Planning and Community Development

Outagamie County adopted its Comprehensive Plan in January 2020. The County’s Comprehensive Plan is the County’s long-range policy guide for land use, housing, transportation, economic development, natural and cultural resources, intergovernmental coordination, and more.

View the Plan:

• Outagamie County Comprehensive Plan 2040: The Shared Path(PDF, 837KB)
• Volume 1: Existing Conditions(PDF, 8MB)
• Volume 2: Action Plan(PDF, 5MB)
• Volume 3: Appendices(PDF, 24MB)
• Addendum 1: Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2022-2026(PDF, 21MB)
• Addendum 2: Farmland Preservation Plan(PDF, 5MB) and Appendix A(PDF, 30MB)
• Addendum 3: Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan(PDF, 17MB)

Outagamie County adopted its Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (CORP) in December 2021. The CORP is Addendum 1 of Outagamie County's Comprehensive Plan: A Shared Path Forward.

The CORP is the County's five-year roadmap for parks, trails, and outdoor recreation priorities, guiding investments, partnerships, and grant eligibility.

View the Existing Plan:

• Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan(PDF, 21MB)

Review the Upcoming 2027-2031 Plan:

• Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan(PDF, 31MB)  

Outagamie County is welcoming final community feedback, learn more about the project and complete the survey found HERE.

Outagamie County adopted its Farmland Preservation Plan in October 2023. The Farmland Preservation Plan is Addendum 2 of Outagamie County's Comprehensive Plan: A Shared Path Forward.

The Farmland Preservation Plan is the County's guide for meeting Wis. Stat. § 91.10 requirements and protecting agricultural land, while keeping local jurisdictions and eligible farmers positioned to participate in programs such as AEAs, farmland preservation zoning, and the Farmland Preservation Tax Credit.

View the Plan:

• Farmland Preservation Plan(PDF, 5MB)
• Appendix A(PDF, 30MB)

View Farmland preservation planning areas on Outagamie County's interactive GIS viewer by selecting the "Farmland Preservation Plan Area" layer within "Zoning & Land Use Layers".

Outagamie County adopted its Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan in November 2023. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is Addendum 3 of Outagamie County's Comprehensive Plan: A Shared Path Forward.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is the County's framework to increase walking and biking, improve walking and bicycle safety, and promote transportation equity through recommended networks, policies, and other implementation actions.

View the Plan:

• Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan(PDF, 17MB)

Outagamie County began its Code Rewrite Project in 2024 to update the County's land development ordinances and create a more modern, organized, and user-friendly code.

The project has included community engagement, research into best practices, a formal audit of the County's zoning and subdivision ordinances, County staff and town stakeholder review, and legal review to help ensure the revised code reflects development needs, administrative needs, and planning goals. Draft ordinance updates are now being developed and reviewed, with adoption planned by January 1, 2027. For more information, please contact Outagamie County DLS staff.

Learn more by visiting the Project Website.

Located between the Fox River Mall and downtown Appleton, West College Avenue is a vital transportation link and a gateway to the Fox Cities. Outagamie County and a coalition of partners are reimagining the corridor, guided by a shared vision developed in 2025 and now advancing into implementation.

• Project Website
• A New Avenue Vision Document(PDF, 42MB)
• Outagamie County Resolution of Support(PDF, 2MB)

In 2022, Outagamie County developed a regional housing strategy for the Fox Cities/Greater Outagamie County to support housing production, affordability, and diverse housing options. Recommendations were developed by an advisory task force to strengthen the local housing system and catalyze intergovernmental and public-private collaboration across the region.

• Housing Strategy(PDF, 2MB)

Agricultural Enterprise Areas (AEAs) are contiguous blocks of productive farmland designated by the State of Wisconsin under the Farmland Preservation Program, at the request of landowners and local governments, to advance local farmland preservation goals. Outagamie County has three AEAs:

• Cicero Blackmour(PDF, 1MB).
• Greenville Greenbelt(PDF, 770KB).
• Three Rivers(PDF, 6MB).

Communities may petition DATCP for designation to support continued agricultural production and investment. Landowners within an AEA can voluntarily sign a 15-year farmland preservation agreement, meet state soil and water conservation standards, and become eligible for the annual farmland preservation tax credit.

Resources:

• Program Overview(PDF, 1MB)
• Farmland Preservation Tax Credit Information(PDF, 2MB)
• Benefits of AEA Handout(PDF, 842KB)
• AEA Petition Signature Pages
  • Petitioning Landowner Signature Page(PDF, 84KB)
  • Non-Petitioner Cooperator Signature Page(PDF, 83KB)
• Statewide AEAs- Map(PDF, 633KB)

Funds are available to owners of property in Outagamie County for brownfield assessments.

• Nominate your site: EPA Brownfield Site Nomination Form(DOCX, 181KB)

In 2023, the Calumet County Coalition- Calumet County, Outagamie County, and Fox Cities Greenways, Inc.- received a $1,000,000 USEPA Brownfields Coalition Assessment Grant. Funding may be used for privately and publicly owned brownfield properties, with no match requirement, to complete various phases of assessment work. Typical assessment work includes completing:

• Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments (e.g., ESAs, including possible removal of underground storage tanks).
• Ch. NR716 Site Investigations.
• Pre-Demolition Asbestos, Lead-Bearing Paint, and Hazardous/Restricted Waste Surveys.
• Remediation Planning.
• A variety of property reuse planning activities.

These grant dollars are designed to remove early-stage barriers to redevelopment by funding the critical assessment work that helps attract private investment, support redevelopment activity, and contribute to the local tax base.

Frequently Asked Questions

Funds are available annually to assist local units of government develop greenway networks that are regional in nature.

Applications for the 2027 Greenway Fund program are anticipated to become available in November 2026, pending County Board approval of the 2027 CIP Budget.

Resources:

• Program Flyer(PDF, 302KB)
• Grant Policies and Guidelines(PDF, 162KB)
• Greenway Fund Grant Application(DOCX, 290KB)
• Instructions: How to Submit an Application(PDF, 501KB)
• Greenway Fund Evaluation Form(DOCX, 39KB)
• Authorizing Resolution(PDF, 212KB)

Funds are available to low- and moderate-income households in Outagamie County (excluding Appleton) for zero/low-interest loans and assistance supporting:

• Housing rehabilitation
• Accessibility improvements
• Homebuyer down payment and eligible closing costs
• Small-scale public facility improvements tied to affordable housing.

This program is administered by Brown County for a ten county region that includes Outagamie County. For more details on how to access funds and get support, please visit:

Northeastern Wisconsin Housing DCBG Loan Program