the number of households in the Town over the next 20 years, the population projections were divided by the anticipated average household size. It is assumed that the average household size will decline but not sharply to approximately 2.5 persons per

household by 2023. If the average household size decreases then the number of households tends to grow more quickly than the population.

Generally speaking, as the number of households increase so does the number of housing units. The number of housing units available should exceed the number of households, as a certain number of vacancies naturally occur in the housing market. Housing units may need to be brought on-line in order to replace units that are deemed non-habitable, demolished or converted to other uses. For purposes of this Plan, it is assumed that the occupancy rate (97 percent) will remain constant over the next 20 years.

Using a desired annual growth rate of 1.2 percent, the Town will need approximately 259 new residential parcels by 2023 or some combination of new parcels and the use of approximately 157 existing residential parcels (see Exhibit 5 6).

Section C.1.e of the Land Use Element is amended to read:

e. Limit Town Board approval of new residential dwelling unit parcels created by rezoning or CSM to a maximum of 1.2 percent annually, as of January 1 of each year as indicated on the following table. Residential parcels that already exist and that have been previously rezoned to residential will not count towards the 1.2 percent annual limit. The initial calculation for January 1, 2003, will be based on 837 housing units. Any unallocated parcels remaining at the end of a calendar year will be carried over to the following year. A duplex will be considered 2 residential dwelling unit parcels. A 2-flat duplex created from an existing residential parcel will be counted as 1 residential parcel.

Section C.1.L. of the Land Use Element is repealed and recreated to read:

L. A site plan and/or developers agreement may be required for any land use change submitted to the Plan Commission. The site plan and/or developers agreement must address the following criteria and concerns:

Section C.1.m.(5) of the Land Use Element is deleted.

Section C.1.o. of the Land Use element is created to read:

o. Conservation Easements and Land Preservation: The Town Board is authorized to acquire conservation interests in real property for the purpose of open space and rural preservation as follows:

(1) Applications for rezoning or changes to land use will require the identification and designation of an area for a conservation easement at a ratio of a minimum of 2 acres of conservation easement for each acre proposed for land use change or rezoning. In lieu of designating a conservation easement, and subject to Town Board approval, an applicant:

(a) may dedicate an acre of land for each acre rezoned to the Town or Dane County for parks, open space, recreation, bike paths, natural resource preservation or other purposes.

(b) may dedicate an acre of land for each acre developed for historic or cultural preservation purposes.

(b) may contribute a Park Fee in an amount equivalent to the value of the conservation easement. These fees shall be deposited to the open space account of the Park Fund. The Town may use the balance of the open space account to purchase conservation easements.

(2) In addition to conservation easements acquired under subsection (1), the Board:

(a) may acquire by purchase or donation conservation interests from willing owners and may not exercise its power of eminent domain to acquire such interests.

(b) may appropriate and expend funds for the purchase of land or development rights for conservation easements. The Board may attach such conditions and restrictions to the land as necessary and appropriate to protect the Town’s interests in rural preservation.

(3) The terms of a conservation easement obtained under this section shall provide that the easement is not an asset of the Town of Sun Prairie and is not subject to adjustment under sec. 66.0235, Wis. Stats., in the event the land subject to the easement is annexed by a city or village.

Section C.4.a. is repealed and recreated to read:

a. Minimum lot size will be 40,000 sq. ft. (approximately 1 acre) exclusive of right-of-way. A minimum lot size of 20,000 sq. ft. may be allowed with the requirement to site 2 separate septic fields if the lot is less than 40,000 sq. ft.

Map #9 of the Map Exhibits is revised to show the current Extraterritorial Jurisdictions boundaries of the City of Madison, City of Sun Prairie and the Village of Cottage Grove.

Appendix F, Definitions of Farmer amended to read:

Farmer An individual, corporation, business trust, limited liability company, partnership or 2 or more persons operating a farm of 35 acres or more which produced gross farm products of not less than $10,400 in the most recent tax year, or which, during the preceding 3 years produced $31,200 in gross farm products. (USDA) Operating a farm is defined as materially participating in day-to-day operations for at least 500 hours annually with the intent to produce a substantial part of the farmer’s net income. Ownership of farmland, without actively participating in farm operations by engaging in activities such as , but not limited to, tilling, planting, spraying, harvesting, milking, feeding, or caring for farm animals, does not meet the definition of farmer.