Wood County

Wood County is a county located in central Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 74,207. The county seat is Wisconsin Rapids. Wood County was created in 1856 and is named after Joseph Wood, who was a Wisconsin State Assemblyman. The county is known for its many lakes, rivers and outdoor recreational opportunities, including the Wood County Parks, the Wisconsin River and the Ice Age Trail. The county is home to the city of Wisconsin Rapids, 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 Marshfield, Nekoosa, and Port Edwards. The county has a diverse economy, with healthcare, manufacturing and service industries being the main drivers. The county is also known for its paper mills, which have been a staple industry in the area for many years.

TitleDate
Wood County Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Plan 2026-2030March 5, 2025
Town of Port Edwards Comprehensive Plan 2024November 27, 2024
Wisconsin Rapids Safe Routes To School – 2024November 5, 2024
Wood County Comprehensive Plan and Housing Study 2025September 6, 2024
EMSI Reports – Economy OverviewJuly 17, 2024
Wood County Broadband PlanMarch 8, 2024
Town of Saratoga Comprehensive Plan 2023March 6, 2024
Wood County Economic Profile 2024January 22, 2024
Wood County Locally Developed, Coordinated Public Transit-Human Service Transportation Plan 2024-2028November 1, 2023
Wood County Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan 2023October 18, 2023
Town of Saratoga Outdoor Recreation Plan 2023-2027March 15, 2023
Town of Seneca Comprehensive Plan 2022May 1, 2022
Town of Sigel Comprehensive Plan 2022February 2, 2022
Wood County Economic Profile 2022January 1, 2022
City of Pittsville Outdoor Recreation Plan 2022-2026November 1, 2021
Nekoosa Safe Routes to School PlanJuly 1, 2020
Wood County Locally Developed, Coordinated Public Transit-Human Service Transportation Plan 2019-2023August 31, 2018
Wood County Locally Developed, Coordinated Public Transit-Human Service Transportation Plan 2014-2018August 27, 2013
City of Nekoosa Comprehensive Plan 2012December 11, 2012
City of Wisconsin Rapids Outdoor Recreation Plan 2012-2016January 1, 2012
Marshfield Sewer Service Area Plan Update – 2030January 1, 2011
Grand Rapids/Saratoga Community Wildfire Protection Plan 2010July 13, 2010
Wisconsin Rapids Safe Routes to School Plan – 2010June 1, 2010
City of Wisconsin Rapids Comprehensive Plan 2010January 1, 2010
Town of Sigel Comprehensive Plan 2009December 2, 2009
Joint Marathon & Wood County Locally Developed, Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan – 2008August 27, 2008

NEWCOM

The counties of northeastern Wisconsin have a long history of working cooperatively to address the public safety needs of the area. This latest effort, called the North East Wisconsin Public Safety COMmunications or NEWCOM, will create a group that will identify the communication needs for the area, so the 500 plus law enforcement and public safety organizations can communicate effectively throughout the Region.

The group formed under Intergovernmental Agreement §66.0301, Wis. Stats in 2006

Meetings 2025
February 6th
May 1st
August 7th
November 6th

Sherri CongletonVilas CountyChair
Ryan BerdalMarathon CountyVice-Chair
Rozanne KahanPrice CountySecretary- Treasurer
Andy FaustNCWRPCNEWCOM Contact

Nekoosa Safe Routes to School Plan

This plan was developed by NCWRPC in conjunction with the Nekoosa School District, City of Nekoosa, and the Nekoosa SRTS Task Force as part of the North Central Wisconsin Regional Safe Routes to School Program.  This Regional program was made possible in part by a Transportation Alternatives Program grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.  Additional funding was provided by the NCWRPC.

Wood County Locally Developed, Coordinated Public Transit-Human Service Transportation Plan 2019-2023

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 2013 and are due to be updated
for 2019.

Wood County Locally Developed, Coordinated Public Transit-Human Service Transportation Plan 2014-2018

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 2008 and are due to be updated
for 2013.

City of Nekoosa Comprehensive Plan 2012

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.

City of Wisconsin Rapids Outdoor Recreation Plan 2012-2016

The primary purpose of this recreation plan is to provide continued direction toward meeting the current and future recreation needs of the city. This is accomplished through an inventory and analysis of outdoor recreational facilities, and the establishment of recommendations to meet identified needs.

This Outdoor Recreation Plan (ORP) was prepared pursuant to Wisconsin Statute §23.30 Outdoor Recreation Program.  This section serves “to promote, encourage, coordinate, and implement a comprehensive long-range plan to acquire, maintain, and develop for public use, those areas of the state best adapted to the development of a comprehensive system of state and local outdoor recreation facilities and services…”

Marshfield Sewer Service Area Plan Update – 2030

This report is intended to update and replace the original 2000-2020 sewer service area plan for the City of Marshfield and surrounding area. These types of plans are also known as areawide water quality management plans. The general purpose of this areawide water quality management plan, herein referred to as Sewer Service Area Plan, is to maintain a twenty year sanitary sewer service boundary for the Marshfield Urban Area and an institutional structure for implementing the Plan and managing the extension of sanitary sewage services within this urban area. The urban sanitary sewer service area boundary identifies the geographic land area within which sanitary sewer service could be made available by the year 2030 through a cost-effective, environmentally acceptable manner.

Grand Rapids/Saratoga Community Wildfire Protection Plan 2010

This plan is a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) as defined in Title 1 of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003. The purpose of this CWPP is to provide the Towns of Grand Rapids and Saratoga, local fire departments, Wood County, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) with information and tools to help them reduce potential risks associated with wildfires and to collaboratively identify wildfire mitigation actions that will provide solutions to address the impacts of wildfire hazards. The plan will also assist the citizens of the two towns to prevent wildfires and be better prepared to deal with wildfire hazards. The plan develops strategies aimed at protecting life, property, and the natural environment.

Wisconsin Rapids Safe Routes to School Plan – 2010

The City of Wisconsin Rapids and Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools created a Safe Routes To School Task Force to apply for a planning grant. All of the public elementary schools in the City, the middle school, the police, city administration, and local citizens were all part of the Task Force. The approved planning grant paid 100% of NCWRPC’s planning services to assist with creating a Safe Routes To School plan.