Wisconsin County Completes First Comprehensive Zoning Code Rewrite in 70-Plus Years

Dane County, Wisconsin, which includes the city of Madison, has rewritten its zoning code to address a changing economy and a state-mandated system of local control.

1 minute read

January 29, 2019, 1:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Wisconsin

ParadisePhotography776 / Shutterstock

Dane County, the second-most populous county in the state of Wisconsin, has completed a three-year process to overhaul its zoning code. It's the first time in 70-plus years of zoning that the country has undertaken a comprehensive overwrite of its zoning.

Jennifer Fetterly reports that towns in the county will have the option to opt out of the new zoning code if they choose. A state law passed in 2015 allows towns to opt out of county zoning codes. Many local counties already opt out, contracting zoning enforcement services to consultants, according to Fetterly.

The rewrite, "modernizes district designations, recognizes recent land use trends, expands economic opportunity for rural residents and continues to protect agricultural and natural resources," according to Fetterly's explanation of the changes.

Wednesday, January 23, 2019 in Waunakee Tribune

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

2 hours ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

3 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

4 hours ago - Los Angeles Public Press