Land Use Handbook

The County Board and its committees play an important role in determining the patterns of growth and development in Dane County. However, land use decision making involves many levels of government and is governed by laws, ordinances, regulations and common practices. This handbook seeks to provide county supervisors with basic information on the specific land use authority granted to each level of government; inter-relationships among state, county, town, and municipal governments; and land use decision making processes. More detailed information is available from a wide variety of other sources.

• Download the Full Land Use Handbook

Partial Section Downloads

Summary

• Summary

Statutory Authority

• Land Use: The Statutory Authority of State Agencies
• Land Use: The Statutory Authority of Counties
• Land Use: The Statutory Authority of Towns
• Land Use: The Statutory Authority of Cities and Villages
• The Dane County Regional Planning Commission: Role and Authority
• The Zoning Board of Adjustment
• Overview of the Authority of Boards and Committees

Zoning Process

• Residential Density Standards in Agricultural Preservation Areas
• The County Role in the Regulation of Land Divisions
• Dane County Zoning Districts
• The Process for Zoning, Rezoning, Conditional Use Permits, and Land Division in Dane County

Planning

• Farmland Preservation Planning and Town Land Use Planning in Dane County

Agriculture and the Land

• Farmers' Perspective on Land Use

Other Issues

• The Regulation of Private Wastewater Treatment Systems
• The Basics of Boundary Agreements
• Manure Storage Facilities: Comparison of Dane County to Other Wisconsin Counties

Glossary

• Glossary