The purpose of a Comprehensive Plan is to guide future growth and development in the Town over the next 10 to 20 years. A comprehensive plan provides the vision and direction for natural resource protection, housing and economic development, transportation and community facilities, land use, intergovernmental relations, and other factors that together form the community’s future. Comprehensive planning was enacted to encourage long-range planning for communities and provide consistency in land use decision making. The Comprehensive Plan is a guide that elected officials, residents, and business owners can use for directing growth and redevelopment in the community. The Comprehensive Plan is a long-range policy document consisting of goals, objectives, and policies prepared to meet the State’s definition of a comprehensive plan as defined under Section 66.1001.
Vilas County Land and Water Resource Management, 2025
The Vilas County Land and Water Resource Management (LWRM) Plan is a 10-year plan (2025-2034) that provides an assessment of county water quality and soil erosion conditions, identifies local conservation priorities, and establishes conservation goals in a Work Plan.
Adopted LWRM plans ensure county eligibility for grant funding of county conservation staff and cost sharing for conservation practices.
2024 LWRM Plan Update Process
Winter 2023 – County Land & Water Conservation Committee appoints Resource Advisory Committee.
January 2024 & September 2024 – 2 meetings for Resource Advisory Committee to assist with determining resource management direction for next 10-years.
Fall 2024 – Draft LWRM Plan assembled & reviewed by DATCP.
Fall 2024 – Draft LWRM Plan is reviewed by County Land & Water Conservation Committee for public hearing.
Fall 2024 – Draft LWRM Plan is open for public review and comment.
November 14, 2024 – Public Hearing.
December 3, 2024 – Draft LWRM Plan is reviewed by Land & Water Board in Madison for approval.
Winter 2024 – LWRM Plan is adopted by County Board.
FINAL – 2025-2034 Vilas County Land & Water Resource Management Plan (28 MB – PDF)
All maps and appendices are included.
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Wisconsin Rapids Safe Routes To School – 2024
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs are an opportunity to make walking and bicycling to school safer for children in grades K-8, and to increase the number of children who choose to walk and bicycle. On a broader level, SRTS programs can enhance children’s health and well-being, ease traffic congestion near the school, and improve community members’ overall quality of life.
Planning Process
In 2022, the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and the Wisconsin Rapids School District won a WisDOT SRTS planning grant to create a SRTS Plan for several schools in the District. In the fall of 2023, the City and District began SRTS Planning with the assistance of the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (NCWRPC). The NCWRPC guided the Wisconsin Rapids SRTS Task Force through the planning process.
The following schools are part of Wisconsin Rapids SRTS Planning:
Wisconsin Rapids Area Middle School
Grant Elementary
Grove Elementary
Howe Elementary
Mead Elementary
THINK Academy
Washington Elementary
Woodside Elementary
Wisconsin Rapids SRTS Task Force
Ronald Rasmussen, Superintendent, WRPS
Tracy Ginter, Wisconsin Rapids Area Middle School Principal, WRPS
Tina Wallner, Grove Elementary Principal, WRPS
Tina Miller, Howe Elementary Principal, WRPS
Amber Applebee, Mead Elementary Principal, WRPS
Kelly Schaeffer, Washington Elementary Principal, WRPS
Julie Kolarik, Woodside Elementary Principal, WRPS
Edwin Allison, Director of Buildings and Grounds, WRPS
Aaron Nelson, Business Services, WRPS
Officer Dan Pelot, Student Resource Officer, WRPS
Joe Eichsteadt, PE, City Engineer, City of Wisconsin Rapids
Kyle Kearns, Community Development Director, City of Wisconsin Rapids
Kristie Egge, MPH, Supervisor of Strategic Initiatives, Wood County Health Department
Hannah Wendels Scott, FoodWIse Nutrition Educator, Wood County, UW-Madison Extension
THINK Academy
Kevin Whipple, Village of Rudolph President
Christine Slattery, THINK Academy Principal, WRPS
Roland Hawk, Wood County Highway Commissioner
Grant Elementary
Sharon Schwab, Town of Grant Chairperson
Nikki Calteux, Grant Elementary Principal, WRPS
Nathan Check, Portage County Highway Commissioner
Staff
Fred Heider, AICP, Planner, North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
School Data
-Parent Survey AGGREGATE Results (All elementary and middle school parent surveys were tabulated together in this report.)
Wisconsin Rapids Area Middle School
-Parent Survey Results
Map 3A – Site Assessment (Not available yet.)
Map 4A – Transportation (Not available yet.)
Map 5A – School Routes (Not available yet.)
Map 6A – Recommendations (Not available yet.)
Grant Elementary
-Parent Survey Results
Map 3B – Site Assessment
Map 4B – Transportation
Map 5B – School Routes
Map 6B – Recommendations (Not available yet.)
Grove Elementary
-Parent Survey Results
Map 3C – Site Assessment (Not available yet.)
Map 4C – Transportation (Not available yet.)
Map 5C – School Routes (Not available yet.)
Map 6C – Recommendations (Not available yet.)
Howe Elementary
-Parent Survey Results
Map 3D – Site Assessment (Not available yet.)
Map 4D – Transportation (Not available yet.)
Map 5D – School Routes (Not available yet.)
Map 6D – Recommendations (Not available yet.)
Mead Elementary
-Parent Survey Results
Map 3E – Site Assessment (Not available yet.)
Map 4E – Transportation (Not available yet.)
Map 5E – School Routes (Not available yet.)
Map 6E – Recommendations (Not available yet.)
THINK Academy
-Parent Survey Results
Map 3F – Site Assessment
Map 4F – Transportation
Map 5F – School Routes
Map 6F – Recommendations (Not available yet.)
Washington Elementary
-Parent Survey Results
Map 3G – Site Assessment (Not available yet.)
Map 4G – Transportation (Not available yet.)
Map 5G – School Routes (Not available yet.)
Map 6G – Recommendations (Not available yet.)
Woodside Elementary
-Parent Survey Results
Map 3H – Site Assessment (Not available yet.)
Map 4H – Transportation (Not available yet.)
Map 5H – School Routes (Not available yet.)
Map 6H – Recommendations (Not available yet.)
Make questions or comments about the planning here.
(Email link to submit comments on this plan.)
Regional Comprehensive Plan 2025
NCWRPC began the process of updating its Regional Comprehensive Plan, formerly known as the Regional Livability Plan (2015), in April 2024. This document meets Wisconsin State Statutes 66.1001, which requires regional and local comprehensive plans to be updated every 10 years. This document guides the development of North Central Wisconsin and provides local comprehensive plans with data and strategies to address opportunities and issues facing the 10-county region. Below are meeting agendas and the most recent version of the plan’s draft chapters. Final review and adoption of the plan is expected to occur in spring and summer of 2025.
Tentative Project Timeline
Click here to view
Agendas and Packets
Meeting 1: June 3, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.
Agenda / Packet
Meeting 1 Summary
Meeting 2: August 14, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.
Agenda / Packet
Meeting 2 Summary
Meeting 3: October 14, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.
Agenda / Packet
Meeting 3 Summary
Meeting 4: TBD
Draft 1: Chapters 8, 9, & 10
Progress: Draft 2 Updated 11/20/2024
Chapters 1-7
For questions or a link to attend virtual meetings, contact Sam Wessel at swessel@ncwrpc.org
Juneau County All Hazards Mitigation Plan Update 2024
Juneau County All Hazards Mitigation Plan (AHMP) Update describes and documents the process used to develop the plan update. This includes how it was prepared and who (committee, organizations, departments, staff, consultants, etc.) was involved in the update process. It also describes the local government involvement, the time period in which the update was prepared, and who to contact to answer questions and make recommendations for future amendments to the plan.
Langlade County Broadband Plan 2024
The objective of the Broadband Plan is to offer insights into the current state of broadband deployment in Langlade County. The information presented in this plan aims to help the county understand broadband, thus assisting local officials in making well-informed decisions in supporting the right broadband deployments. The plan is to help facilitate the optimal broadband connections to residents, taking into consideration the cost associated with these deployments. Access to quality and affordable high-speed internet opens new opportunities for economic development, education, public safety, entertainment, and healthcare for Langlade County.
Town of Wien Comprehensive Plan 2024
The purpose of a Comprehensive Plan is to guide future growth and development in the Town over the next 10 to 20 years. A comprehensive plan provides the vision and direction for natural resource protection, housing and economic development, transportation and community facilities, land use, intergovernmental relations, and other factors that together form the community’s future. Comprehensive planning was enacted to encourage long-range planning for communities and provide consistency in land use decision making. The Comprehensive Plan is a guide that elected officials, residents, and business owners can use for directing growth and redevelopment in the community. The Comprehensive Plan is a long-range policy document consisting of goals, objectives, and policies prepared to meet the State’s definition of a comprehensive plan as defined under Section 66.1001.
Portage County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2025-2029
Portage County’s Parks Department updates its Outdoor Recreation Plan every 5 years to identify essential outdoor recreation needs that affect the future of outdoor recreation in the County.
This Outdoor Recreation Plan (ORP) focuses upon County managed outdoor recreation facilities, and also list projects within the towns and villages. The City of Stevens Point and Village of Plover both have ORPs which will both be referenced in this plan. All listed nature based and active recreation based projects become eligible for competitive federal and state outdoor recreation grant money when this plan is adopted by County or local municipality by resolution.
All communities that want to use this plan to apply for grants, must adopt it by resolution.
Non-profit groups, foundations, and the general public may also use this document to coordinate their own private efforts for developing outdoor recreation facilities.
2024 Planning Timeline
Winter/Spring 2024 – Staff park analysis, plans reviewed, & demographic data analysis.
Spring 2024 – Survey received 182 responses. See Summary Results HERE (21 pages).
See Detailed Results HERE (127 pages).
Summer 2024 – Goals & Objectives developed.
Fall 2024 – Draft Plan ready for review.
Winter 2024/2025 – Plan ready for approval by Park Commission and adoption by County Board.
Plan Maps
Map 1 – Outdoor Recreation
Map 2 – County Administered Outdoor Recreation
Map 3 – Legacy Places and Potential Trails
Map 4 – Urban Area Outdoor Recreation
Map 5 – Town Parks and School Forests
Map 6 – Nelsonville, Amherst Junction, & Amherst Outdoor Recreation
Map 7 – Almond Outdoor Recreation
Map 8 – Junction City Outdoor Recreation
Map 9 – Rosholt Outdoor Recreation
Plan Attachments
Attachment A – Park Design and Location Criteria
Attachment B – Facility Development Standards
Attachment C – State & Federal Financial Assistance Programs
Attachment D – SCORP Western Sands Region Analysis
Attachment E – Green Circle State Trail Map
Attachment F – Tomorrow River State Trail Map (Portage County section)
Attachment G – County Bike Plan Maps
Attachment H – Bicycle Campground Guide
Attachment I – Bicycle Campground Signage
Attachment J – Forest Legacy Areas 2024 Portage County
Portage County Outdoor Recreation Plan
placeholder for: DRAFT 2025-2029 Plan (Not available yet.)
Rhinelander Safe Routes To School – 2024
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs are an opportunity to make walking and bicycling to school safer for children in grades K-8, and to increase the number of children who choose to walk and bicycle. On a broader level, SRTS programs can enhance children’s health and well-being, ease traffic congestion near the school, and improve community members’ overall quality of life.
Planning Process
In 2022, the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and the School District of Rhinelander won a WisDOT SRTS planning grant to create a SRTS Plan for several schools in the District. In the fall of 2023, the City and District began SRTS Planning with the assistance of the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (NCWRPC). The NCWRPC guided the Rhinelander SRTS Task Force through the planning process.
The following schools are part of Rhinelander SRTS Planning:
James Williams Middle School
Central Elementary
Crescent Elementary
Northwoods Community Elementary
Pelican Elementary
Rhinelander SRTS Task Force
Robert Thom, Director of Business Services, School District of Rhinelander
Kyle Raleigh, Principal, James Williams Middle School
Paul Johnson, Principal, Central Elementary
Alex Bontz, Principal, Crescent Elementary
Gayle Daniel, Principal, Northwoods Community Elementary
Candice Cook, Principal, Pelican Elementary
Lloyd J. Gauthier, Jr., Chief, Rhinelander Police Department
Patrick Reagan, Rhinelander City Administrator & Dept. of Public Works Director
Fred Heider, AICP, Planner, North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
School Data
James Williams Middle School
Parent Survey Results
Map 3A – Site Assessment
Map 4A – Transportation
Map 5A – School Routes
Map 6A – Recommendations (Not available yet.)
-Elementary School Parent Survey AGGREGATE Results (All elementary school parent surveys were tabulated together in this report.)
Central Elementary
-Parent Survey Results
Map 3B – Site Assessment (Not available yet.)
Map 4B – Transportation
Map 5B – School Routes
Map 6B – Recommendations (Not available yet.)
Crescent Elementary
-Parent Survey Results
Map 3C – Site Assessment (Not available yet.)
Map 4C – Transportation
Map 5C – School Routes
Map 6C – Recommendations (Not available yet.)
Northwoods Community Elementary
-Parent Survey Results
Map 3D – Site Assessment (Not available yet.)
Map 4D – Transportation
Map 5D – School Routes
Map 6D – Recommendations (Not available yet.)
Pelican Elementary
-Parent Survey Results
Map 3E – Site Assessment (Not available yet.)
Map 4E – Transportation
Map 5E – School Routes
Map 6E – Recommendations (Not available yet.)
Make questions or comments about the planning here.
(Email link to submit comments on this plan.)
NCWRPC News Summer 2024 – Issue 84