The Planning Division provides the City Council, Plan Commission and other citizen boards with expertise and recommendations in the areas of city planning, neighborhood support, land use development, zoning, site plan review, subdivision plat review, historic preservation and other land use related issues. The City of Eau Claire's policies and regulations regarding land use and physical development for the community are expressed primarily in the Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance and the Subdivision Code. The Plan Commission is currently working with a Citizens Advisory Committee to complete an Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan .

Learn more

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• Plan Commission
• Zoning Ordinance
• Subdivision Ordinance
• Historic Preservation
• Demographic Profile
• Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan
• Water Street Plan
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan
• East Side Hill Neighborhood Plan
• West Riverside District Plan
• Clairemont Medical/Education District Plan
• Third Ward Neighborhood Plan
• North River Fronts Neighborhood Plan

PDF Files

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• Census 2000 Summary for the City
• Development Report and Map
  • 2008
  • 2007
  • 2006
  • 2005
  • 2004
  • 2003
• Development Update Newsletter
  • 2009 Update
  • 2008 Update
• Landscape Manual

Plan Commission

The Eau Claire Plan Commission consists of nine members appointed by the Eau Claire City Council. The Commission advises the City Council on all planning and zoning related issues. The Commission is responsible preparing and updating the City's Comprehensive Plan and is currently working with a Citizen's Advisory Committee to complete a Comprehensive Plan Update. The Plan Commission also reviews all applications for subdivisions (plats), conditional use permits, home occupations, rezoning requests and site plans. Forms for these various Plan Commission reviews can be obtained by contacting the Planning Division.

• Click here for meeting dates for 2010 and submission deadlines.

The Commission generally meets on the first and third Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall. All meetings are open to the public.

The Plan Commission may hold special meetings if necessary to accommodate an emergency situation.

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Zoning Ordinance

The City of Eau Claire's Zoning Ordinance establishes land use and building requirements for property within the City to meet the objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. Eau Claire is divided into zoning districts that have regulations governing the use of property, location of buildings, size of buildings, the size of yards and open spaces, parking and other site improvements. The Planning Division administers the Zoning Ordinance and provides staff support for the Eau Claire Plan Commission. Copies of the Zoning Ordinance can be obtained for a fee of $5.00.

The City has one mile sectional zoning maps having a scale of 1 inch equals 250 feet available for inspection and review at City Hall. Copies of individual sections of the zoning map are available upon request for $6.00 each. The City also has a display map of the entire City that shows the zoning. This map is available for $5.00.

Subdivision Ordinance

The City's Subdivision Ordinance establishes standards for the division of land into lots for development by encouraging well-planned, efficient and attractive layouts of lots and streets. The City also requires and reviews Certified Survey Maps (CSM's) for lot splits and the creation of new lots. In addition, the City reviews all subdivisions and CSM's which are located outside the City, but within three miles of its corporate limits.

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Annexations

Petitions to annex property to the City are handled by the Planning Division. Prior to submitting a petition to annex property, it is advisable to discuss the proposal with staff. Any property proposed for annexation must meet the following criteria:

• The land must be contiguous to the City and cannot lie within another city or village.
• The annexation will not cause the creation of an island which is not part of the City.
• The proposed annexation is in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan.

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Demographic Profile

The City of Eau Claire is the ninth largest City in Wisconsin with an estimated population of over 65,000 persons. The table below shows Eau Claire's growth since 1960.

YEAR	POPULATION	# OF HOUSING UNITS	AREA IN SQ. MI
1960	37,987	12,221	19.27
1970	44,619	14,274	21.30
1980	51,509	18,359	27.47
1990	56,856	21,880	30.16
2000	61,704	24,895	32.59*

*Estimates from City of Eau Claire Planning Division The City has continued to grow throughout this period. Between the years 1980 and 1990, the City's population increased by 5,337 persons. This represents an estimated annual increase of 535 persons over this period or a growth rate of 1.04 percent per year. Between 1990 and 2000, the City saw an increase of 4,848 persons. This represents an annual rate of growth of approximately 485 persons per year. Population estimates for the City indicate continued growth. The graph below illustrates these projections.

 

 

Cost of Living Statistics
Composite Index	99.4%
Grocery Items	94.8%
Housing	106.9%
Utilities	82.9%
Transportation	103.8%
Healthcare	109.0%
Misc Goods & Services	96.4%
National Index Average	100.0%

Source: 2001 Fourth Quarter ACCRA Cost of Living Index

The Planning Division has additional demographic information available for the City of Eau Claire. This includes detailed 2000 U.S. Census statistics available down to the census tract and block level. These Census statistics are also available on the U.S. Census Bureau's web page.

Finally, the Division also publishes an annual report and map that summarizes development activity for the City. The report summarizes land development activity including: annexations, zoning changes, street construction and utilities construction for each year and compares it to development activity for the two previous years. This annual Development Map and Report is available for $6.00 from the Planning Division and is available in .pdf format online.

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