North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
Providing Economic Development, Geographic Information Systems, Intergovernmental Cooperation, Land Use Planning and Transportation Assistance since 1973
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 horizon for future planning and community decisions.
The project kickoff is scheduled for June 17, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
Community Room, 933 Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point, WI 54481
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 Portage County Outdoor Recreation Survey Results with Comments (128 page PDF)
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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 horizon for future planning and community decisions.
We have been creating economy overviews for all ten of our counties along with Centergy and Grow North regions. We have reports from 2018 to 2024 – More information is about EMSI reports HERE. We also have historic reports back to 2013 if you are intrerested.
The broadband strategy presented at narrowing the digital divide in Portage County by enhancing broadband connectivity and accessibility. Additionally, this strategy will pinpoint obstacles and objectives related to expanding infrastructure and promoting broadband adoption. Consequently, Portage County will be in a stronger position to seek and, hopefully, secure BEAD funding for broadband deployment.
Every few years, NCWRPC updates basic demographic and economic development information in the form of County Profiles, which provide a snapshot of current economic trends and opportunities for economic growth. Included is a map of business park locations where acreage is available as well as contacts for various economic development agencies and programs.
EMSI / Lightcast delivers economic reports to regional planners who want expert analysis and detailed, hard-to-find data. Our consultants combine EMSI’s comprehensive labor market data and seasoned economic analysis to produce reports that analyze a broad range of workforce, education, and economic development issues. Unlike other consulting groups, we mine our own data and tailor it to create effective reports that communicate to all audiences. EMSI’s custom economic analysis includes the following major types:
Another way to think about the work EMSI does is in terms of the questions we frequently address:
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCWRPC was awarded a grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to assist with the economic recovery of the Region. Part of the scope of work for the grant included the development of a Regional Recovery Plan. The Regional Recovery Plan includes both short-term and long-term strategies intended to guide the Region’s economic stabilization and recovery from current and future economic shocks and to help foster a resilient and sustainable North Central Wisconsin.
As the Region continues to recover from the pandemic and build towards a more prosperous future, local communities and organizations can use the North Central Wisconsin Regional Recovery Dashboard to help track the Region’s progress on issues that were identified in the Regional Recovery Plan as crucial to the prosperity of North Central Wisconsin.
Every few years, NCWRPC updates basic demographic and economic development information in the form of County Profiles, which provide a snapshot of current economic trends and opportunities for economic growth. Included is a map of business park locations where acreage is available as well as contacts for various economic development agencies and programs.
Portage County is a county located in central Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 70,377. The county seat is Stevens Point. Portage County was created in 1839 and is named after the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway, a historic portage route used by Native Americans and European settlers. The county is known for its many lakes, rivers, and outdoor recreational opportunities, including the Tomorrow River State Trail, the Wisconsin River and the Ice Age Trail. The county is home to the city of Stevens Point, which is the county’s largest city and the regional center for commerce, industry, healthcare, and education. The county also has several small towns and communities, including Plover, Rosholt, and Amherst. The county has a diverse economy, with healthcare, manufacturing, and service industries being the main drivers.
| Title | Date |
|---|---|
| Stevens Point Comprehensive Plan 2026 | June 12, 2025 |
| Portage County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2025-2029 | October 7, 2024 |
| Portage County Comprehensive Plan 2024 | August 14, 2024 |
| EMSI Reports – Economy Overview | July 17, 2024 |
| Portage County Broadband Plan | February 27, 2024 |
| Portage County Economic Profile 2024 | January 22, 2024 |
| Stevens Point Urban Area Sewer Service Area Plan 2040 Update | July 13, 2023 |
| Portage County Economic Profile 2022 | January 1, 2022 |
| Portage County Locally Developed, Coordinated Public Transit-Human Service Transportation Plan 2019-2023 | August 31, 2018 |
| Portage County Locally Developed, Coordinated Public Transit-Human Service Transportation Plan 2014-2018 | July 11, 2013 |
| Almond-Bancroft Safe Routes to School Plan 2012-2017 | April 1, 2012 |
| Portage County Locally Developed, Coordinated Public Transit-Human Service Transportation Plan 2008 | August 12, 2008 |
| Village of Rosholt Comprehensive Plan – 2008 | February 11, 2008 |