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 for preparing and updating the City's Comprehensive Plan. The Plan Commission also reviews applications for subdivisions (plats), conditional use permits (CUPs), home occupations and rezoning requests. Questions for these various Plan Commission reviews can be obtained by contacting the Planning Division.

Application Information

The City of Eau Claire's Land Development Ordinance (LDO) establishes land use, site improvements, subdivision 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 and Inspection Services Division administers the LDO. Copies can be obtained for a fee. 

Mapping service

For further zoning information, contact the Planning Division at 715-839-4914 or planning@eauclairewi.gov.

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.

• 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.

Applications must be submitted to the Planning Division for review prior to sending to the state.  For additional questions, please contact 715-839-4914 or planning@eauclairewi.gov.

Current Population

The Wisconsin Demographic Services Center's 2023 estimate places Eau Claire at 71,304.  This is a 2.71% increase of 1,883 people from the 2020 Census of 69,421.

Census Data

Click here for the 2020 Census Report for the City of Eau Claire. 

The table below shows Eau Claire's growth since 1960.

Landscape Manual
Solar Ordinance Brochure
Exterior Lighting Rules Brochure
Multi-Family Design Guidelines
Census 2020 Summary for the City

Waterway and Greenway Guidelines

For manual, brochure and guidelines questions, please contact Planning at 715-839-4914 or planning@eauclairewi.gov

Overview of Housing Task Force

Housing Task Force Summary of Recommendations

Chippewa Valley Housing Recommendations Report

Meeting of Chippewa Valley Housing Task Force (12/11/20)

The Development Report is previously known as the Development Map and Report.  This report is now combined with the Development Update Newsletter in the section below (since 2020).

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020 

2019

2018

2017

2016

This Newsletter is now combined with the Development Summary (previously known as the Development Map and Report) which is found in the section above.  

2019 Update
2018 Update
2017 Update
2016 Update