Mission: The purpose of the Brown County Planning and Land Services Department is to provide planning, education, regulatory enforcement, and accurate and accessible land and property ownership information. In accordance with existing and future needs, the department promotes public health, welfare, safety, order, convenience, efficiency, and economy and resource protection in Brown County.


Planning and Land Services Description: The Brown County Planning and Land Services Department provides land related activities in four general categories: planning, zoning, property listing, and land information.

The Planning division includes five planning areas: transportation, land use, natural resources, local assistance, and economic development. The Brown County Comprehensive Plan - A Vision for Great Communities provides guidance for planning activities.

The Zoning division is authorized to issue sanitary and shoreland permits to assure conformance with code requirements. Sanitary permits control all private onsite wastewater treatment systems while shoreland permits control shoreland, floodplain, and wetland use. The department assists citizens with concerns and investigates complaints as necessary. The department also administers and issues permits for the non-metallic mining reclamation program to ensure compliance with State administrative code.

The Property Listing division carries out statutory duties to create and maintain a current property listing file and mapping system which accurately displays the ownership, mailing address, taxing status, geographic location, enclosed area, and map of every tax parcel of land within the County. The department also carries out the statutory duties to maintain the Public Land Survey system and file, index and maintain the survey and monument records within the County for retrieval purposes.

The Land Information Office designs, coordinates, implements, and maintains land information using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for all county departments as well as coordinates services and products with local municipalities, state government, and other outside agencies.

Special Reports

Brown County Sheriff's Department Facility Analysis Report (May 21, 2010)

Brown County Executive Tom Hinz requested that the Brown County Planning and Land Services Department provide a report evaluating the facility options available for the Brown County Sheriff's Department. Information was gathered from several Brown County departments including the Sheriff's Department, Facility & Park Management, Department of Administration, and the County Executive's office. In response to this request, the hyperlinked Brown County Sheriff's Department Analysis Report is being provided. This report is intended to provide assistance to the Brown County Board of Supervisors in evaluating the alternatives.