In 2025, Centergy, Inc. worked with the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (NCWRPC) to produce this study in response to growing concerns over housing affordability. This study recommends a variety of strategies and programs that each individual community may explore depending on their own needs to encourage the construction and rehabilitation of needed housing, along with recommendations for a possible Regional Housing Fund. The Centergy Region includes Adams, Lincoln, Marathon, Portage, and Wood Counties.
Wood County Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Plan 2026-2030
Wood County’s Parks & Forestry Department updates its Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Plan (Outdoor Rec. Plan) every 5 years to identify essential outdoor recreation needs that affect the future of outdoor recreation in the County.
This Outdoor Rec. Plan (ORP) focuses upon County managed outdoor recreation facilities, and also list projects within the towns and villages. Local governments with their own ORP are 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 within Wood County without their own Outdoor Recreation Plan become eligible to apply for recreation grants when the County adopts this plan 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.
2025 Planning Timeline
Winter 2024-2025 — Staff park analysis, plans reviewed, & demographic data analysis.
Winter/Spring 2025 — Countywide Public Input Survey distribution & tabulation.
—Survey Results Summary (21 page PDF)
—Survey Results with comments (158 page PDF)
Spring 2025 — Goals & Objectives developed.
Summer 2025 — Draft Plan ready for review.
Summer 2025 — Plan ready for approval by Wood County Highway Infrastructure & Recreation Committee.
Summer/Fall 2025 — Plan ready for adoption by County Board.
Plan
(Placeholder for draft plan. Not available yet.)
2025 – Wood County Parks & Trails Survey Summary with Comments (158 page PDF)
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Town of Port Edwards 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.
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.)
Wood County Comprehensive Plan and Housing Study 2025
The Wood County Comprehensive Plan will help guide County decision makers on a wide array of issues over the next twenty years. As of Spring 2025, the Plan’s Housing Element has been completed in the form of a Housing Report which can be viewed below. The remaining 8 Comprehensive Plan elements will be developed over 2025 and 2026. Click the links below to learn more:
EMSI Reports – Economy Overview
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.
Wood County Broadband Plan
The broadband strategy presented at narrowing the digital divide in Wood County by enhancing broadband connectivity and accessibility. Additionally, this strategy will pinpoint obstacles and objectives related to expanding infrastructure and promoting broadband adoption. Consequently, Wood County will be in a stronger position to seek and, hopefully, secure BEAD funding for broadband deployment.
Town of Saratoga Comprehensive Plan 2023
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.
Wood County Economic Profile 2024
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.
Wood County Locally Developed, Coordinated Public Transit-Human Service Transportation Plan 2024-2028
Federal transit law requires that any projects selected for funding under the Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities (formerly titled Elderly and Disabled Capital Assistance Program) must be derived from a “locally developed, coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan”. This requirement was implemented as part of the SAFETEA-LU legislation and the requirement continues under the new transportation legislation, FAST Act (Fixing America’s Surface Transportation). The purpose of the coordinated planning process is to have stakeholder involvement in the assessment of elderly and disabled transportation, and to provide strategies and goals to improve those transportation alternatives. These coordinated plans were last completed in 2019 and are due to be updated for 2023.
