A comprehensive plan is a local government’s guide to community physical, social, and economic development. Comprehensive plans are not meant to serve as land use regulations in themselves; instead, they provide a rational basis for local land use decisions with a twenty-year vision for future planning and community decisions.
The comprehensive plan law (§66.1001 WI Stats. Adobe PDF 113 KB) defines the contents of a local comprehensive plan as a combination of nine chapters—Issues & Opportunities; Natural, Cultural, & Agricultural Resources; Housing; Transportation; Economic Development; Land Use; Utilities & Community Facilities; Intergovernmental Cooperation; and Implementation.
According to §66.1001 WI Stats., if a town, village, city, or county engages in official mapping, subdivision regulation, or zoning, those actions must be consistent with that community’s comprehensive plan. This plan is an update of the 2011 Comprehensive Plan adopted by the county.