Sewer Service Areas (SSA)—including Urban Service Areas (USA) and Limited Service Areas (LSA)—identify where sanitary sewer service already exists and adjacent lands most suitable for new development. Within these areas, Environmental Corridors are delineated identifying areas of environmentally sensitive features where development would have an adverse impact on water quality.
SSA planning plays an important role in keeping Wisconsin’s water safe for drinking, recreation and diverse aquatic life. SSA planning is not intended to restrict a community’s growth, obligate wastewater treatment plants to provide sewer throughout the planning boundary, and/or affect community annexation policy. Planning accommodates future growth, while at the same time consolidating wetland, shoreland, and floodplain protection programs within a community-based plan for sewered development.
Sewer Service Area Amendments
Changes to SSA boundaries allow for a careful and structured approach to the expansion of urban areas to meet the needs of a growing region, while managing, protecting, and enhancing groundwater and surface water quality. Any change to SSA boundaries — including USA and LSA boundaries — requires an amendment to the Dane County Water Quality Plan (see Wisconsin DNR SSA Planning for additional info). These amendments are referred to as SSA amendments. This incremental planning approach considers the interconnected relationship and impact of land development on water resources and ecosystem resources on an areawide basis.
Environmental Corridors
Environmental corridors are continuous systems of open space in urban and urbanizing areas. These corridors include environmentally sensitive lands, natural resources requiring protection from disturbance and development, and lands needed for open space and recreational use.
Environmental corridors have been mapped for all urban and limited service areas in the county. Corridor delineation is based mainly on drainage ways and stream channels, floodplains, wetlands, steep slopes, and other natural features. CARPC staff works with local units of government to delineate the corridors, which are then used to decide where to locate urban development and major facilities. Learn more about environmental corridors.