Planning for the Future: How Price County’s Complete Plans Shape Development
From the 92,000-acre county forest to downtown revitalization, complete plans guide how Price County grows. With Phillips updating its 2010 plan and Park Falls working on a new one, the question is whether these documents will actually drive development or just collect dust on shelves. Read more Price County stories from across the web.
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In Wisconsin, complete plans are more than just documents. They are legally required frameworks that guide local government decisions on zoning, land use, housing, transportation, and economic development. For Price County communities, these plans represent both opportunity and challenge: the opportunity to shape future growth, and the challenge of turning planning documents into actual development.
What Complete Plans Do
Wisconsin’s complete planning law requires municipalities to create plans that address nine specific elements:
1. Issues and opportunities
2. Housing
3. Transportation
4. Utilities and community facilities
5. Agricultural, natural, and cultural resources
6. Economic development
7. Intergovernmental cooperation
8. Land use
9. Implementation
The plans must be updated at least every ten years, but many Price County communities have fallen behind this requirement.
The Phillips 2024 Plan
Phillips recently completed a major update to its complete plan. The 208-page document, available on the city website, is a significant effort to guide the community’s future development.
Key elements of the Phillips plan:
– Housing supply requirements for existing and forecast needs
– Transportation infrastructure planning
– Economic development strategies
– Land use mapping and zoning recommendations
– Implementation timeline and responsibilities
The plan acknowledges the tension between preservation and development, noting that Phillips must balance its historic character with the need for growth.
The Park Falls Update
Park Falls is in the process of updating its complete plan, with Mayor Tara Tervort stating in 2026 that “this update is long overdue.” The most recent Park Falls plan dates back to 2010, meaning the community has been operating with outdated guidance for years.
The planning process in Park Falls involves public input, stakeholder engagement, and coordination with regional planning agencies. The new plan will need to address:
Housing crisis: The workforce housing shortage that has hampered economic development
Infrastructure: Aging water, sewer, and transportation systems
Economic development: Strategies to attract and retain businesses
Land use: Balancing residential, commercial, and industrial needs
The County Forest Plan
Price County itself maintains a Complete Land Use Plan for its 92,000 acres of county forest land. This plan “helps guide management activities through 2035” and addresses:
Timber management: Sustainable forestry practices and harvest schedules
Recreation: Public access, trails, and recreational facilities
Conservation: Wildlife habitat protection and environmental stewardship
Economic impact: The forest’s contribution to the county economy
The county forest plan is particularly important given the carbon credit contract that locked up 92,000 acres with Bluesource/Anew. The plan provides the framework for how those lands are managed regardless of carbon credit arrangements.
The Implementation Challenge
The real test of any complete plan is not in its creation, but in its implementation. Many Wisconsin communities create excellent plans that then sit on shelves, ignored when actual development decisions are made.
The Cassville lesson: The data center fight in Cassville shows what happens when development proposals conflict with community planning. Residents used zoning powers to stop a project that they felt violated the spirit of their community’s planning goals.
The Price County pattern: Price County communities have a history of planning without implementation. Plans are created, but then development happens haphazardly, driven by individual projects rather than coordinated strategy.
The Economic Development Connection
Complete plans are directly tied to economic development. The Phillips Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) uses the city’s complete plan to guide its efforts to attract businesses. The plan provides:
Site selection guidance: Where industrial development should occur
Infrastructure planning: What utilities and transportation are needed
Workforce analysis: What housing and services workers will require
Regulatory framework: What zoning and permitting processes apply
Without an updated complete plan, economic development efforts are essentially flying blind, responding to opportunities rather than pursuing a strategic vision.
The Housing Component
Wisconsin law requires complete plans to “contain a list of programs to provide an adequate housing supply that meets existing and forecast needs.” For Price County, this means:
Workforce housing: Addressing the shortage that limits business growth
Affordability: Ensuring housing is available at price points workers can afford
Aging stock: Dealing with outdated and inefficient existing housing
New development: Creating conditions that encourage housing construction
The Park Falls housing project and other developments should ideally flow from the complete planning process, not occur in isolation from it.
Questions for Local Officials
1. How often are complete plans actually consulted when making development decisions?
2. What mechanisms exist to ensure plan implementation?
3. How are complete plans funded and staffed?
4. What public input processes are used to develop the plans?
5. How do plans coordinate across municipal boundaries?
6. What happens when development proposals conflict with the complete plan?
7. How are plan updates prioritized given limited resources?
The Regional Planning Context
Price County communities do not plan in isolation. They work with regional planning commissions:
Northwest Regional Planning Commission: Serves Price County and helps communities with complete planning
North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission: Works with adjacent counties on regional issues
These agencies provide technical assistance, data analysis, and coordination across municipal boundaries. They help ensure that local plans align with regional goals and state requirements.
The Bottom Line
Complete plans represent both the promise and the challenge of local government in Price County. The promise is that communities can shape their own futures through thoughtful planning. The challenge is that planning requires resources, commitment, and follow-through that many small communities struggle to provide.
With Phillips completing its 2024 plan and Park Falls working on an update, Price County has an opportunity to move from reactive development to strategic growth. The question is whether these plans will become living documents that guide decisions, or whether they will join the shelf of well-intentioned but unimplemented planning efforts.
For Price County to address its housing crisis, attract businesses, and manage its natural resources, complete plans need to be more than documents. They need to be the foundation for action.
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This article is part of an ongoing investigative series by Northwoods Explorer covering Price County governance, economic development, and community planning. Related coverage: The 40-Unit Question: Park Falls Housing Development and Price County’s Workforce Crisis, The Lionite Mill: A Century of Industry, Public Money, and Ongoing Cleanup, School Funding Death Spiral.
See also: our reporting on Price County’s surveillance cameras
See also: our investigation into Flock cameras in Price County
See also: our guide to Price County public records
Sources: City of Phillips 2024 Complete Plan,
Sources: City of Phillips 2024 Complete Plan, City of Park Falls planning documents, Price County Forest Complete Land Use Plan, Northwest Regional Planning Commission, Wisconsin complete planning legislation, Mayor Tara Tervort public statements.
See also: our complete Price County fishing guide, our guide to free camping in Wisconsin, what makes Price County communities special, our weekend weather preview and our 48-hour Price County itinerary
See also: our guide to every town in Price County
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a complete plan in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin law requires every county to maintain a complete plan covering housing, transportation, economic development, land use, and other elements. As of 2026, Price County’s complete plan guides development decisions and zoning regulations.
How does Price County’s complete plan affect residents?
The complete plan shapes where and how development occurs — from residential subdivisions to commercial zoning and natural resource protection. Public input is required during plan updates, giving residents a voice in the county’s future direction.
When was Price County’s complete plan last updated?
Wisconsin requires complete plan updates at least every 10 years. Price County’s current plan addresses growth management, farmland preservation, and economic development priorities through 2030.
📊 Price County Data & Demographics
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