Planning and Zoning Intern

We are looking for a student who has the desire and eagerness to learn and assist with planning and zoning projects in Sauk County. This is an amazing opportunity for students to get hands on learning experience and the chance to work alongside our team with research and organization of specialist projects.

Sauk County is home to a vast array of lakes, rivers, and creeks with 22,000 acres of natural parks and open spaces that allow for 100 miles of biking, hiking, and walking. Sauk County is the ultimate destination where anyone can happily live, work, and play. 

The purpose of the Planning and Zoning Intern is to provide assistance for planning and zoning activities on behalf of Sauk County, such as recreation and natural resource planning; short- and long-range planning; intergovernmental cooperation; special projects; and related work as assigned.

Working as a planning intern for Sauk County is about more than just being an intern; it is about being a valued member of the planning team. The primary focus of the 2024 intern position will be planning for Sauk County’s future outdoor recreation opportunities and county comprehensive planning including:

- Great Sauk State Trail. In just four years, Sauk County planned for and built the first 12 miles of the State of Wisconsin’s newest state trail: the Great Sauk State Trail. We are not done and need to plan for the construction of the trail through Devil’s Lake State Park, onward to the cities of Baraboo and Reedsburg, and over the Wisconsin River into Dane County. The intern will be part of a planning team working with an outside consultant to prepare a master plan that will establish a regional trail corridor spanning 20 – 30 miles that will become part of a larger trail network connecting Lacrosse, WI to Madison, WI.

- County and Town Comprehensive Planning. The County will be embarking on a new Comprehensive Planning process for a complete plan rewrite. The intern will assist with a rigorous public participation agenda by attending community events, stakeholder meetings, and planning citizen charettes. This process will overlap with Town, City, and Village local governing bodies and will teach collaborative approaches to policy making and communication. The intern will also assist with updates to town comprehensive plans.

- Baraboo Range Protection Program. The Baraboo Range Program was a landscape scale conservation effort that focused on preserving the largest blocks of mostly deciduous forest remaining in the upper Midwest. The program completed the acquisition of 43 conservation easements which are held by Sauk County, protecting over 3,100 acres. Today the lands affected by the conservation easements must be monitored at 3-year intervals to assure that the standards of the easements are maintained to assure continued protection of this natural resource. The intern will focus on coordinating monitoring events with participating landowners, walking protected properties, and documenting findings.

Essential Duties

• Assist in performing and coordinating the responsibilities of the Land Resources and Environment Department, specifically for Planning and Zoning.

• Research and evaluate cost effectiveness and make recommendations/consultation on priorities for planning projects and other projects assigned to the department.

• Provide liaison support between the county and other units of government and the public.

• Organize, conduct, and attend meetings with government officials, public and private agencies, citizen groups and other groups as appropriate to discuss and explain plans.

• Provide assistance for short and long range planning, land use, comprehensive planning, and farmland preservation programs.

• Prepare written reports and makes oral presentations for appropriate committee or department review, revision, and policy determinations.

• Conduct research and analysis and compile data of information related to special projects or studies.

• Prepare studies and reports on projects and recommend implementation methods to appropriate department staff or committee.

• Assist with meeting facilitation.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Training and Education

Required:                    

Must be in the process of obtaining a graduate, undergraduate, or associate’s degree in

Land Use Planning, or another related field

Licenses/Certifications: 

Valid Wisconsin State Motor Vehicle License

Preferred:                    

Junior or senior level undergraduate student, or graduate student

Background in planning or community development

Any combination of education and experience that provides equivalent knowledge, skills and abilities may be considered.