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At Civi Tek Consulting we work with municipalities of all sizes to take advantage of new opportunities and tackle sticky problems.

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Our team of professional planners blends cross-cutting skills to achieve the needs of our clients.

 

We are…

  • Design Thinkers

  • Information Architects

  • Collaborators

  • Data Wranglers

  • Storytellers

  • Problem-Solvers

  • Digital Technologists

  • Map Makers

  • Creative Writers

  • Strategists

  • Consensus Builders

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Services

We provide a range of municipal services and excel at crafting land-use regulations that are right-sized and effective.

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 Consulting 

We provide a range of services and team with others to provide elegant solutions to meet our client’s needs.

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 Peer Review 

Our team can provide a second set of eyes to do third-party reviews of reports, plans, regulations and more.

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 Implementation Support 

Short-handed during peak workloads or need a kick-start? We can jump in for a sprint or longer to help implement your plans and programs.

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 Training 

Deep-dive or a refresher, we can structure a session or a multi-part curriculum for your Plan Commissions or Board of Appeals. Sample topics include equity/diversity, ethics, due process and procedural due process, meeting best practices, and effective public participation.

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 Coaching 

Need help creating a playbook or do you have questions? We can help.

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 Zoning Administration 

We serve as an extension of your municipal staff and can provide day-to-day or on-call administration of your land-use regulations.

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 Digital Solutions 

Whether you need a single solution or a system-wide digital transformation, we can get you there.

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 Graphics 

With simple graphics or full-feature illustrations, we bring words to life.

Services
Specialties

Land-Use Regulations – Our Specialty

 Code Re-writes 

Often there comes a point when it makes total sense to reimage your land-use regulations. While objectives will vary from place to place, they often revolve around right-sizing, getting the metrics right, streamlining procedures, and making the new code user-friendly.

 Code Amendments 

Responding to changing circumstances and issues is needed to stay ahead of the curve. Code amendments can entail revisions and whole new sections.

 Code Audits 

A code audit is just like a visit to your doctor who pokes and prods, asks questions, and takes vital readings. We review existing codes to make sure they are defensible, facilitate desired development, and are easy to use. The intent is to determine the need for a zoning code rewrite and what the new code should look like.

Focus Areas

  • Unified Land Development Codes

  • Cottage Housing

  • Transfer of Development Rights

  • Conservation Subdivisions

  • Accessory Dwelling Units

  • Adaptive Reuse

  • Agri-Tourism

  • Wireless Communication

  • Environmental Protection

  • Historic Preservation

  • Signs

  • Landscaping

  • Special Districts

  • Short-term Rentals

  • Housing Options

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Approach

Our Approach - It's Different

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 User First Focus 

 

At Civi Tek, we approach a zoning code rewrite quite different than the rest. We believe a zoning code should be centered on the needs and expectations of the people that will use the code, like a shop keeper.

 

We think beyond the generic goals of “writing in plain language” and “include tables and illustrations.”

We start with user-focused objectives and then reverse-engineer from there. For example…

  • A person should be able to find zoning details about their property in 5 minutes or less (without calling staff).

  • A person should be able to find and submit an application for a home occupation in less than 40 minutes.

 

We reimagine processes and requirements and incorporate digital solutions.

 Public Participation 

 

Although the importance of public participation is understood, it takes experience and sensitivity to local conditions to really do it well and in a cost-effective manner. Once a new code or plan is prepared, we want to make it as easy as possible for elected officials to cast an affirmative vote in favor of adoption. For that to happen, they need to feel confident that all the voices have been heard and considered, and that there is a good balance between potentially competing interests.

 Equitable Outcomes 

 

When working on land-use regulations and planning documents, we are attuned to the effects they can have on people and will work to create equitable and just outcomes for all.

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 Work Elements and Budget Allocations 

 

While every project is different, a typical zoning code rewrite project has key components with different levels of effort.

Public
Participation

& Outreach

5-10%

Project
Scoping

5-10%

Diagnostic
Analysis
& Outline

10-15%

Code
Drafting &
Illustrating

55-60%

Legal
Review

3-5%

Internal
Review
& Testing

10-15%

Public
Review &

Adoption

5-10%

Additional
Services

5-8%

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Digital

Digital Solutions

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Display your zoning regulations in an intuitive map-based interface.

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Create custom checklist reviews to improve consistency and reduce staff time.

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Share your sign regulations in a map-based interface. Think ZoningHub for signs.

Projects

Project Sampler

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 City of Hartford 

Zoning Code in partnership with GRAEF

50% Complete

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 City of Port Washington 

Zoning Code in partnership with GRAEF

2024 Kickoff

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 Outagamie County 

Code Audit in partnership with SEH

Completed 2024

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 Village of Mukwonago 

Sign Code

75% Complete

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 Village of Richfield 

Zoning Code

Completed 2022

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 Village of East Troy 

Cottage Housing Ordinance

Completed 2020

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 Wisconsin Rapids 

Zoning Code

Completed 2018

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 City of Washburn 

Zoning Code

Completed 2017

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 City of Bayfield 

Zoning Code

60% Complete

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 City of Manitowoc

Zoning Code in Partnership with GRAEF

2024 Kickoff

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 Village of Mukwonago 

Zoning Code

80% Complete

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 Village of Jackson

Zoning Code Audit

Completed 2024

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 Town of Rome 

Zoning Code Audit

Kickoff 2024

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 City of Manitowoc 

Sign Code

Completed 2021

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 Town of Mukwonago 

Zoning Code

Completed 2019

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 Town of Eagle 

Zoning Code

Completed 2017

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 Winnebago County 

Zoning Code

Completed 2011

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About

Tim Schwecke is the founder and principal at Civi Tek. He has experience working for consulting firms and in local government as a planning director. Tim started Civi Tek in 2004 to focus on the art and practice of writing land-use regulations to help communities become Smart + Connected.

He also started Civic Webware, a technology firm that works at the intersection of innovative technology and community planning, and created its three flagship solutions – ZoningHub®, Checkbox WizardTM, and Sign NavigatorTM.

Tim has a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (go Badgers) and a BS from the University of Montana (go Griz).

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Conference Presentations

  • Illinois APA Chapter Conference – 2021

  • North Carolina APA Chapter Conference – 2021

  • Pennsylvania APA Chapter Conference – 2021

  • Southern New England APA Conference (SNEAPA) – 2020

  • Upstate New York APA Chapter Conference – 2020

  • Cross-Chapter Collaborative Conference (AR, KS, LA, NM, OK, TX) – 2020

  • Pennsylvania APA Chapter Conference – 2018

Expert Network

By working with national and boutique firms, our team is fully scalable to meet any sized project or multi-disciplinary effort.

About
Contact

Contact Us

Thank you for your message.
We'll be in touch soon.

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Call Tim at (920) 728-2814

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