Economic Uncertainty Highlights the Need for Municipal Planning

Editor's note: This guest column was submitted by Dr. Lawrence P. Witzling, a Principal at GRAEF, a national engineering and planning firm headquartered in Milwaukee. He has over 30 years of experience in urban design and planning and holds a doctorate in city and regional planning from Cornell University and a professional architecture degree from Cooper Union. Witzling is also a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning.

While local communities sift through their budget numbers, it remains critical for each municipality to keep its future on the drawing board. Thoughtful planning, more than just prudent practice, is necessary to identify the needs of a community and shape the local economy in municipalities throughout Milwaukee County.

In the midst of economic uncertainty, it is encouraging to see local communities pursue new initiatives. Projects in Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, Brown Deer, West Allis, Greendale, St. Francis, Oak Creek, and Greenfield demonstrate a strong commitment to future growth, and the success of these projects, which involve parks, main streets, and mixed-use development, prove integral to the economic health of each community individually as well as the greater metropolitan area as a whole.

Milwaukee-based GRAEF has experienced firsthand the outcomes of successful municipal planning. This year, GRAEF celebrates 50 years of experience in contributing to southeastern Wisconsin’s urban landscape by developing, and in many cases implementing, municipal development plans for Wisconsin municipalities.

Through our experience, we have learned that each municipality has unique needs and a specific urban landscape to work with. Although the outcome of the municipal planning process differs from one municipality to another, there are core best practices that can guide any governing body through this process. Communities with the most successful planning projects reflect three key attributes: public support for an achievable vision; technical expertise to make the transformation; and long-term commitment to ensure implementation. 

We’ve also found that proper planning expertise can guide communities in their review of potential developments and help them to make decisions that benefit the community and contribute to its vision.  Proper planning and vision help a community support projects that generate revenue, and avoid those with long-term pitfalls. This planning includes study of the cost and revenues associated with envisioned projects like parks, streetscapes, town squares or retail development as well as evaluation of the project’s market feasibility. Proper planning can also lead to the creation of regulations that incentivize good investments while stopping unwanted projects. Good plans help a community support projects that generate revenue, and avoid those with long-term pitfalls.

The City of Milwaukee and the many municipalities that surround it compose one economic community. On a daily basis, residents and visitors move throughout the county from one city or village to another in order to work, attend school, shop, obtain medical care, or see a movie. Thus, the success or failure of one community affects the region’s overall success and quality of life.

In this business, you don’t make it 50 years without having a plan and a vision. As GRAEF celebrates our 50-year-anniversary we also recognize the need for vision throughout our communities and across the region to be a priority. Now more than ever we must focus on creating and implementing plans that can guide growth, revitalization and economic development in southeastern Wisconsin, and position our local communities, county and state for success.