MONROE — Months in the making, the city and a regional planning non-profit Thursday launched the most high-profile event yet in their exhaustive effort to update the document that will inform city planning decisions for years.

In fact, officials said, the city’s development over the next ten years will be guided by the updated Comprehensive Plan for Monroe that originally spans 2015 to 2035 and is now guided by the Platteville-based Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SWWRPC). 

The goal of the fact-finding portion of the planning update process includes, according to agency and city officials, “reach(ing) citizens and stakeholders interested in the future of the city, including those in local businesses and industry, schools, community organizations, and beyond, the SWWRPC will establish a number of opportunities for public participation.”

Members of the Plan Commission then form a steering committee to “direct SWWRPC’s public outreach efforts, evaluate community feedback, offer more suggestions, and oversee the plan’s implementation after it is finished,” according to the agency.

The first “participation” outreach event was May 31 at the downtown Farmers Market and Summer Kickoff event. But Thursday’s event is not the last milestone in a lengthy process that continues for most of the remainder of 2025.

Participants Thursday were promised a chance to learn about current and future local conditions; and to be able to provide input on their experiences and needs, concerns and “aspirations for the city in the future.”

According to the city’s planning documents supporting the effort, here is how the process works:

●  The Planning Commission “shall review the Plan and recommend, by a majority vote, a resolution recommending that the City Council pass an ordinance to adopt the Draft Comprehensive Plan as required under Wis. Stat. 66.1001(4)(b). The Planning Commission may recommend edits and modifications to the Draft Comprehensive Plan.”

●  The City Council, “by a majority vote, shall enact an ordinance as required under Wis. Stat. 66.1001 (4) (c) adopting the Comprehensive Plan. The City Council may, at its discretion approve modifications to the Draft Comprehensive Plan, as reviewed by the Planning Commission.”

●  Prior to adopting the Comprehensive Plan, the City Council or the Planning Commission “shall hold a Public Hearing on the Draft Comprehensive Plan, as stated in Wis. Stat. 66.1001(4) (d). The hearing must be preceded by a Class 1 notice under ch.985.”

● The City “shall make a hard copy of the Draft Comprehensive Plan available for review by the public at City Hall and Library, during normal business hours. The plan shall also be available online.”

●  At least 30 days before the public hearing is held the “City shall provide written notice …”

Ellen Tyler, senior community resilience planner for the planning commission was smiling at the door early for Thursday’s event at the YMCA. Already, a crowd of about nearly two dozen were looking around the space at the self-service exhibits, stations at statistics  — and they were leaving comments and ideas.

“This is a really nice turnout so far,” she said, offering attendees orange juice from plastic champagne glasses, but alas, no mimosa. “We plan on spending some time working with the people of Monroe in this process.”

Many — including County Board Chair Jerry Guth, Ald. Craig Franke and Ald. Lynn Kleven — lingered last Thursday at the exhibits portending future business trends, demographic trends — everything growth and economic development related. 

And the organization lauded the projects, large and small, that had become of previous plan update efforts — including such niceties as the now popular summer splash pad added to Twining Park, dog parks; and even new public restrooms downtown — on the grounds of the new pocket park.

That planning process — including results of an all-community, online survey — continues nearly into the holidays. A draft plan is set for publication in early November and culminating in a meeting at 5 p.m. December 10, when the city’s plan commission hosts a public hearing; and to recommend plan approval; and at 6:30 p.m. December 15, for final approval during the regular city council meeting.

The SWWRPC serves Green, Lafayette, Iowa, Grant and Richland counties and many local governments in those counties use the organization as an authoritative, outside resource for long-term planning. Among other projects, the SWWRPC has guided comprehensive planning for Shullsburg. 

And it collaborated with partner agencies to develop a ten-year implementation plan for Lafayette County’s soil and water conservation efforts, according to the agency’s web site, where the public can view those and other work samples from around the region.

“This document identifies the natural resource assets in the county and outlines action the county will take to preserve or improve them,” said the organization.

The agency also helped produce a 10-year, Lafayette County Farmland Preservation Plan, covering the period from 2016 to 2026.