In collaboration with RDG Planning and Design, the City of Whitewater has begun the early stages of a new comprehensive plan to guide future development. Titled “Whitewater Forward,” the plan will shape growth in the city over the next 20 years.
In these early stages planners are focused on gathering input, ranging from high school students to community groups, to ensure that the city’s priorities reflect the community’s needs.
The comprehensive plan addresses all areas of community development: land use, housing, transportation, parks, infrastructure and economic development. While a comprehensive plan guides development over 20 years, it is revised every 10. This is done as unexpected events or changes in priorities occur during the 20-year cycle.
Plan and Architectural Review Commission member Lynn Binnie described how the city’s 2017 plan did not anticipate the challenges faced by the community and failed to make changes in some areas.
“I’m not sure that much of what we anticipated at that time has really come to fruition,” Binnie said. “Since that time, obviously, the whole COVID situation threw a monkey wrench and everything. There was a hope to have a lot more single-family housing than what we’ve managed to get. We’ve had some good progress just in the last year or two. But there’s really a need to have a lot more single-family [homes].”
RDG Planning and Design was contracted by the city to update its 2017 comprehensive plan. RDG has worked on plans nationwide including Wisconsin cities such as Wauwatosa, Appleton and La Crosse.
RDG’s planning process begins with community input. Since beginning to work with the city, RDG has met with four focus groups and continues its outreach efforts. Upcoming meetings include discussions with Whitewater High School students and the Immigrant Support Coalition.
As part of this community engagement in the early phases of the planning process, the city held a community roundtable on Feb. 10. During this event, members of the community were able to share their concerns with city officials and RDG staff.
RDG urban planner Charlie Cowell described some themes that have emerged from these early discussions.
“On a very broad level, housing has come up in every session so far: housing affordability and the need for more ownership options,” Cowell said. “People are very happy about getting some local grocery stores. They hope that those stay and are supported. I think people would like to see a little bit more variety downtown, activity downtown to draw in students.”
As Community Development Director Mason Becker described, there is an opportunity for commercial growth as there have been discussions with national chains such as Dunkin’. This existing development in the community is a reflection of how planning might impact the community.
“It’s hard to continue providing services to the community if we aren’t seeing growth in the tax base,” Becker said. “But it also does make it more attractive as a place to live for people that might be thinking of possibly moving to Whitewater.”
As the project moves forward and drafts begin to be written, the city and RDG urge community feedback. Residents can find the monthly survey and contact information for the comprehensive plan at whitewaterforward.com.
