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Zoning and Land Information

 

Planning and Zoning

County Plans
Farmland Preservation Planning

The La Crosse County Farmland Preservation Plan provides a balance between agriculture and residential uses in rural areas of La Crosse County. The Farmland Preservation Program is a discretionary decision that provides farmers with eligibility for tax credits. The county is required to maintain an up-to-date plan so that farmers in La Crosse County can maintain their eligibility for tax credits under the Farmland Preservation Program. The Farmland Preservation Program is a part of the Chapter 17, Zoning Code Ordinance.

Sustainability

La Crosse County’s Zoning, Planning and Land Information Department is coordinating the County’s efforts to prioritize sustainability and climate action. Sustainability is the practice of avoiding depletion of natural resources to meet present societal needs without destabilizing the planet’s ecological balance and compromising the society’s ability to meet future needs. La Crosse County can improve sustainability through actions that balance the needs of residents, business, and the environment.  

Local Government Planning Assistance

Under this program, the Planning Division provides research assistance on planning issues of concern to local jurisdictions, and serves as a clearinghouse for information on most planning related matters including land use, economic development, housing, conservation and preservation of natural resources, outdoor recreation, transportation and demographics. Assistance provided has included compiling information, analyzing information, and offering recommendations, assisting jurisdictions with planning procedures, and preparing land use plans.

Ordinances

Chapter 17 Zoning Ordinance Draft Updates for Review and Comment

The County Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2022 recommended updates to policies to meet the needs of residents and proactively address modern land uses. The ordinance has not been significantly updated since 2012, and many of its standards pre-date 1993. Many current standards do not conform with changes to State Statutes that have been made in the last 13 years. For the last 2 years, La Crosse County has been drafting improvements to the zoning ordinance at public meetings in coordination with County Board Supervisors serving on the Planning, Resources, and Development (PRD) Committee. Proposed updates aim to achieve a better regulatory balance in accordance with current best practices and feedback from residents.

No action is required from towns, but all are encouraged to provide feedback on the draft. Proposed changes would take effect in the following towns upon County Board adoption: Town of Bangor, Town of Barre, Town of Farmington, Town of Greenfield, Town of Holland, Town of Medary, Town of Onalaska, Town of Shelby, Town of Washington

Attachments & Draft for Review:

La Crosse County presented a summary of the proposed changes at the February Towns Association Meeting. These linked documents summarize the updates:

Ch 17 Summary of Proposed Updates

Ch 17 Summary of Proposed Updates by Section

The draft has been finalized and is ready for review. See these linked versions of the draft:

Chapter 17 Update - CLEAN 6.4.25 - The "CLEAN" copy represents proposed language with no mark-ups. 

Chapter 17 Update - CORRECTED 6.4.25 - The "CORRECTED" version shows proposed changes, including new or relocated text as underlined and removed or relocated text at highlighted in grey.

Chapter 17 - CURRENT - This is the current ordinance for comparison.

Important Dates & Review Timeline:

A public hearing will be scheduled for June 30th at 4:30PM at the County Administrative Building. Public notices will be posted this week.

An additional informational presentation is tentatively scheduled for the July 7th County Board Planning Meeting at 6PM at the County Administrative Building. 

If significant changes are not required, the earliest date of adoption would be August 21st.

Updates to the ordinance must be finalized and submitted to DATCP prior to October 1st in order to recertify farm preservation status and agricultural tax credits.

How to Provide Feedback:

You may provide feedback and ask questions by emailing [email protected], calling 608-789-7806, or stopping by the Zoning, Planning, and Land Information Department at 212 6th St. N, La Crosse.  Planning and Zoning staff may be available to present to town boards by invitation. 

Zoning Permits

The Zoning Department issues several types of permits for a variety of land use activities. Please refer to the FAQs to learn more about permit types, and when permitting is necessary. Additionally, the Zoning Department supports the Board of Adjustment by facilitating public hearings required for variances, and supports the Planning, Resources and Development Committee by facilitating public hearings required for Conditional Use Permits, Zoning Amendments, and Shoreland Special Exception Permits.

Permits - Fees
  • List of application fees. Beginning January 1, 2022, fees will be collected at the time of application.
Permits - Applications
 
Informational Zoning Brochures

 

Zoning FAQs

Have questions? Read through our Zoning frequently asked questions for answers.

 

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