Kickapoo Residents Wise Up and Kill “Smart Growth”

By Bruce Hansen and Art Webb

At their annual town meeting on April 12^th, about 28% of all adult Town of Kickapoo residents showed up and voted to rescind village powers by more than a two to one margin, thus ending zoning, and killing “Smart Growth” in Kickapoo Township.

Arriving at the Kickapoo Town annual meeting, 112 Town of Kickapoo, Vernon County residents were handed instructions limiting them to no more than 3 minutes of speaking time. The Chairman of the “Smart Growth” Planning Commission asked for 10 minutes. After he defended zoning, the comprehensive plan, and village powers for 50 minutes, the residents voted to rescind village powers by an 80-32 majority.

The majority was referred to as "ignorant" and as having been "duped" by people who "happily work under the rocks hidden from view". These are the comments of three different people - the last two being former Chairpersons of the Kickapoo Town Planning Commission. The last comment was formally posted at the Town hall.

A town resident, had, at his own expense, mailed the twenty-four page proposed zoning ordinance to Town residents. Nine other Town residents co-signed his cover letter. People were surprised at what they read, and turned out at the annual meeting in response. There were so many people that ballots had to be handed out the windows to the overflow crowd! Unlike hearings where a proposal is interpreted and waved around the front of a room with a smiley face on its cover, this proposal had been thoroughly read. These were informed readers rather than the ignorant dupe caricatures described by “Smart Growth” proponents.

The two main reasons most heard were that the regulations found in the proposed comprehensive plan, and especially the proposed zoning ordinance, were too extensive and the public felt that information had been withheld. Two members of the Planning Commission, including the Chairperson, resigned their positions.

To counter sagging local “Smart Growth” interest, supporters have organized a “Smart Growth” Revival Meeting. Coming to speak to the wayward citizens of Kickapoo Township about the joys of locally based comprehensive land control planning is Tom Harnisch, lawyer for the Wisconsin Town Association which promotes “Smart Growth.” Mr. Harnisch is expected to defend zoning, the comprehensive plan, and village powers - again. The Town of Kickapoo's Board is billing him as “The Expert”.

As more citizens learn the true intentions of “Smart Growth” we can expect more actions such as this. From the state of Oregon’s measure 37, to the small town of Kickapoo Wisconsin, people are finally starting to realize the effect “Smart Growth” has on their lives, and they are taking measures to stop it.

Bruce Hansen runs the Kickapoo 21 website http://www.mwt.net/~kickapoo21/

Art Webb is president of Stop “Smart Growth” http://www.stopsmartgrowth.org