Town of Newbold Comprehensive Plan Newbold-FinalDraft... · Newbold is a rural community and as...

Town of Newbold Comprehensive Plan

Wisconsin River

Final Draft for Public Hearing

April 2008

Was mistakenly listed on April 20, 2008 as the:

Final Draft March 2007

Prepared by North Central Wisconsin

Regional Planning Commission

Town Board

Dave Kroll Chair

Bob Metropulos

Richard Ludgatis

Roy Kelling

Patricia Peters

Sue Williams, Clerk

Cindy Kelling, Treasurer

Planning Commission

Bob Metropulos, Chair

Robert Estabrook

Richard Guidinger

Jane Jelinek

James Staskiewicz

Mike Sueflohn

John Granger, Secretary

Photos NCWRPC

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Preliminary Draft Newbold Comprehensive Plan Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapters EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..............................................................................................................1 1. ISSUES & OPPORTUNITIES ..................................................................................................7 2. NATURAL, AGRICULTURAL, & CULTURAL RESOURCES ..............................................17 3. HOUSING .............................................................................................................................25 4. TRANSPORTATION..............................................................................................................34 5. UTILITIES & COMMUNITY FACILITIES...............................................................................42 6. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ...............................................................................................51 7. LAND USE .............................................................................................................................55 8. INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION .........................................................................68 9. IMPLEMENTATION ..............................................................................................................69

Tables & Charts Chart 1 Population Growth --1970-2000 ..........................................................................13 Table 1 Population by Township --1990 & 2000...............................................................14 Table 2 Households by Township --2000 Census............................................................15 Table 3 Persons in Households by Township --2000 Census..........................................15 Table 4 Persons in Households by Percent & Township – 2000 Census ........................15 Table 5 Lake Inventory (Size & Numbers) – Oneida Co. and Newbold ...........................18 Table 6 Housing Supply by Type -- 1980, 1990, & 2000..................................................25 Table 7 Housing Units -- Build Years ...............................................................................25 Table 8 Building Permits – 1990-2004 .............................................................................26 Table 9 Building Permits by Type – 1990-2004................................................................27 Chart 2 Site-built Homes by Township –1990-2004.........................................................27 Chart 3 Mobile/Mfg. Homes by Township – 1990-2004 ...................................................27 Chart 4 Building Permits by Type of Parcel by Twp. and 5 Year Period ..........................28 Table 10 Median Home Values (Newbold, Oneida Co., State) – 1990-2000 .....................29 Table 11 Town of Newbold Home Values – 1980, 1990, & 2000.......................................29 Table 12 Housing Costs Greater than 30% of Income – 2000 Census..............................30 Table 13 Population Trends – 1970-2000 ..........................................................................32 Table 14 Population Growth in Percent – 1970-2000.........................................................32 Table 15 Population Projections – 2000-2025....................................................................33 Table 16 Average Annual Daily Traffic Counts – 1985-2003 .............................................37 Table 17 County Road Improvement Plan – 2006-2010 ....................................................38 Table 18 Newbold Road Improvements – 2006-2010 ........................................................38 Table 19 Newbold Labor Force – 1980, 1990, 2000 ..........................................................51 Table 20 Median Household and Per Capita Income – 2000 Census................................53 Table 21 Occupations of Residents – 2000 Census ..........................................................53

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Preliminary Draft Newbold Comprehensive Plan Table of Contents

Table 22 Existing Land Use Acreage -- 1998 ....................................................................55 Table 23 Existing Land Use Acreage -- 2007.....................................................................56 Table 24 Forest Crop and MFL Lands by Twp. -- 2007......................................................58 Table 25 Future Land Use Acreage ...................................................................................62 Table 26 Land Use Projections .........................................................................................62 Table 27 Forest Crop and MFL Acreage by Type and Twp -- 2007. ..................................66

Maps

Townships ...........................................................................................................14 Water Features....................................................................................................19 Soils.....................................................................................................................23 Transportation .....................................................................................................35 Community Facilities ...........................................................................................47 Existing Land Use................................................................................................59 Future Land Use Plan..........................................................................................61

Town Board Ordinance - place holder.

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Newbold Comprehensive Land Use Plan

Executive Summary The Newbold Plan Commission developed the following Comprehensive Land Use Plan with the assistance of the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. This “2025 – Comprehensive Land Use Plan” is based on a revision of a “2020 - Comprehensive Land Use Plan” previously developed by the Town but never formally adopted. During the 1997-99 timeframe Newbold engaged the consulting firm of Foth and Van Dyke to prepare a Comprehensive Land Use Plan. A 10-member Newbold Public Advisory Committee (NEWPAC) assisted Foth and Van Dyke consultants in their planning work. During the two-year planning period a number of public informational meetings, public comment sessions, public surveys and mailings took place to ensure that the results of the planning effort were truly representative of public input and sentiment. In April 1999, Foth and Van Dyke consultants, presented the Town Board a “Pre-Final Draft” of a “2020 - Comprehensive Land Use Plan”. However, this plan did not contain all nine elements of the then recently adopted “Smart Growth” Statute. Consequently, the Town Board never formally adopted the plan. However, the Foth and Van Dyke “2020 - Comprehensive Land Use Plan” contained a detailed analysis of many of the factors to be considered when developing a comprehensive plan that will meet the requirements of the “Smart Growth” legislation. Hence, this updated and revised “2007 - Comprehensive Land Use Plan” is based on information and data contained in the 1999 Foth and Van Dyke Plan, as well as data not available when the 1999 plan was completed. Town History The Town of Newbold celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1998. During the first 100-years Newbold grew from a small community of 44 housing units located in the central part of the Town, known as McNaughton, to a Town with more than 2,000 housing units spread over the entire Town. Town Demographics Newbold encompasses an area of about 59,500-acres and includes all or a part of three townships; Twp.s 37, 38 and 39 in Range 8E and a part of Twp. 38 in Range 7E. The southern boundary of the Town is the Town of Crescent and the City of Rhinelander. The northern boundary, 18-miles to the north “as the crow flies”, is the Oneida – Vilas county line. The resident population of Newbold, as per the 2000 census, was 2,710 individuals. This resident population is dispersed over the Town’s three Townships;

• Twp. 37 with 1851 individuals (68%); • Twp. 38 with 520 individuals (19%), and; • Twp. 39 with 339 individuals (13%).

North Central Wisconsin Town of Newbold Regional Planning Commission Executive Summery

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The southern half of Twp. 37 serves as a “suburban community” to the City of Rhinelander, while the northern two-thirds of the Town, Twp.s 38 and 39, include many retirement and/or vacation homes. Natural, Agricultural, & Cultural Resources Woodlands and forests cover more than 43,000-acres of land in Newbold; more than 70% of the area of the Town. Of these 43,000-acres of woodlands and forests approximately 25,000-acres are located in the northern part of the Town and are managed by the Wis. Dept. of Natural Resources (WDNR) as part of the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest (NH-AL). The NH-AL lands provide numerous benefits including recreational opportunities for both local residents and visitors. Newbold also contains an abundance of surface water features. The 137 lakes, numerous streams and the Wisconsin River create more than 9,000-acres of surface water in the Town and make up approximately 15% of the Town’s total acreage. The Wis. River flows from the north to the south through the entire Town and is a unique surface water feature used by both residents and visitors. The largest waterbody in Newbold is the Rainbow Flowage located in the northern part of the Town and covers approximately 3000-acres and 63-miles of shoreline. The Wisconsin Valley Improvement Corp. (WVIC) established this waterbody in 1935 by constructing a dam across the Wis. River. The Rainbow Flowage has been maintained by WVIC as a natural and undeveloped area that is readily accessible for public use. Agricultural and farming activity in the Town is very limited in scope. Currently there are less than a dozen small farms; primarily located in the southern two-thirds of the Town, engaged in limited farming activities such as the growth of crops, beef cattle, sheep or the like. These limited farming activities are often referred to as a “hobby farm” and as such are not the primary source of income for their owners. One exception of the “hobby farm” principle is a large 600-plus acre cranberry marsh located in the northern part of the Town. This cranberry marsh has been in operation for more than twenty years. In 2002 the owners enrolled the property in the Wis. State Farmland Preservation Program for a 25-year period. Cultural resources in the Town identified by the Wis. State Historical Society are limited to a few historically significant structures and archeological sites. Housing Newbold’s housing stock is predominately single-family dwelling units; the 2000 census data reveals that almost 90% of all the housing units in the Town are used as single-family residences. Less than 4% of the existing housing units in the Town were built prior to 1939, reflecting the fact that the Town was relatively undeveloped before World War II; approximately 23% of the units were built in the 1940-1959 time frame; 13% during the 1960-69 decade, 23% between 1970-1980 and 37% during the 1980-2000 timeframe.


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Transportation Historically there has not been a major change in Newbold’s transportation system since rail service to the area was discontinued some 50-years ago. During the 1960’s, State Hwy. 47, from the Rhinelander city limits north to the Village of Lake Tomahawk, was completely reconstructed with some parts of the highway being relocated.

The Town road network consists of approximately 110-miles of roadway; 80-miles of paved and 30-miles of unpaved roads. Newbold has for many years had an aggressive approach to maintenance, reconstruction, and improvement of the Town road network. All new roads within a new subdivision must be constructed to Town specifications as outlined in the Town Code of Ordinances. During the 1990’s the Town constructed, with cooperation by the Wis. DOT and WDNR, an off-road bike trail from the central part of Twp. 37 near the Town Hall to the McNaughton area in Twp. 38. Several Town roads are posted for use as bike trails. Utilities and Community Facilities Newbold is a rural community and as such schooling, public libraries, police protection, medical services, etc., are provided to the residents by sources outside of the jurisdiction of the Town. The Town provides fire protection and rescue services for the residents by a volunteer staff of thirty-five (35) fully trained volunteer fire fighters. Two Fire Stations equipped with state-of-the-art tanker and pumper trucks and rescue vehicles serve the Town. Station No. 1, located adjacent to the Town Hall, was constructed in 2005 and is considered to be one of the best facilities in the County. Station No. 2, constructed in 1998, is located in the central part of the Town and has space for the storage of four large vehicles and associated equipment. Fire protection and rescue services are provided in the northern part of the Town by a contractual agreement with the St. Germain Fire Department. Emergency Medical Service (EMS) is available to residents by a volunteer staff of eight (8) fully trained Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and/or seven (7) First Responders. Two fully equipped rescue squad vehicles, one vehicle located at Station No. 1 and the other at Station No. 2, are available for use by the EMS staff. The EMS personnel are fully trained and have 4 automatic electronic defibrillators available to them for use in emergency situations. Community and recreational facilities include a Town Hall Park in the southern part of the Town and the Newbold Memorial Park located in the central part of the Town. The Town hall has a large meeting room that is available for use by members of the community as a meeting place. The Town maintains a number of waterbody public access locations. Economic Development The resident labor force, approximately 1,350 individuals as per the 2000 census, are employed in a wide variety of occupations; management/professional, sales/office, construction, production, transportation, service, farming, or forestry. The percentages of Newbold residents participating in the various occupational classifications compares


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closely with the percentage rates for the City of Rhinelander, Oneida County and the State of Wisconsin. Newbold does not have any industrial development sites. Land Use In 1998, as a part of the data collection phase of the Foth and Van Dyke plan, NEWPAC members developed a land use inventory for the Town. The committee members used 1989 aerial photographs and their knowledge of development patterns in the Town to create this inventory. During 2007 the Plan Commission members updated the original land use inventory by using digital databases developed by the Oneida County Land Information Office from aerial photographs taken in the fall of 2006. The results of the 2007 land use inventory for the 59,500-acres included in the Town were statistically very close to that developed from the 1989 aerial photographs. The results of the 2007 analysis are summarized below:

Land Use Acres Percent Land Use Acres PercentForest & Woodlands 42,590 71.6% Youth Camps 790 1.3% Water 9,100 15.3% Transportation 780 1.3% Residential 4,700 8.0% Commercial 270 .5% Agriculture & Farming 1,150 1.9% Town Services 120 .1%

For example, the analysis of the 1989 aerial photographs indicated forest and woodlands made up 73% of the land use; the 2007 analysis indicated a change to 71.6%. Residential land use changed from 7.6% in the 1999-plan to the current 8.0%. In general terms, a large part of the 4,700-acres of land currently used for residential purposes is distributed around lakes and the Wisconsin River. Forest and woodlands and associated residential use of some of these lands are distributed in a mixed pattern throughout the Town. Future Land Use Classifications and associated definitions included in the 1999 Foth and Van Dyke pre-final report were reviewed and updated by members of the Plan Commission and reviewed with citizens at numerous meetings. The 1999 report contained eleven (11) classifications of future land use. This number was reduced to seven (7) classifications by combining definitions for similar uses into a single more broad based definition. The Future Land Use Classifications and associated definitions generalize land use into categories. Each category identifies what is believed to be the best future use of land within the boundaries of each land use category:

• Residential – Single Family (Medium Density) • Residential – Single Family (Low Density) • Residential – Country Living • Agriculture • Forestry


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• Educational and Recreational Business • Community and Highway Business

Using the above land use categories the Plan Commission members updated the original 1997-1999 Future Land Use Map. Specifically, they used the current existing land use data, their knowledge and understanding of the geography of the Town, and their interpretation of current development trends. Intergovernmental Cooperation Newbold currently has in place several joint service agreements that are examples of cooperation with other governmental entities:

• The Town of St. Germain provides fire protection services in Twp. 39; • Fire fighting mutual aid agreements are in place for adjacent Towns, the City of

Rhinelander, and the WDNR; • Oneida County provides ambulance services to the Town.

A goal of this plan is to expand intergovernmental cooperative agreements. Implementation of the Plan

The Goals and Supporting Objectives outlined in the 1999 Foth & Van Dyke plan were reviewed, reconsidered, and in some instances reordered by the members of the Plan Commission. This work was done because of changing conditions and the requirements outlined in the State’s Comprehensive Planning Statute. In order to meet the requirements of the Comprehensive Planning Statute, a series of Implementation Policies were developed to achieve the stated Goals and Supporting Objectives. To the degree possible, the policy recommendations included in the earlier plan were maintained, although a few changes and additions have been made. Implementation of the stated Policies to achieve the Goals and Supporting Objectives will result in maintaining and expanding the vision of the future for the Town as developed in 1999 by the NEWPAC committee.


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Newbold is now and in the future will remain to be . . .

“A place of abundant natural beauty featuring the pristine Wisconsin River, bountiful lakes and streams, mixed forests, extensive wetlands, wild rice beds, and home to a wide variety of wildlife including many rare and endangered species…this is the Town of Newbold in the 21st Century. As a result of the proactive cooperation of its residents, the unique Northwoods character of Newbold will be well preserved with diverse forest areas, high water quality, a variety of wildlife and the protection of environmentally sensitive areas. A dedicated community spirit will result in the conservation and preservation of the forest, and the implementation of shoreland management standards and water use, which will allow Newbold to maintain its "Northwoods" atmosphere. Revised land use and land division policies will lead to a system of planned and orderly development. Consequently, the Town will establish itself as an area, which takes pride in its natural beauty, aesthetic recreational experiences, and appealing commercial and residential uses. By proactively directing growth and development, the Town of Newbold will preserve its strongest asset, the integrity of its forests and waters, providing its residents and guests with the opportunity to enjoy the "Northwoods" experience.”


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Chapter 1 -- ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES Background The Town of Newbold covers an area of about 59,500-acres (93-sq. miles) in central Oneida County. The Town includes of all of Townships 39N and 38N, a part of Township 37N (all in Range 8 East), and a part of Township 38N in Range 7 East. The southern boundary of the Town borders the Town of Crescent and the City of Rhinelander. The northern boundary of the Town is the Oneida-Vilas County line. The Town of Crescent to the south, the Towns of Pine Lake and Sugar Camp to the east, the Towns of Woodruff, Lake Tomahawk, and Cassian to the west, and the Town of St. Germain in Vilas County to the north border the Town. Newbold is one of 20 Towns in Oneida County. The Planning Process The Town of Newbold engaged the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (NCWRPC) to develop plan documents and facilitate the process of preparing an updated and revised Comprehensive Land Use Plan for the Town. The members of Newbold’s Plan Commission contributed to and monitored the development of the plan and met numerous times to analyze and discuss information that was gathered and presented by the NCWRPC. Previous Plan During the 1990’s Newbold experienced a period of significant residential development and population growth. The Town’s 1990 population of 2,281 residents was increasing at a phenomenal rate and the 1997 assessment roll showed that the taxable value of real estate in the Town had almost doubled during the preceding 7 years. This change in the growth of the Town combined with a number of other events during the mid-1990s convinced the Town Officers of the need to initiate a comprehensive planning process. The Northern Initiative of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) conducted a number of public forums throughout the northern part of the state focused on “Keeping the North the North”. The Wisconsin Towns Association, of which Newbold is an active participating member, hosted a number of comprehensive planning seminars. At about this same time the State Interagency Land Use council, appointed by Governor Thompson, released a report stressing the need for land use planning at every level of government. In May 1997 the Town of Newbold engaged Foth & Van Dyke Consultants to assist in the preparation of a Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The Town Board established a 10-member Newbold Public Advisory Committee (NEWPAC) to oversee the planning process, and held a number of informational meetings including an Issue Identification Workshop (see below). The consultants assembled background information and demographic data on population growth, housing and economic factors in the Town, inventoried community facilities and parks, and evaluated the natural resource base. Analysis of current land use provided a basis for projection of future land use policies that responded to growth forecasts. After a 2-year effort a pre-final report was produced. This April 1999 Pre-Final Report contained detailed goals, recommendations and

North Central Wisconsin Town of Newbold Regional Planning Commission Issues & Opportunities

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implementation strategies that combined the findings of the NEWPAC Committee, the Consultant and citizen input garnered from numerous public meetings held during the planning process. Shortly after completion of the 1999 Pre-Final Report the State legislature passed and the Governor signed a revision of the State’s Comprehensive Planning Statute (§66.1001), now commonly known as “Smart Growth”. The Town Board chose not to adopt the 1999 Foth and Van Dyke Plan, which did not meet all the requirements of the new Comprehensive Planning Statute, as an official Town policy document. With the completion of the 2000 Census a more accurate demographic profile of the Town is possible. After 6 years the Comprehensive Planning Statute has been revised twice and the content and format of the Plans have been refined and tested, so that it is now clearer as to how to meet the requirements of the law. This updated and revised Comprehensive Plan used information and data contained in the 1999 Foth & Van Dyke plan. The data included in the 1999 Plan was updated and reformatted to more closely conform to the requirements as laid out in the statutes. Much of the data and some of the text of the 1999 Plan have been integrated into this Plan. The fine work done by the NEWPAC Committee and Foth & Van Dyke consultants in assembling 1999 Plan is hereby acknowledged. Public Participation An important part of any governmental planning process is public involvement. Public involvement provides the citizens an opportunity to express their views; ideas and opinions on issues that they would like addressed concerning the future development of their Town. Local officials then can use this input to guide policies and decisions with greater awareness of the public’s desires and consensus. In June of 1997 Newbold initiated their initial comprehensive planning process by holding a Community Planning Issues Identification Workshop. The workshop was aggressively publicized and 110 participants attended the session. After an introductory presentation the 110 participants were divided into 5 individually facilitated sub-groups and asked to answer the question,

“In your opinion, what do you feel are the most important land use management issues facing the Town of Newbold over the next 2 decades?”

Little Gypsy Lake


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Sub-group participants wrote down their reactions to the basic question and the facilitator recorded their comments. When the comments (issues) were recorded the sub-group participants discussed them and similar or duplicate responses were consolidated. Participants in the sub-groups were then asked to select their top 5 issues. Their votes were recorded and the facilitators reported to the main-group of participants the 10 issues identified by each sub-group. Duplicates were consolidated; another ballot took place and each of the 110 participants again made their choice of the top 5 issues. The results of this exercise were tabulated and the top 10 issues identified. There were a number of ties in the balloting so that the end result was the identification of 29 issues of concern. However, the top 3 issues emerged fairly clearly:

• Preserve forest integrity • Over-development of lakes • Need for shoreland development standards

Although the Issues Identification Workshop was conducted more than 10 years ago the method of conducting the workshop and the strong participation by the community gives some ongoing credibility to the results. Vision Statement and Issues Identification On March 2, 2006 the Plan Commission reviewed and discussed the Vision Statement developed by the NEWPAC Committee and included in the 1999 Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The Commission members unanimously agreed that the Vision expressed at that time is still relevant.

Vision Statement

A place of abundant natural beauty featuring the pristine Wisconsin River, bountiful lakes and streams, mixed forests, extensive wetlands, wild rice beds, and home to a wide variety of wildlife including many rare and endangered species…this is the Town of Newbold in the 21st Century. As a result of the proactive cooperation of its residents, the unique Northwoods character of Newbold will be well preserved with diverse forest areas, high water quality, a variety of wildlife and the protection of environmentally sensitive areas. A dedicated community spirit will result in the conservation and preservation of the forest, and the implementation of shoreland management standards and water use, which will allow Newbold to maintain its "Northwoods" atmosphere. Revised land use and land division policies will lead to a system of planned and orderly development. Consequently, the Town will establish itself as an area, which takes pride in its natural beauty, aesthetic recreational experiences, and appealing commercial and residential uses.


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By proactively directing growth and development, the Town of Newbold will preserve its strongest asset, the integrity of its forests and waters, providing its residents and guests with the opportunity to enjoy the "Northwoods" experience.

The Plan Commission also considered the Issues of Concern identified during the 1997 Issues Identification Workshop. After some discussion it was agreed that most, if not all, of these issues are as applicable today as they were in 1997. The Issues of Concern are listed below in their ranked order, and provided a basis for the development of Goals, Supporting Objectives and Implementation Policies during the current planning process. Preserve forest integrity:

• Wilderness areas • Water quality • Wildlife • Environmentally sensitive areas • Minimal human intervention

Over-development of lakes: o Control development on waterways and shoreland o Control condo/dockominium development on lakes o Larger minimum lot size for all dwellings o Stronger subdivision development ordinances

Need for shoreland development standards: Protect waterways from all sources of pollution Mowing

• Clear cuts • Weed killers (herbicides) • Fertilizing • Erosion control

Determination needed on what type and size of commercial development is desirable

(commercial appearance). Identify and manage different parts of Town according to their appropriate uses (via zoning) Regulate use of boats and jet skis on waterways (noise and speed) Air, water, groundwater and noise pollution Maintain “Northwoods” character Preserve and protect loss of wetlands and other aquatic environments Improve road-paving techniques/management (i.e., chip seal vs. gravel, wider shoulders for bikes, etc.). Establish and maintain skiing, biking and snowmobile trails


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(e.g., use abandoned railroad beds). Property owners determine specific use of own property - based on existing codes and constitutional correctness Review current zoning for inconsistencies Control multi-family dwelling construction Maintain public services (fire/EMT/roads/snowplowing/trash/garbage/landfill) Protection of all natural resources Control storage of "junk" (e.g., abandoned trailers, cars, trucks, anything) Balance property rights with common good and environmental concerns Write "Newbold Specific" codes Lack of effort to infill development (concentrate development in areas that are already developed) Extensive study needed for future public services and land appropriation (public safety) Cottage industries should coexist with residential communities Allow continuation of existing waterfront structures Protect property values through planned growth Goals, Objectives and Policies Using the Goals outlined in the 1999 Foth & Van Dyke plan as a starting point, the Plan Commission reconsidered and reordered these goals in light of changing conditions and the requirements of the current comprehensive planning statutes.

“MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE NEWBOLD'S NORTHWOODS' CHARACTER”

GOAL 1: PRESERVE FOREST INTEGRITY GOAL 2: PROTECT AND UP-GRADE THE QUALITY OF BOTH SURFACE AND

GROUNDWATER GOAL 3: DEVELOP AN APPROPRIATE MIX AND BALANCE OF LAND USES TO

PROVIDE FOR THE PRESENT AND FUTURE SOCIAL, PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC NEEDS OF THE TOWN.

GOAL 4: ENHANCE RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES WHILE MINIMIZING USER

CONFLICT


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GOAL 5: MAINTAIN HIGH QUALITY TOWN PUBLIC SERVICES

GOAL 6: PROMOTE A POSITIVE/PRO-ACTIVE VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY GOAL 7: MAINTAIN THE ABILITY AND RIGHT TO GUIDE TOWN DESTINY GOAL 8: PROVIDE A VARIETY OF HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FITTING WITH

THE NORTHWOODS CHARACTER OF NEWBOLD AND SERVICE CAPABILITIES OF THE TOWN

Canoe enthusiasts on the Wisconsin River, as seen from the old bridge at McNaughton; the Town operates a landing here that is the site of a great deal of activity during the

summer months.

Town History The Town of Newbold was created in 1898 and included 3 full Townships. In 1907 all of Township 37 east of the Wisconsin River was attached to the newly formed Town of Pine Lake. In 1920 parts of 3 sections east of the Wisconsin River were reattached to Newbold. There has been a post office at the little settlement of McNaughton in Twp. 38 since 1890. The first meeting of the Newbold Town Board was held in 1899 at the McNaughton School. At this meeting a $400 levy was made to build a bridge across the Wisconsin River to provide access to that part of Newbold that was located east of the River. The next year at a special meeting the Town resolved to bond for $1,000 to build a Town Hall to be located in Twp. 38 close to the McNaughton settlement. The first meeting in the Town Hall was held on October 6, 1900. The1900 census enumerated 44 households in Newbold with a total population of 258 individuals. Also in 1900 the Town authorized the director of the school board to apply for a $2,400 loan from the state trust fund to build 3 more schools, in addition to the McNaughton School. The Town operated these 4 schools: McNaughton, Newhaus, Fetke and McLaughlin, with some variation until the 1940s. In 1954 the Town built a


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modern school. In 1968 the Town became a part of the Rhinelander School District. Township 39 is, however, now attached to the Eagle River school system. After the logging era agriculture had limited success in Newbold, and today there are few active farms. Resorts have been an important part of the Town’s economy for many years, but more recently private lakefront homes have become more common. Many of these homes have been converted to year-round residences. This change has contributed to a significant source of population growth. Town Demographics Population – Background Newbold has experienced tremendous population growth since 1970. The 1970 census enumerated 1,234 individuals in the Town. The 1980 census showed a growth to a population of 2,171 residents; an increase of 937 individuals or a 76% increase in population. This 1970-80 growth of the Town far exceeded the County (28%) and the State (6.5%) rates of growth. The population growth of Newbold slowed in the 1980s to a 5% increase. The 1990 census enumerated 2,281 individuals an increase of just 110 residents. However, Newbold’s 5% population growth again exceeded the rate of growth of the County (1.5%) and the State (4%). During the 1990s Newbold’s increased growth resumed. The 2000 census enumerated 2,710 residents; an increase of 429 individuals representing almost a 19% increase in population of the Town. During the same timeframe the County experienced a 16% increase in population. The following chart Illustrates Newbold’s population growth since 1970. Chart 1: Population Growth 1970-2000

0 1000

2000 3000

1970 1980 1990 2000

Town of Newbold Population

Source: Census data Population – Newbold Specific The Town of Newbold encompasses all of two Townships (Twp. 38 and 39) and a part of a third (Twp. 37). Each Township has its own distinctive demographic characteristics:

• Township 37 is the most populous area of the Town. The southern portion is directly adjacent to the City of Rhinelander and in many respects is a suburb of the City. Mildred Lake (191-acres), Soo Lake (135-acres), and Flannery Lake


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(112-acres) are the largest waterbodies in the Twp. and are fully developed with numerous homes. The Wisconsin River and the Rhinelander Flowage (1330-acres) are the eastern borders of this Twp.

• Township 38 is the site of a large number of retirement and vacation homes on

the Wis. River and numerous lakes -- including Two Sisters Lake (720-acres) and Muskellunge Lake (284-acres). The Wis. River flows through and is the western border of the Twp.

• Township 39 is the least populated and all of the Twp. is included in the NH-AL

State Forest boundary. Two large waterbodies are located in the Twp. -- the Rainbow Flowage (2040-acres) and Pickerel Lake (740-acres) and are the site of numerous retirement and vacation homes.

T

he demographic differences in the three Townships are readily apparent from the population pattern. The larger population base in Township 37 is clear; this is the most developed part of Newbold. Although this Twp. has shown the largest numeric population increase, the growth rate was second among the Twps. Township 38 had the highest growth rate at 40%; most probably due to the availability of waterfront and recreational properties. Much of the population increase in Township 38, and throughout Newbold, may be the result of construction of new single-family residences. Township 39, the least populated of the three Twp.s, gained only 23 new residents during the decade.

Table 1: Population by Township

Township 1990 2000 1990-2000 % Change

1990-2000 Net Change

37 1595 1851 16 % 256 38 370 520 40 % 150 39 316 339 7 % 23

Total 2281 2710 18.8 % 429 Source: U.S. Census, Town of Newbold

Age of the Population The number of people aged 65 and older living in the Town decreased from 434 in 1990, to 391 in 2000, a decrease of 9.9%. Meanwhile the number of persons 5 and under decreased by 29.4% during that same period; from 180 in 1990 to 127 in 2000. Both numbers indicate an aging population in

Map 1 Because of the configuration of Census blocks there is a slight overlap (shown above) of one block counted as part of Township 38, but located in Township 39.

Newbold. According to the U.S. Census in 1990, Newbold’s median age was 32.9 and in 2000 the median age was 42.8. Over the


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decade, Newbold’s median age increased nearly 10 years. . Households in Newbold The number of households in the Town has increased by 28%, from 870 in 1990 to 1,114 in 2000. Of the 1,114 total households in 2000, 73.8% were family households, while the other 26.2% were non-family households. Married couple households made up 67% of the total. About 25% of all households included someone 65 years old or older, while nearly 30% included someone 18 or younger. The average household size was 2.43.

Table 2: Households by Township – 2000 Census

Township Population Percent Households Percent Persons/ Household

37 1851 68.3 % 733 65.8 % 2.53 38 520 19.2 % 230 20.6 % 2.26 39 339 12.5 % 151 13.6 % 2.24

Total 2710 100.0 % 1114 100.0 % 2.43 Source: U.S. Census, Town of Newbold When analyzing the households by Township we see that the percentage of households conforms fairly closely to the percent distribution of the total population. The most notable difference is in the size of the individual households. In Township 37, where suburban housing is more prevalent and there are more families with children, there are significantly larger households than in the 2 northern Townships where there are more retirees. Source: U.S. Census, Town of Newbold

Table 3: Persons in Household by Township – 2000 Census Persons Twp 37 Twp 38 Twp 39 Total Percent

1 134 53 36 223 20.0 % 2 329 119 69 517 46.4 % 3 104 27 24 155 14.0 % 4 103 17 15 135 12.1 % 5 46 7 6 59 5.3 % 6 14 6 0 20 1.8 %

7 or more 3 1 1 5 .4 % Total 733 230 151 1114 100.0 %

Although nearly half of the households in Newbold are made up of only 2 persons, the distribution of these households tells something about the difference between the three Townships. In Township 37 nearly 37% of households have 3 or more persons, compared with 30% in Township 39 and only 25% in Township 38. Township 37 has more families and Township 38 has more retirees and

Table 4: Size of Households by Percent of Persons in Households by Twp – 2000 Census

Persons Twp 37 Twp 38 Twp 39 1 18.4 % 23.1 % 23.8 % 2 44.8 % 51.8 % 45.7 % 3 14.2 % 11.7 % 15.9 % 4 14.0 % 7.4 % 9.9 % 5 6.2 % 3.0 % 4.0 % 6 2.0 % 2.6 % --

7 or more .4 % .4 % .7 % Total 100.0 % 100.0% 100.0%

Source: U.S. Census, Town of Newbold


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Township 39 is somewhere in between. In Township 38, where there is large concentration of waterfront homes, more than half are two-person households. In Township 38 and 39 nearly a quarter are single-person households. This dominance of single-person households is five percentage points higher than the percentage in Township 37. One- and two-person households indicate a high percentage of retirees among the population. Town Shop, Twp 38 Rainbow Flowage, as seen from the intersection of County Roads E & D


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Chapter 2 -- NATURAL, AGRICULTURAL & CULTURAL RESOURCES NATURAL RESOURCES The Town lies in the mid-latitude continental climatic zone. The summers have warm but not excessively hot days and cool nights. Winters are long, cold and snowy with an annual seasonal snowfall of 53-inches. Snow covers the ground and ice covers the lakes from December to April. Mean annual precipitation is over 30-inches. The growing season generally extends from late May to early September, for an average frost-free growing season of 124-days. Prevailing winds come out of the northwest from late fall through spring, and from the southwest during the remainder of the year. In terms of the physical landscape, the protection of certain natural features is necessary for the environment and for future generations. Certain environmental features and assets have more than merely aesthetic and leisure-time activity values. They are essential to the preservation of life, health, and general welfare. As such, the protection and/or management of these environmental features and assets clearly are in the public's best interest. The environmental features and resource assets examined in this section of the Plan include:

1. Surface Water, 2. Wetlands and Flood Plains, 3. Woodlands and Forests, 4. Wildlife Habitat

1. Surface Water The Town of Newbold contains an abundance of surface water features. The 137 lakes, numerous streams and the Wisconsin River create more than 9,000-acres of surface water in the Town; approximately 15% of Newbold's total acreage. The Town is located within two watersheds of the Upper Wisconsin River Northern Sub-basin; these watersheds are the Rhinelander Flowage and the Sugar Camp Creek. The Water Features of the Town of Newbold are shown on Map 2. According to the Water Quality Management Plan of the Upper Wisconsin River Northern Sub-basin published by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in July of 1997, the Town of Newbold contains one high-quality resource water; Two Sisters Lake is classified an Outstanding Resource Water.

Young’s Landing on Two Sisters Lake

North Central Wisconsin Town of Newbold Regional Planning Commission Natural, Agricultural & Cultural Resources

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The most predominate surface water feature in Newbold is the Wisconsin River which flows from the north to the south through the entire Town. The Rainbow Flowage, located in the northern area of the Town is a unique feature in Newbold because the flow is regulated by the operation of headwaters storage reservoirs on the Wisconsin River by the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC). The regulation of the Wisconsin River and the associated Rainbow Flowage provides flood control, low flow augmentation, water quality improvement, conservation of natural resources, and water-based recreation. The Rainbow Flowage was established in 1935 and now covers more than 2,000-acres of area with a maximum depth of 26 feet. In addition to the unique environment the Rainbow Flowage and Wisconsin River provide, the 137 lakes within the Town also offer a variety of water environments for the residents and visitors. Table 5 presents an inventory of the lake resources within the Town of Newbold.

Table 5: Lake Inventory Oneida County Town of Newbold

Lake Size (Acres)

Number of Lakes

Percent of Total Lakes

Number of Lakes

Percent of Total Lakes

% of Total Lakes in

Oneida Co. Less than

1.0 402 35.7 % 21 15.3 % 1.9 %

1.1-5.0 229 20.3 % 43 31.4 % 3.8 % 5.1-10.0 95 8.4 % 14 10.2 % 1.2 %

10.1-15.0 45 4.0 % 12 8.8 % 1.1 % 15.1-20.0 38 3.4 % 6 4.4 % 0.5 % 20.1-50.0 131 11.6 % 19 13.8 % 1.7 %

50.0-100.0 53 4.7 % 10 7.3 % 0.9 %

Greater than 100.1 134 11.9 % 12 8.8 % 1.1 %

Total 1127 100.0 % 137 100.0 % 12.2 % Source: Foth & Van Dyke

2. Wetlands & Floodplains Wetlands perform many indispensable roles in the proper function of the hydrologic cycle, and local ecological systems. In a natural condition, they control floodwater by moderating peak flows, and some may act as groundwater recharge sites. All wetlands have valuable water purification capabilities and make significant contributions to surface and groundwater quality. They act as settling areas for inflowing streams as well as functioning in the reduction of water nutrients through the uptake of these compounds into plant tissues. They also have a buffering affect on water acidity or alkalinity and are helpful in eliminating harmful bacteria, which may be found in surface or groundwater. They also serve as breeding and nesting grounds for waterfowl and many other animals that depend on aquatic habitats; they are an important recreational, educational, and aesthetic resource. In many instances, wetlands serve the combined roles of flood moderation, water purification and aquatic habitat. Wetlands are important to the maintenance of downstream habitat as well.


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MAP 2 WATER FEATURES


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Wetlands generally occur in areas where water stands near, at, or above the soil surface during a significant portion of most years. Vegetation is generally aquatic in nature and may vary from water lilies and rushes in marsh areas to alder and tamarack in lowland forest. Swamps, bogs, marshes, potholes, wet meadows, and sloughs are all wetlands. The soils in these areas are usually saturated during the growing season within a few inches of the surface. When drainage of wetlands occurs or drainage patterns are altered, the water table is locally lowered and soils are exposed to oxidation at depths usually saturated. Nutrients held in the wetland soils can be leached away. Heavy siltation can occur downstream as water previously held by the soils is swept away. Wildlife population and habitat in drained areas and downstream locations may be affected, lowering the recreational and educational value. Destruction of wetlands can also occur in urban locations through the use of fill material. This can destroy the hydrologic function of the site and open the area to improper development. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has delineated the location of wetlands and has standards for managing them. Floodplains are a natural feature not conducive to development. Inappropriate location of roadways in floodplains can result in serious flood damage. Periodic roadbed saturation and embankment washing eventually lead to an increase in road maintenance costs. In addition to roads, floodwaters can create a number of problems by damaging foundations of homes, electrical equipment, heating units, etc. Basements constructed on permeable sands and silts of floodplains are especially susceptible to damage resulting from seepage through walls. Thus, it is advisable to restrict development in such areas. In Newbold, the areas that are designated as floodplains by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are mainly adjacent to the Wisconsin River. 3. Woodlands and Forests

Forest cover provides many diverse and vital functions; forested lands provide for recreational opportunities, scenic beauty, economic commodity (timber products), and wildlife habitat as well as protection of sensitive environmental areas. Tree cover is essential, especially for erosion control and to reduce effluent and nutrient flows into surface waterbodies and stream courses. The vegetation of the Newbold area during the pre-settlement periods of Wisconsin was classified as a northern forest with predominately coniferous species including both the white and red pine. This type of pine forest was extremely limited in the State, with Oneida and Vilas Counties containing the most extensive block. During the Euro-American settlement period, mid 1800's to early 1900's, much of the forest areas in Wisconsin were cut over. The early logging concentrated on the white pine and to some extent the red pine. This practice, in addition to purposeful or unintentional fires, almost eliminated the white pine seed from the northern forest area. Efforts to replant over 500,000-acres of forestlands in Wisconsin from 1956 to 1968 met with mixed success; the red pine was the most widely planted. However, it was generally inappropriate for many site conditions. From 1968 to 1982 nearly every tree species increased in overall volume throughout the State. (Source: Wisconsin Biodiversity as a Management Issue, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, May 1995).


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Today, much of the forestlands in Newbold are included in the boundaries of the Northern Highlands-American Legion (NH-AL) State Forest. Predominate cover types of the NH-AL State Forest in the Newbold area include aspen, red pine, jack pine, and white pine. The aspen species is a reflection of the logging industry and the burns that took place within the forested areas because it is generally a first growth "pioneer" species. Other types of vegetation in the Newbold part of the NH-AL State Forest include low and upland brush and grass. Woodland and forest areas within the Town of Newbold cover about 42,600-acres of land; almost 72% of the existing land use within the Town. Of these 42,600-acres of woodland and forests, approximately 22,500-acres are located in the northern part of the Town and are managed by the WDNR as part of the Northern Highlands-American Legion (NH-AL) State Forest. The WDNR, as manager of the NH-AL State Forest, updated the NH-AL Master Plan in 2005. The Master Plan was updated to ensure a balance between the natural environment of the forest and the demands of the users. The NH-AL provides numerous benefits including recreational opportunities for both local residents and visitors alike. More than 3.600-acres of woodlands and forestlands in the Town are currently being maintained through the Managed Forest Law program. This tax assessment program is available to landowners willing to manage their forest plot according to sound forestry practices as specified in a management plan. The vast coverage of forested land in Newbold provides both recreational and economic benefits to the area. The forested areas provide both passive and active recreational opportunities such as hiking, hunting, and camping for local residents and visitors. Effective management and commercial logging of the forested lands provides economic benefits to local economy. 4. Wildlife Habitat A description of the wildlife in the Oneida County area is summarized in the 2004-2008 Oneida County Outdoors Recreational Plan. The density and presence of the various wildlife species may vary within Newbold, however the description of the Oneida County area wildlife is a representation of the Newbold area. The WDNR Northern Region headquarters Wildlife Biologist also provided information. The wildlife in the area is representative of the northern-forested areas. The mammals include the timber wolf, black bear, white-tailed deer, coyote, porcupine, bobcat, beaver, red fox, otter, raccoon, skunk, squirrel, mink, and other small animals. Common game birds include the ruffed grouse, turkey and mourning dove. Newbold is also a migration path for woodcock, geese and ducks such as wood ducks, mallards, black ducks, and blue-winged teal, plus swans and cranes. Also found through portions of the Town are loons, herons, bald eagles, osprey, owls, woodpeckers, songbirds, and several species of hawks. The relative location of these wildlife species depends on the forest types in a given area as well as the local harvesting practices. The 1999 Foth and Van Dyke report included a description of several significant wildlife habitat features identified by the WDNR Northern Region Wildlife Biologist:


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• The Rainbow Flowage – More than 90% of the shoreline is owned by the

WDNR. The Wisconsin Valley Improvement Corp. (WVIC) dam on CTY Hwy “D” manages the water level of the Flowage. Bald eagles and ospreys nest near the flowage. The southeast shoreline has significant wetland habitat.

• The Wisconsin River - The upper reaches of the river offers significant wildlife habitat features including wild-river shoreline, bottomland hardwood forests, and large wild rice beds in the Rhinelander Flowage.

• The Rainbow Flowage Sedge Meadow - This is a regionally significant natural area located just east of the Rainbow Flowage. This area is a huge complex of sedge meadow, bog, shrubcarr and jack pine forest with nesting sites for bald eagles and osprey.

• The Big Swamp - This large wetland area located south of North Nokomis Lake in Twp. 39 has extensive acreage of open bog, conifer swamp, and jack pine uplands. Patterned bog may exist in the northeast corner of the wetland.

• McCabe and Mudhen Lakes - These two undeveloped lakes in Sect. 35 of Twp. 38 provide significant waterfowl habitat.

The Wildlife Biologist also noted that further protecting these significant habitat features would enhance wildlife use in these areas. Human population growth with attendant housing development and increased recreation pressure will have a negative impact on these habitat features.

Memorial Park

Grey wolves are currently found in Newbold and many bald eagle and osprey nests are recorded as being located in Town. AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES According to the Wisconsin Land Use Data book, the Town of Newbold is only 2% agricultural. According to this document, 0.7% of the Town’s total land is used for row crops, 0.1% is used for foraging and 1.3% is grassland, for a total of 2.1% or about 1,250-acres. The report also found that 62.1% of the Town was in forest cover and 32.7% is wetlands. In terms of farming trends, the Town has lost almost 7% of farmland acres on tax rolls between 1990 and 1997. According to the report, there were no active dairy farms in Newbold in 1997. In 1990 there were 7 active farms in the Town; by 1997 there were 4.


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MAP 3 SOILS


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An exception to the loss in agricultural farmlands is the large cranberry farm located in the northern part of the Town. This cranberry farm covers more than 600-acres and has been in operation for many years. In 2002 these agricultural lands were enrolled in the Wis. Farmland Preservation Program; the only lands in Oneida Co. currently in this program. CULTURAL RESOURCES The State Historical Society (SHS) of Wisconsin was contacted to determine if there are any significant historic and cultural sites within the Town of Newbold. According to the SHS there are no historic properties within the Town of Newbold that are listed on the National Register or State Register of Historic Places. The SHS did provide a list of Newbold historic properties that are recorded in the Wisconsin Inventory of Historic Places. In Township 37 North:

• 2 historically significant structures In Township 38 North:

• 2 historically significant archeological sites. • 4 historically significant structures/sets of structures.

In Township 39 North:

• 12 historically significant archeological sites. • 4 historically significant structures including 2 dams, 1 lodge, and 1 house.

Newbold Cemetery


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Chapter 3 -- HOUSING Background In 1980, there were 1,774-housing units in the Town -- 734 of these housing units were occupied, 45 were vacant for sale or rent, and 682 were for seasonal or occasional use. About 88% of all occupied housing units in the town were owner-occupied. The 1990 Census indicates that there were 2,006-housing units in the Town -- 870 of these housing units were occupied, 24 were vacant for sale or rent, and 1,112 were for seasonal or occasional use. About 88% of all occupied housing units in the town were owner-occupied. By 2000 there were 2,074-housing units in the Town, an increase of 3% since 1990; 1,114 of these housing units were occupied, 889 were for seasonal or occasional use and 71 were vacant for sale or rent. About 90% of all occupied housing units in the town were owner-occupied; a significant increase from the prior two decades.

Source: U.S. Census, Foth & Van Dyke

Table 6: Housing Supply – 1980, 1990 & 2000 Census Data 1980 1990 2000 % change

1980-90 % change 1990-2000

Total Units 1,774 2,006 2,074 13.1 % 3.4 % Year Round Units 1,092 894 1185 -18.1 % 32.6 % Occupied Units 734 870 1,114 18.5 % 28.1 % - Owner Occupied 644 763 1,006 18.4 % 31.9 % - Renter Occupied 90 107 108 18.8 % 0.1 % Vacant Year Round Units 45 24 71 -46.7 % 195.8 %

Vacant Other Units* 682 1,112 889 63.1 % -20.1 %

*Vacant other units are those used for seasonal, recreational, occasional, or other uses. Based on other census data for the year 2000, 86% of the housing units in Newbold were single-family residences and about 12% were mobile homes or manufactured housing. The housing stock in Newbold, although significantly newer than the State’s, conforms reasonably close to County statistics except in 2 areas. Less than 4% of housing units were built before 1939, a much smaller percentage, reflecting the fact that the town was relatively undeveloped before World War II. This is seen in the slightly higher percentage of units built in the 1940-1959 period. During the 1990s a higher percentage of housing units were built in Newbold than in either the County or the State, indicating a continuing trend of a higher rate of growth in the Town. Table 7: Housing Units – Build Years

< 1939 1940-59 1960-69 1970-79 1980-89 1990-2000 Town of Newbold 3.8 % 23.4 % 13.2 % 22.6 % 14.0 % 23.0 % Oneida County 14.3 % 19.4 % 12.3 % 22.0 % 12.6 % 19.4 % State of Wisconsin 23.4 % 20.3 % 11.9 % 16.9 % 10.7 % 16.8 % Source: U.S. Census

North Central Wisconsin Town of Newbold Regional Planning Commission Housing

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In looking at the overall housing supply as described by the US Census the most striking pattern is the change in the percentage of housing units that are occupied year-round and those that would be considered seasonal. In 1980 seasonal units (described in Table 6 as Vacant Other Units) made up 38% of all housing units. By 1990 the number of seasonal units had increased by 63% to make up 55% of all units. In 2000 the number of seasonal units had gone down to where they made up 42% of the total. Meanwhile the total number of units had increased by 300 over the 20-year period, but by only 68 during the decade of the 1990s, according to the Census. Building Permit Analysis A detailed analysis of building permit data raises some questions about whether the census data provides a complete picture of housing units. An analysis of Newbold building permits issued by the Oneida County Planning and Zoning Dept. from 1990-2004 reveals inconsistencies. Permits issued for construction on parcels with existing improvements (existing units) were separated from permits for construction on unimproved or newly created parcels, thus distinguishing between seasonal units being converted to a year-round dwelling and new housing units. This analysis indicated that 415-new housing units, an average of approximately 28-units per year, were constructed or located in the Town on parcels that in 1990 were unimproved or non-existent. Permits for replacement of existing housing units totaled 180; an average of approximately 12-units per year, were constructed or located in the Town on parcels that in 1990 already had building improvements. Most notable is a difference between the total number of housing units enumerated in the 1990 Census (2,006-units) and the 2000 census (2074-units); as shown in Table 6, this is an increase of only 68-housing units (3.4%) during the decade. However, analysis of building permit data for the same timeframe indicates an increase from 2006-units in 1990 to 2262-units in 2000; an increase of 256-new housing units (12.4%). Although the reason for this data discrepancy is unclear, it argues for more optimistic growth assumptions.

Table 8: Building Permits – 1990 to 2004 by 5-year Period

Time Period

New Housing

Units

Existing Housing

Units

Total Permits

Source: detailed building permit data provided by Oneida Co. ITS Dept., Town of Newbold

Issued

Total New Housing

Units Percent Increase

1990 ------ ------ ----- 2006 ----- 1990 -1994 95 55 150 2,101 4.7 % 1995 -1999 161 62 223 2,262 7.7 % 2000 - 2004 159 63 222 2,421 7.0 %

Total 415 180 595 2,421 20.7 %

When building permit information is further broken-down other trends emerge. The overwhelming majority (85%) of the permits issued during the 15-year period were for


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site-built homes; a trend that continues. Approximately 30% of the permits issued were for replacement of existing housing units. Permits for units on unimproved lots made up 43% of all permits during the period, but the share of the total that they make up is declining. In 1990-1994 they were 57% of all permits, in 1995-1999 they were 42%, 2000-2004 31.5%, and in 2005 just 26% of permits. Meanwhile, permits for all housing units on parcels created since 1990 were only 8% of the total in 1990-1994, 31.4% in 1995-1999, and 42.5% in 2000-2004. In 2005 half of permits were issued for lots that didn’t exist in 1990. If these trends continue it can reasonably be predicted that there will be an increase in the number of site-built housing units on newly created parcels.

Source: detailed building permit data provided by Oneida Co., Town of Newbold

Table 9: Building Permits by Type by 5-year period

Type of Permit - Parcel 1990- 1994

1995-1999

2000-2004 ’90-‘99 Total

Site-built – improved 36 47 52 83 135 Site-built – unimproved 66 78 59 144 203 Site-built -- new 8 70 93 78 171 Mobile/mfg - improved 19 15 11 34 45 Mobile/mfg - unimproved 20 13 6 33 39 Mobile/mfg - new 1 -- 1 1 2

Total 150 223 222 373 595

The detailed examination of building permits by Township reveals several significant trends.

• Throughout the period the bulk of new development took place in Township 37 (see Chart 4 on the following page).

• Permits for housing units in Township 37 on existing lots seems to be in decline, perhaps as more and more of the parcels that existed in 1990 are developed.

• Construction on improved lots, which likely represents conversion of seasonal to year-round dwellings, is a growing trend in Township 38, where waterfront development is most prevalent.

• All forms of development in Township 39 seem to have peaked in the 1995-1999 period.

1990 – 2004 Type of Housing Development

Chart #2: Site-built Units by Twp. Chart #3: Mobile/Mfg. Units by Twp.

Sit e-built

37

38

39

Mobile/mfg

37

38

39

Sources: Detailed building permit data provided by Oneida Co. ITS Dept., Town of Newbold, NCWRPC


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By far the most notable trend is the increase in the number of housing units built in Township 37 on lots created since 1990. Most of this development is suburban housing units near Rhinelander on subdivisions created after 1990. The type of housing development in the 3 Townships varies significantly as shown in the following two charts. Charts #2 and #3, on the previous page, show that for the entire 15-year period there was a predominance of site-built housing units constructed in Township 37, and mobile/manufactured housing in Township 39. Township 38 represents roughly 25% of each type, while 54% of mobile/manufacture housing construction was in Township 39 and 59% of site-built construction was in Township 37. Chart #4: Building Permits by Type of Parcel by 5-Year Period and Twp. Source: detai ild erm ta neid . IT ept., wn of Newbold, NCWRPC led bu ing p it da provided by O a Co S D To Source: Detailed building permit data provided by Oneida Co. ITS Dept., Town of Newbold, NCWRPC The picture that emerges from the analysis of building permit data is one of continued growth that is disproportionately divided between the geographic areas of the Town. Most of the new development in Newbold has been in Township 37 closest to Rhinelander (53% of permits), while the least is in Township 39, the northern part of the Town (22% of permits). Although the percentage of permits in Township 39 exceeds the roughly 13% of households in Newbold and Township 37 contains approximately two-thirds of households but just over half of permits, the bulk of future growth can be expected to continue to take place in Township 37. Of the 26 building permits issued in 2005 half were in Township 37 and of those 60% were for housing units on new lots. However,

1991

-199

4im

prov

ed

1995

-199

9im

prov

ed

2000

-200

4im

prov

ed

unim

prov

ed

unim

prov

ed

unim

prov

ed

1991

-199

4ne

w

1995

-199

9ne

w

2000

-200

4ne

w1991

-199

4

1995

-199

9

2000

-200

4 3938

370

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

39

38

37


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there is some evidence that a trend toward residential development on new lots may be slowing – the 8 such permits issued in Township 37 is below the 15-year average of 9 per year and less than half the average for the 2000-2004 period – but, it seems likely housing development on lots created since 1990 will continue, and much of this activity will be in areas near Rhinelander. Residential development in Township 38, which constitutes roughly a fifth of households and a quarter of building permits, will continue and will be predominately on unimproved lots (half of permits issued 1990-2004). The trend toward conversion of seasonal to year-round dwellings appears to be accelerating – half of permits for replacement of existing units were issued in the 2000-2004 period. Most construction involving mobile/manufactured housing units will take place in Township 39. However, this type of housing seems to not be increasing as a percentage of all units. Home Values Property values have increased substantially in Newbold and Oneida County.

Table 10: Median Home Values – 1990 & 2000 Comparison 1990 2000 Net Change % Change*

Newbold $56,700 $122,600 $65,900 64.1 % Oneida County $53,400 $106,200 $52,800 50.9 % Wisconsin $62,500 $112,200 $49,700 36.3 % Source: U.S. Census *Adjusted for inflation

Median home values of $122,600 are well above the median value for both the County and the State. During the 1990s home values more than doubled in dollar terms and grew by 64%, adjusted for inflation.

Source: U.S. Census, Foth & Van Dyke

Table 11: Town of Newbold Home Values – 1980 to 2000 1980 Percent 1990 Percent 2000 PercentLess than $50,000 243 56.6 % 199 37.5 % 35 4.6 % $50,000-$99,999 168 39.2 % 283 53.4 % 254 33.4 % $100,000-$149,999 16 3.7 % 31 5.8 % 204 26.8 % $150,000-$199,999 2 0.5 % 12 2.3 % 170 22.3 % $200,000 or More 0 0 5 1.0 % 98 12.9 % Total 429 100.0% 530 100.0 % 761 100.0 %Median Value N/A $56,700 $122,600

The value structure of the Newbold housing stock has changed considerably over the last 20 years and particularly in the 1990s. In 1980 95% of owner-occupied dwellings were valued under $100,000. By 1990 this was down to 91%. In 2000 only 38% were valued at less than $100,000. Inflation and general increases in home values were certainly factors in this increase, but it also points to a more basic change in the housing stock: an increase in the number of high-value, larger dwellings. In 1980 there were only 2 homes valued at more than $150,000, in 2000 there were 268.


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Although increasing property values can be a very positive thing it can pose a problem for long-time residents who do not have the higher incomes of many newer residents, and because property taxes are based on home valuation this can make it difficult for homeowners, especially those on fixed incomes, to stay in their homes. Housing Affordability The standard used to define housing affordability is that an individual should spend no more than 30% of their income on housing. The following table illustrates the census data for Newbold housing costs as recorded in the 2000 census.

Table 12: Housing Costs Greater than 30% of Income – 2000 Census

Location Owners Renters Town of Newbold 19.6 % 20.6 % Oneida County 19.4 % 32.8 % State of Wisconsin 17.8 % 32.3 % Source: U.S. Census

The percentage of renters in Newbold who spend more than 30% of their income on housing is significantly below the level for the County or the State. However, renters make up only 9.7% of Newbold residents. Nearly 20% of homeowners in Newbold spend more than 30% of their disposable income on housing. This percentage is higher than the County or the State. This discrepancy in housing costs for owners may be related the rise in property values and may be forcing many long-time residents to spend more of their income on housing. Programs for Increasing Affordable Housing There are a number of programs available to local governments to increase options for affordable housing within their communities. Following is a partial listing of programs:

• Section 502 Homeownership Direct Loan Program of the Rural Housing Service (RHS) provides loans to help low-income households purchase and prepare sites or purchase, build, repair, renovate, or relocate homes.

• Section 502 Mutual Self-Help Housing Loans are designed to help very low

income households construct their own homes. Targeted families include those who cannot buy affordable housing through conventional means. Participating families perform approximately 65 percent of the construction under qualified supervision.

• Section 504, the Very-Low-Income Housing Repair Program, provides loans and

grants to low-income homeowners to repair, improve, or modernize their homes. Improvements must make the homes more safe and sanitary or remove health or safety hazards.


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• Section 521 Rural Rental Assistance Program provides an additional subsidy for

households with incomes too low to pay RHS-subsidized rents.

• Section 533 Rural Housing Preservation Grants are designed to assist sponsoring organizations in the repair or rehabilitation of low income or very low income housing. Assistance is available for landlords or members of a cooperative.

The above programs are all available through USDA-RD to those who meet the income requirements. There are also programs available through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):

• The HUD Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program finances land acquisition and site development associated with self-help housing for low income families. Loans are made to the nonprofit sponsors of development projects and are interest-free. Portions of the loans are forgiven if promised units of housing are completed within a given period. These forgiven “grant conversion” funds may be used to subsidize future development projects.

• The HOME Investment Partnership Program aims to encourage the production

and rehabilitation of affordable housing. HOME funds may be used for rental assistance, assistance to homebuyers, new construction, rehabilitation, or acquisition of rental housing.

• The Small Cities Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is the rural

component of HUD’s Community Development Block Grant program, which is administered by state agencies. The state CDBG program provides assistance for the development of affordable housing and economic development efforts targeted to low- and moderate-income people.

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), like HOME, aims to encourage the production and rehabilitation of affordable housing. It provides an incentive for private entities to develop affordable housing. The credit reduces the federal taxes owed by an individual or corporation for an investment made in low-income rental housing. The amount of the tax deduction is tied to the proportion of low-income residents in the housing produced. The credit is paid out over 15 years to investors in the housing project. LIHTC provides funding for the construction of new buildings or the rehabilitation or conversion of existing structures. To qualify, a property must set aside a certain share of its units for low-income households. Population Growth Projections and Trends An important part of any planning process is the projection of trends in population growth. There are a number of different methodologies that can be used to determine possible future growth. Any projection will be on some level an educated guess, but methods exist to ensure the accuracy of these estimates. The Department of Administration (DOA) of the State government prepares population estimates and projections that are based on birth, death, age data, and other information available to the State. By aging the existing population and calculating normal life expectancy and


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birth rates it is possible to project the number of people who are likely to live in an area in the future. The movement of population into and out of an area can be used in making projections but is a more speculative form of calculation and the DOA generally only adopts well-established immigration trends into their projections. While the DOA deliberately adopts the most conservative approach to population projections, their methods do not anticipate changing circumstances that can affect growth trends. Oneida County grew by 16.3% during the 1990s, while the Town of Newbold grew by 18.8%. A large part of that growth was the result of in-migration by people who have chosen to retire to what had previously been a seasonal residence. By looking at long-term population changes since 1970, as shown in the following Table, it is possible to compare population growth trends between the Town, County and State.

Table 13: Population Trends – 1970 to 2000 Location 1970 1980 1990 2000

Town of Newbold 1,234 2,171 2,281 2,710 Oneida County 24,427 31,214 31,679 36,776 Wisconsin 4,417,731 4,705,767 4,891,769 5,363,675 Source: US Census, Foth & Van Dyke

The Town of Newbold has enjoyed strong growth since 1970. The population of the Town has more than doubled; more than twice the growth rate for the County and nearly 5-times the growth rate for the State. However, nearly two-thirds of this growth took place during the 1970s. Although the growth rate was stronger in Newbold during the 1980s than in the County or State, it dropped precipitously from the previous decade and was just over a fourth of the rate for the 1990s. The extremely high growth rate of the 1970s is probably the result of 2 factors: early suburban development in the area adjacent to Rhinelander and the very strong growth in the development of waterfront property. After the slow growth of the 1980s, the rate of growth increased during the next decade. In order to project growth in the future it is necessary to answer the question is this trend is likely to continue?

Table 14: Population Growth in Percent – by decade

Location 1970-1980

1980-1990

1990-2000

1970-1990

1980-2000

1970-2000

Town of Newbold 76.0 % 5.0 % 18.8 % 84.8 % 24.8 % 119.6 %Oneida County 27.8 % 1.5 % 16.3 % 29.7 % 17.8 % 50.5 %

Wisconsin 6.5 % 3.5 % 9.6 % 10.7 % 14.0 % 21.4 % Source: US Census, NCWRPC

The population growth experienced by Newbold during the decade of the 1970s is unlikely to be repeated in the future. The 20-year growth trend (1980-2000) was 24.8%. The growth rate projected by DOA is 14.4% over 20 years. In addition to projecting population, the DOA also estimates the population in the Town for the year 2005 to be 2,845. Although this figure is not as accurate as that produced by the census it is the best available data on the actual current population.


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Table 15: Population Projections – 2000 to 2025 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025

Dept. of Administration 2,710 2,837 2,963 3,068 3,158 3,245 Twenty-year growth rate 2,710 2,878 3,046 3,194 3,383 3,551

Source: U.S. Census, DOA, NCWRPC The 20-year growth projection encompasses both the high growth of the 1990s and the slower growth rate experienced during the 1980s. Population growth projections provided by Wis. DOA in 1993, the projections that provided the basis for the 1999 Comprehensive Plan, proved to be low by almost 9%. Much of this underestimate was probably the result of a failure to predict the trend toward conversion of seasonal dwellings to permanent residences and the high level of construction on newly created parcels. However, recent trends in the real estate markets suggest that development in Newbold may slow down in the coming years. Early in the planning process there was some feeling that growth in the Town could surpass even the twenty-year trend. However, it now seems prudent to assume that growth will remain within that trend. All subsequent trend analysis is based on that assumption.


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Chapter 4 -- TRANSPORTATION Background A transportation system includes all modes of travel. The local transportation network is an important factor for the safe movement of people and goods, as well as to the physical development of a Town. The Town of Newbold transportation system is made up of a system of roadways. There is no transit, air, or water transportation service within the Town. Inventory of Newbold Transportation Facilities Background Road Classifications

Principal Arterials – serve interstate and interregional trips. These routes generally serve urban areas with 5,000 people or more. Minor Arterials – accommodate interregional and county-to-county traffic, often in conjunction with principal arterials. Major Collectors – provide service to moderate sized communities and other county-level traffic. Minor Collectors – take traffic from local roads and provide links to all remaining portions of smaller communities and connect to other higher function roads listed above. Local Roads – provide direct access to residential, commercial, and industrial developments.

When analyzing the road system in Newbold, several aspects and factors were examined to discern possible shortcomings as well as plan for future needs. Analysis of traffic patterns through the examination of the road system, review of traffic counts, discussion with individuals at the local, County and State levels, and finally, a field survey of the roads assisted in providing possible recommendations relevant to the system To begin the analysis for the Town of Newbold, an examination of the existing configuration or pattern of the road system was performed. The Town's road configuration does not follow a typical rural roadway pattern of primarily north-south and east-west roads. Rather, the abundance of natural features within the Town (including the Wisconsin River as well as many lakes and wetland areas) dictates the patterns of the local roadways. In addition to the natural features, the extensive length relative to the width of Newbold has encouraged the development of an elongated roadway system to provide access to all portions of the Town. The Newbold road system is composed of 3 levels of governmental jurisdiction. These include the Town system encompassing the local roads, the County system of trunk highways and the State highway system. The following map illustrates existing road patterns as well as the jurisdictional layout. Specifically, County Trunk Highways "D", "E", “J" and "O" are classified as "State Forest Roads" and are maintained through the State Forest Road Fund. The map illustration identifies that the local roads comprise the greatest mileage. State Hwy. 47 is the most significant, for its greatest functional role and the amount of traffic carried. As previously noted, these functional classifications are generally equated with the jurisdictional divisions. In the more developed larger urban communities, this relationship may not be as rigid, whereas the local community constructs and maintains

North Central Wisconsin Town of Newbold Regional Planning Commission Transportation

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MAP 4 TRANSPORTATION


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all classes of the roadway system. However, in the typical rural transportation system the jurisdictional and the functional classifications maintain a closer relationship. The greatest emphasis of traffic in rural areas is generally on non-local efficient movement, whereas local access is secondary due to relatively low population densities. Minor Arterial Roads Based on the qualifications of the roadway classifications, the Town of Newbold has the service of two minor arterials: State Highway (Hwy.) 47 and 70. As shown on the map, Hwy 70 provides large volumes of traffic in the northern most portion of the Town in an east-west direction. This Hwy. provides linkage between Eagle River, St. Germain, Woodruff and Minocqua. Hwy. 47 is a north-south route of high traffic volume, entering or leaving the Rhinelander area through the Town of Newbold. Major Collector Roads The major collectors of the Town, which are designed to link arterials with the local roadways, include 5 County Trunk Highways; CTH "D", "J", "O", "K" and “E”. Hwy.s "D", "J", "O", and “E” provide access to and from Hwy 70 in the north. State Hwy. 47 in the central and southern parts of the Town is intersected by CTH K to provide an east-west across the southern part of the Town. Two Town roads, Spider Lake Road and Black Lake Road, are also considered to be major collector roads. Minor Collector Roads A number of Town roads are considered minor collectors connecting to major collectors as well as local roads. These include a loop made up of Forest Lane, Velvet Lake Road, Flannery Lake Road, Vets Memorial Drive, Mildred Lake Road, and Northwestern Drive in the southern part of the Town. Gypsy Lake Road in the central and northern part of the Town is also considered to be a minor collector road. Local Roads The Town of Newbold local road network consists of approximately 110-miles of local roads, of which about 30 miles are unpaved. As part of the Wisconsin Information System for Local Roads (WISLR) the Wis. DOT requires all local units of government to submit road condition rating data every 2 years. The Pavement Surface Evaluation and

Rating (PASER) program and WISLR are tools that local governments can use to manage pavements for improved decision making in budgeting and maintenance. Towns can use this information to develop better road budgets and keep track of roads that are in need of repair.

Average Annual Daily Traffic Counts Annual average daily traffic counts (AADT) are measured and calculated every three years by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (Wis. DOT) for 12 sites in the Town. Monitoring these

Black Lake Road Bridge


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counts provides a way to gauge how traffic patterns are changing in Newbold. The table on the following page details the Average Daily Traffic Counts for each of the monitored sites for the 1985-2003 time frame.

Table 16:

Annual Average Daily Traffic at Recorded Sites Town of Newbold 1985-2003

1985 1988 1994 2000 2003 % Change 1985-2003 Site 1

5,410 6,450 6,000 6,800 7,30035 %

Site 2

--- --- --- 4,700 5,50017 %

Site 3

2,810 3,630 4,300 --- --- 53 %

Site 4

2,370 2,690 3,700 4,300 4,30081 %

Site 5

610 700 280 340 480 -21 %

Site 6

450 550 680 790 840 87 %

Site 7

320 500 450 580 570 78 %

Site 8

90 120 80 100 100 11 %

Site 9

120 210 270 320 450 275 %

Site 10

410 770 900 940 1,100168 %

Site 11

730 1,190 1,400 1,500 1,700133 %

Site 12

900 1,390 1,200 1,500 1,30044 %

Site 1: STH 47 just north of CTH K Site 7: CTH D a mile east of CTH E Site 2: STH 47 a mile north of Bayview Drive Site 8: Gypsy Lake Road just south of CTH D Site 3: STH 47 half mile south of McNaughton Site 9: CTH D at Lehman Lane Site 4: STH 47 a mile west of McNaughton Site 10: CTH O just south of STH 70 Site 5: River Road a mile east of McNaughton Site 11: CTH J a mile west of Pinewood Drive Site 6: Black Lake Road a mile north of River Road Site 12: CTH J just south of STH 70 The entire road system in the Town of Newbold is also open to pedestrian and bicycle travel, although some traffic volumes may make such travel unsafe. State of Wisconsin Six Year Highway Improvement Program The state has no roadway maintenance in Newbold planned between 2006-2011.


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Oneida County Road Improvement Plan Annual road improvement plans are submitted to the Oneida County Board for approval.

Table 17: County Roadway Improvements (2006 – 2010)

Year Sponsor Rd/Hwy Location Project Mileage

Type of improvement

2006 Oneida CTH J CTH E to STH 70 3.87 mi. Design work

2006 Oneida CTH K STH 47 to City Limits 0.75 mi. Mill Repave 3”

2007 Oneida CTH D Swamp Lake Road to Rainbow dam 2 mi.

2008 Oneida CTH J CTH E to STH 70 3.87 mi. Reconstruct Source: Oneida County Highway Department Town Road Improvements Newbold’s Director of Public Works provided the following data regarding a future 5-year Town Road Improvement plan:

Table 18: Newbold Roadway Improvements (2006 – 2010)

Year Sponsor Rd/Hwy Location Mileage of project

Type of improvement

2006 Newbold Bridge Rd. STH 47 to Black Lake Rd. 1.07 mi. Reconstruct

2006 Newbold Clear Lake Rd.

At Cassian Town line -- Straighten

2006 Newbold Larsen Rd. River Rd. 500’ Mill & Overlay

2006 Newbold Lake Mildred Rd. Vets Memorial Dr. 0.59 mi. Pave

(22’/2”)

2007 Newbold Lake Mildred Rd.

Northwestern Dr. to Coon Lake Rd. 0.95 mi. Reconstruct

(22’/3”)

2007 Newbold Mildred Ln. Lake Mildred Rd. to Termini 0.18 mi. Reconstruct

(22’/2”)

2007 Newbold Evergreen Ct. STH 47 to Termini 0.09 mi. Reconstruct

(22’/2”)

2008 Newbold River Rd. S. Shore Dr. to N. Shore Dr. 1.93 mi. Reconstruct

(22’)

2009 Newbold Ole Lake Rd. STH 47 west 0.3 mi. Reconstruct

(22’/2”)

2009 Newbold Velvet Lake Rd.

Flannery Lake Rd. to Forest Ln. 0.86 mi. Reconstruct

(22’/3”)

2009 Newbold Turtle Lake Rd.

Stone Lake Rd. to Public Landing 0.14 mi. Reconstruct

2010 Newbold Black Lake Rd.

S. Shore Dr. to Ranch Rd. 1.18 mi. Reconstruct

(22’/3”)

Source. NCWRPC, Town of Newbold


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Annual Town road improvement projects are submitted for approval by the Director-Public Works to the Town Board when the annual budgets are being prepared. Bicycling Opportunities All roads in Newbold are available for bicycle travel. State Highway 47, and CTH “K” are not recommended for bicycle travel. The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin along with Wis. DOT has determined what the bicycling conditions are on all County and State highways. Roads currently suitable for bicycling and roads are designated as bicycle routes in the Regional Comprehensive Plan. During the 1990’s the Town constructed, with cooperation by the Wis. DOT and WDNR, an off-road bike trail from the central part of Twp. 37 near the Town Hall to the McNaughton area in Twp. 38. Several Town roads are posted for use as bike trails. Airports The Oneida County Airport, is a commercial facility with regularly scheduled flights and air cargo services. Northwest Airlink provides daily service to Minneapolis/St Paul, and Midwest Airlines provides daily service to Milwaukee. Rhinelander Oneida County Airport is the largest airport serving Oneida and surrounding Counties, and a sizable portion of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Bicycle routes in Newbold

Rail Canadian National Railroad provides rail service to Rhinelander and the Oneida County Industrial Park. There has been concern that service to Oneida County has been reduced. Bus/Transit Shared-ride taxi service is available in Rhinelander with special discounts available to seniors and the disabled. Rapid Cab provides for-profit taxi service, including a handicapped accessible van. Transportation Facilities for Disabled All residents of the Town age 60-years and over and all ages of handicapped persons are eligible to use the Oneida County’s Escort Driver program for a mileage charge. Trip priority is given to -- a) medical trips, b) nutrition sites, and c) grocery shopping, beauty


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shop, and other types of trip requests. Long distance trips such as to Wausau for medical services can be arranged. Pedestrian Facilities Most Town roads have limited shoulder areas. A motor vehicle creates a dust hazard for pedestrians on gravel roads. These conditions hamper safe pedestrian travel opportunities. Moreover, given the low-density development pattern of the town and the fact that nearly all goods and services are located several miles away in nearby cities, walking to places of work, shopping, or entertainment is not realistic for most residents. This situation is not anticipated to change over the 20-year planning period. As a result, people without access to motor vehicles must arrange for other transportation. Summary of Other State, County, and Local Transportation Plans Corridors 2020 Corridors 2020 was designed to enhance economic development and meet Wisconsin’s mobility needs well into the future. The 3,200-mile state highway network is comprised of two main elements: a multilane backbone system and a 2-lane connector system. All communities over 5,000 in population are to be connected with backbone & connector systems. This focus on highways was altered in 1991 with the passage of the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), which mandated that states take a multi-modal approach to transportation planning. Now, bicycle, transit, rail, air, and other modes of travel would make up the multi-modal plan. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s (Wis. DOT) response to ISTEA was the 2-year planning process in 1994 that created TransLinks 21. TransLinks 21 Wis. DOT incorporated Corridors 2020 into TransLinks 21, and discussed the impacts of transportation policy decisions on land use. TransLinks 21 is a 25- year statewide multi-modal transportation plan that Wis. DOT completed in 1994. Within this needs-based plan are the following modal plans:

State Highways Plan 2020 Airport System Plan 2020 Bicycle Transportation Plan 2020 Wisconsin Pedestrian Policy Plan 2020 Wisconsin Rail Issues and Opportunities Report No plan exists for transit or local roads.

Connections 2030 Connections 2030 will be a 25-year statewide multi-modal transportation plan that is policy-based. The policies will be tied to “tiers” of potential financing levels. One set of policy recommendations will focus on priorities that can be accomplished under current funding levels. Another will identify policy priorities that can be achieved if funding levels increase. Finally, Wis. DOT may also identify critical priorities that we must maintain if funding were to decrease over the planning horizon of the plan. This plan will not conflict with the Town of Newbold Comprehensive Plan, because the policies are based upon the transportation needs outlined in TransLinks 21.


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State Trails Network Plan The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) created this plan in 2001, to identify a Statewide network of trails and to provide guidance to the WDNR for land acquisition and development. Many existing trails are developed and operated in partnership with Counties. The WDNR acquires the corridor lands and the Counties create, operate, and maintain the trails. Oneida County Pedestrian and Bicycle Corridors Plan, 2002 In 2002, this plan was created to guide the development of bicycle and pedestrian facilities in Oneida County. The vision of this plan is to increase the mobility of people within the County by making walking and bicycling viable and attractive transportation choices. The proposed Rhinelander-Woodruff Trail runs through the southern section of the Town roughly paralleling the route of STH 47 to McNaughton, where the route splits and part of the path follows Town roads around the east and north sides of Two Sisters Lake. On-road routes are also designated for CTH “D”, “E”, and “J” in the area of the Rainbow Flowage. Rhinelander Area Pathways Project (RAPP), 2003 This plan is intended to guide the development of bicycle and pedestrian facilities for the City of Rhinelander within the context of the greater urban area. Interconnections are incorporated with neighboring towns, various destinations outside of the city, and the planned Oneida County Trail System. Bibliography NCWRPC, Oneida County Pedestrian and Bicycle Corridors Plan, 2002, Wausau NCWRPC, Rhinelander Area Pathways Project (RAPP), 2003, Wausau WDNR – Bureau of Parks and Recreation, State Trails Network Plan, 2001, Madison, WI WDOT – Bureau of Planning, Corridors 2020, 1988, Madison, WI WDOT – Bureau of Planning, TransLinks 21, 1994, Madison, WI WDOT – Bureau of Planning, Connections 2030, in process, Madison, WI WDOT – Wisconsin Highway Traffic Volume Data, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2003, Madison, WI


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Chapter 5 -- UTILITIES & COMMUNITY FACILITIES

Background The quality and range of community facilities and services within Newbold are an important component of the Town. In order to identify the future needs of the Town, an inventory of the existing community facilities and services was conducted. The information gathered through the inventory is presented in this portion of the plan. The facilities and services inventoried include:

1. Administrative Facilities/Services 2. Public Buildings 3. Schools 4. Library services 5. Health, Safety, Welfare related services (police, fire, rescue) 6. Town Road Maintenance, Personnel, Equipment and Gravel Pit 7. Solid Waste Management and Recycling 8. Communication Services and Electrical Power 9. Water and Sewer Accommodations

10. Parks, Public Access and Open Space The following inventory and trend data were gathered through interviews of Town personnel, program administrators, and public employees. The location of various public facilities are shown on Map 4 - Utilities & Community Facilities. 1. Administrative Facilities/Services Newbold's administrative facilities are housed in the Town Hall located near the intersection of Hwy 47 and the southern part of Apperson Drive. The building is 10,812 square feet and was constructed in two phases beginning in 1971 and expanded in 1984. The building is currently being renovated to improve the appearance and lifespan of the structure The administrative staff for Newbold consists primarily of the seven elected officials. There are four full-time individuals that compose the Road Crew that reports directly to the Town Chairperson. Other part-time staff is employed by the Town and paid on an hourly basis to conduct functions such as placing fire numbers on properties, scheduling the use of the Town Hall and maintenance work for the buildings and vehicles. Newbold also benefits from the work by many volunteers, including approximately 35 volunteer firefighters. Fifteen of the 35 volunteers are also the First Responders for Newbold. The Town Board consists of a Chairperson and four (4) Supervisors. Other Town Officers include the Clerk and Treasurer. The Town’s Assessor is a contractual employee. The Town also has a Plan Commission, consisting of seven (7) members, appointed by the Town Chair. The Plan Commission reviews all zoning and land division applications within the town and makes recommendations to the Town Board. Notices and agenda for all the Town Board and Plan Commission meetings are placed on a bulletin board in each of the three (3) Townships and are also posted on the Town website for informational purposes.

North Central Wisconsin Town of Newbold Regional Planning Commission 42 Utilities & Community Facilities

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Newbold owns and operates a Town Cemetery. A three-person Town Cemetery Committee manages and maintains the Cemetery. At this time there are no other standing committees; ad hoc temporary committees have been established in the past to deal with specific tasks such as new infrastructure or facilities. 2. Public Buildings The Town of Newbold's public buildings includes two fire stations, a Town hall which includes the former main fire station, and a Town shop. A new main fire hall adjacent to the Town hall was completed in 2005. The nearest public libraries for the Town of Newbold's residents are in the City of Rhinelander, the City of Eagle River, and the Town of Minocqua. The average distance to these library resources varies depending on where the resident lives.

Town Hall

3. Schools The educational facilities for the Town of Newbold are provided by two school districts; Rhinelander School District and Northland Pines School District. The Town is divided by school district boundaries that begin just south of the Bass Lake area in Twp. 39, then north following CTH D east across the remaining portion of the Town. The part of the Town north of CTH D is served by the Northland Pines School District, while the part south of CTH D is served by the Rhinelander School District. The Rhinelander School District has 2 Charter schools – Northwoods Community Elementary School located at the Cassian-Woodboro school building for grades K-5, and Northwoods Community Secondary School located at the South Park school building for grades 6-12. All other students from the central and southern parts of Newbold attend Pelican or Crescent Schools for grades K-3, Central School for grades 4-5 and Rhinelander Junior High School and Rhinelander High School for grades 6-12. Children from the northern part of Newbold attend the St Germain Elementary School for grades K-5 and then the Northland Pines Middle School and the Northland Pines High School in Eagle River for grades 6-12. 4. Library services The Town of Newbold is by contractual agreement a member of the Rhinelander District Library. The Town pays an annual assessment to the District so that residents are members of the Library. The District Library is part of the Wisconsin Valley Library


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System. District Library members can access a number of services from their home computer and share library materials with twenty other system libraries. 5. Health, Safety, Welfare Related Services (Police Protection, Fire and Rescue, Emergency Medical Services)

Police Protection The police protection services for Newbold are provided by the Oneida County Sheriff Department that is based out of the City of Rhinelander and the Town of Woodruff. The Sheriff still responds to all accidents that result in damage or injury (including recreational or domestic, besides motor vehicles), structural fires, and miscellaneous public threats or disturbances. However, the increase in population, traffic volumes, and accidents of all kinds may lead to additional calls. In some rural communities, relying upon a County Sheriff for protection can present problems because the time of each Sheriff must be divided over greater distances. However, the Oneida County Sheriff Department has state of the art equipment that assists in their provision of services for Newbold. The Sheriff Department has instituted "Enhanced 911" or E-911 throughout the County. Upon receiving a call, E-911 allows the dispatcher to see the address that the phone is billed to, the Township of the call, as well as the appropriate link for fire and first responder services for the call. Fire & Rescue Services Thirty-five (35) volunteer firefighters staff Newbold’s fire and rescue service. Included in the volunteers are a Department Chief, three (3) Assistant Chiefs, a Captain, and two (2) Lieutenants. The Town has two fire stations. A new main fire station located adjacent to the Town Hall off Hwy. 47 near Apperson Drive was completed in 2005. An auxiliary station, constructed in 1998, is located in the central portion of the Town at the corner of Ranch and Black Lake Roads. The Town of Newbold also has a contractual agreement with St. Germain Fire Department for service to the northern portion of the Town. St. Germain constructed a new fire station facility adjacent to Hwy. 155 and has adequate service capacity. The fire equipment that Newbold owns includes: 2-engine trucks, 3-tankers, 3-rescue squads, 1-equipment van, 1-boat, 1-(6X6) all-terrain vehicle, 2-snowmobiles, and 2- Hurst Jaws of Life. Newbold has Automatic Mutual Aid or other cooperative agreements with Crescent, Pine Lake, Lake Tomahawk, Rhinelander and Cassian to provide additional assistance with fire and rescue services. Newbold is also part of Oneida County's Mutual Aid Agreement for fire protection and Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The Insurance Service Office (ISO) uses a “Grading Schedule” for Municipal Fire Protection to evaluate the adequacy of the fire protection rural municipalities. This grading system provides a guideline that many municipalities follow when planning for improvements in their existing fire protection services. The grading schedule is based upon several factors; fire department equipment, alarm systems, water supply system, fire prevention programs, building construction, and distance of potential hazard areas from a fire station. The rating is on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 representing the best


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protection and 10 representing an almost unprotected community. The ISO rating for Newbold's fire protection is a 9 within 5-miles of either fire station. Emergency Medical Services (First Responders) Emergency medical service for the Town is provided by Newbold First Responders. The staffing is provided by 15 volunteers which includes

• 1 EMS Captain (EMT), • 8 Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), and • 7 first responders.

The First Responders make use of 2-rescue squad vehicles. In addition, the First Responders have 4-automatic electronic defibrillators available for use. Newbold residents must be transported to medical facilities in Rhinelander, Minocqua, Woodruff, or Eagle River, when appropriate, because Newbold does not have a hospital or medical center. As previously mentioned, the Newbold First Responders are a member of the Oneida County EMS Mutual Aid Agreement. An immediate need of the First Responder Services is the shortage of personnel able to respond to daytime calls.

Main Fire Hall, Hwy 47 Fire Hall, Twp 38 6. Town Road Maintenance, Personnel, Equipment and Gravel Pit Newbold has approximately 110-miles of Town Roads. To maintain and operate this equipment the Town employs 4 full-time and 1 part-time individual, plus an additional person on reserve call. Equipment owned by the Town for maintaining the road system includes 4-single axle plow/dump trucks with plows, sanders and scrapers; a tandem axle truck with plow; a grader; an end loader; a loader back-hoe, a tractor with boom mower; a 4-wheel drive pick-up truck and a brush chipper. The availability of gravel is very important for the Town’s road construction, improvement and maintenance needs. Newbold owns a 75-acre parcel west of Black Lake Rd. in Twp. 38 that contains an active gravel pit. Based on the Town’s gravel usage of 5,000- yards per year this pit has a projected life of about 20-years. Reclamation plans for the gravel pit site have been developed and are implemented as the gravel pit is expanded.


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7. Solid Waste Management/Recycling Refuse collection for the Town of Newbold residents is currently provided by private collectors through individual contracts with the resident. The private haulers collect recyclables once a month. Oneida County no longer operates a sanitary landfill, but instead has a transfer station located at the former landfill site on CTH “K”. Construction materials are still accepted at the landfill and there is recycling drop-off and a hazardous waste depot there all operated by the County. There is another recycling drop-off site on CTH “J” in Woodruff 8. Communication Services & Electrical Power The communication and power facilities for the Town of Newbold include: telephone service, postal service, electric power, natural gas, and cable services. All of the utilities for the Town of Newbold are provided out of Rhinelander. The predominant basic local telephone service is provided by Frontier Telephone Companies. Verizon North serves the northern part of the Town from Eagle River. Broadband Internet service is available in the form of DSL from Verizon North along and nearby STH 70. DSL is also available in large parts of the southern sections of the town through Frontier near Rhinelander, and nearby fiber optic cables that run along Black Lake Road, River Road and other areas. Wisconsin Public Service Corporation provides both the electrical power and natural gas to Newbold. Postal service is provided to residents at a number of separate postal stations including McNaughton (54543) located within the Town, as well as Rhinelander (54501), Lake Tomahawk (54539), St. Germain (54558), and Eagle River (54521). 9. Water Supply and Sewer Accommodations The Town of Newbold does not have a municipally owned public water supply system, instead private wells provide the water supply for the Town residents. Due to the corrosive nature of the area's water supply, lead and copper from piping can be a concern. According to the WDNR Drinking & Groundwater Department, the geology of Oneida County leads to highly corrosive water that affects the plumbing pipes that the water passes through. By the water traveling through copper and lead pipes, the water takes on additional copper and lead. These additional levels of copper and lead may reach high levels in a few areas that might cause ingestion problems for some people. The nearest public water supply is provided by the City of Rhinelander that shares the Town's southern border. The Town of Newbold currently does not have any public sewer system accommodations. Households, businesses, and public facilities all have individual septic systems. The Town does not have any established sanitary districts. The nearest public sewer system is provided by the City of Rhinelander.


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MAP 5 UTILITIES & COMMUNITY FACILITIES


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10. Parks, Public Access and Open Space Inventory Town of Newbold: Park System:

• Town Hall Park – this 4-acre park area is adjacent to the Town Hall/Fire Station on Hwy 47. This park is maintained as a recreational area, picnic area and community center. During 2007 playground equipment was acquired from the abandoned Newbold Grade School and installed in an area adjacent to the Town Hall. In addition, the Town Hall Park has of a two-section picnic shelter/cooking shelter facility with the picnic tables This Park is the location of the annual Firemen's picnic sponsored by the Newbold Volunteer Fire Department.

• Newbold Memorial Park – this 2-acre parcel is located at the intersection of Black

Lake Road and Rapids Road adjacent to the wooden bridge and has a water supply, a picnic area and canoe launching facilities.

Public Access:

• Two Sisters Lake

Beach/Boating Landing in Twp. 38. – this recreational area provides a public boat landing and swim-ming beach with parking space available.

• Fredrich’s Landing on

Bridge Road in Twp. 38 – constructed in 2005, this recreational area provides a fishing pier, and boat/canoe launching facilities for access to the upper reaches of the Wis. River.

Townline County Park

• Public Waterfront Access Areas – the Town maintains 10 waterfront access areas.

These facilities range from canoe access, to areas equipped with a boat- launching ramp, fishing piers and beach areas.


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Oneida County Facilities: Park System:

• Townline Park – the location of this 21-acre park is off of CTH "K" on Townline Lake. The park area is divided into two parts. One part is on the south shore of Townline Lake. This area includes a beach area, restrooms and changing facilities, as well as a parking lot. The other part of the park is on the eastern shore of the lake and includes a boat launching facility, picnic shelters, grills and tables, restroom facilities, playground equipment and a parking area.

Public Access:

• Snowmobile Trails – Both the State and private clubs provide funding for snowmobile trails that are maintained as part of Oneida County's Snowmobile Trail Council. These trails cross the Town of Newbold in the northernmost portion along Hwy 70, CTH "O", and CTH "J". These trails wind around the Rainbow Flowage and Wisconsin River to then cross the Town in the southernmost Township.

• Public Waterfront Access Areas – Townline Lake, Tom Doyle Lake, Flannery

Lake and the Wisconsin River off CTH "O". Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC): Park System

• WVIC maintains one active park in Newbold in an area adjacent to the Rainbow Dam on CTH “D”. This park includes boat launching facilities (both above and below the dam), picnic facilities, and a parking area.

Public Access

• Wisconsin River & Rainbow Flowage Access – The WVIC maintains numerous public access points for canoes, boats, and fishing areas. The portion of the Wisconsin River above and below the Rainbow Flowage is heavily used for canoe day trips.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and Northern Highland –American Legion State Forest (NH-AL): Park System:

• Neither the WDNR nor the NH-AL provides active park facilities in Newbold. Public Access:

• The WDNR maintain several boat and/or canoe launching facilities in the Town.


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• Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest (NH-AL) – this State owned and managed working forest provides a variety of recreational opportunities for Newbold residents and the general public. The NH-AL Forest encompasses more than 290,000-acres in Vilas, Oneida and Iron Counties. Approximately 23,000-acres of NH-AL forest are located in Newbold. The only NH-AL improved sites in the Town are boat or canoe launching access areas in the Northern part of the Town.

Quasi-Public Lands:

• Oneida Bow Hunters Club – this organization provides 16-acres of land for use as a roving archery range in the southern portion of Newbold off Hwy 47. The club can is used for individual practice and competitions are periodically held.

• Fort Wilderness Camp – located off Spider Lake Road this is a Christian

Youth/Adult Education Camp, which provides services for people of all ages. Summer camps are available for families and/or children. Retreats are held year-round and the camp management allows public access for cross-country skiing.

• Camp Birchrock – This is a Campfire Girls youth camp Located off Hwy “K”.

• Towering Pines Youth Camp -- located adjacent to Hwy “D” in Twp. 39 is a boy’s

youth camp.

• Managed Forest Lands -- Approximately 1,300-aces of privately owned land, included in the WDNR Forest Crop and Managed Forest programs, are available for public use for fishing, hunting, hiking, etc.

This inventory of the existing park and public lands within the Town of Newbold demonstrates that the community offers an abundance of recreational opportunities with the variety of public lands, natural resource areas, and specialized recreational use areas (e.g., boating access). However, opportunities for recreational activities in many geographic areas of the Town are limited and consideration of new sites and future expansion is a goal of this plan.


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Chapter 6 -- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Labor Force Overall, the labor force in the Town of Newbold has grown from 935 in 1980 to nearly 1,400 in 2000; a growth of almost 50%, which exceeds the State’s growth rate of about 27%. A labor force is defined as the number of persons 16 and over who are employed or actively seeking employment. The labor force participation rate is defined as the percentage of those 16 years and over who are employed or seeking employment. The Town of Newbold’s participation rate of 63% in 2000 is lower than the State’s overall participation rate of 69.1%, and slightly less than the national participation rate of 63.9%. Table 19: Labor Force – 1980-2000

Town of Newbold 1980 1990 2000 Change 1980-2000

WI State 1980-2000

Labor Force 935 1125 1382 47.8 % 26.8 % Employed 858 1081 1344 56.6 % 29.3 % Unemployed 77 44 38 -50.6 % -9.8 % Unemployment Rate 4.7 % 2.5 % 1.7 % -- -- Not in Labor Force 662 639 811 -- -- Participation Rate 58.5 % 63.7% 63.0 % 4.5 % 11.2 %

Source: U.S. Census and NCWRPC Unemployment In 1980 the Town of Newbold experienced an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which compared favorably to the State rate of 6.6%. By 2000, unemployment had decreased to 1.7%, which again compared favorably to the State rate of 4.7%. Unemployment is defined as the difference between the total civilian labor force and total persons employed. Stay-at-home parents, retirees, or persons not searching for employment are not considered unemployed because they are not considered to be part of the “labor force”. Workforce Participation Much of the growth in the Town’s labor force has been due to a combination of an increase in the participation rates and increases in the labor force population. In 1980, 58.5% of the population over 16 was in the labor force. By 2000, that rate increased to 63%. The national participation rate in 2000 was 63.9% and the State rate was 69%, which suggests that the Town of Newbold is consistent with State and national averages. Workforce participation is a measure expressed in terms of a percentage of persons not actively seeking employment divided by the total working age population. These persons may not seek employment due to retirement, disability, choose to be a homemaker, or simply are not looking for work. In any event, these persons are not receiving unemployment benefits, nor are they seeking employment in any capacity.

North Central Wisconsin Town of Newbold Regional Planning Commission 51 Economic Development

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Household Income There are two basic measures of income: Median Household Income and Per Capita Income. Median Household Income provides an indication of the economic ability of the typical family or household unit, while Per Capita Income provides a measure of relative earning power on a per person level. The Median Household Income for the Town of Newbold in 2000 was $40,722 and the Per Capita Income was $20,392. Both Median and Per Capita Incomes in the Town are higher than those for Oneida County as a whole, but less than the State and national averages. The census data also shows that the communities surrounding Newbold have lower median incomes.

Table 20: Median Household and Per Capita Income – 2000 Census

Location: Median Household Income

Per Capita Income

Town of Newbold $40,722 $20,392 Oneida County $37,619 $19,746 Wisconsin $43,791 $21,271 United States $41,994 $21,587 Source: U.S. Census 2000 and NCWRPC

Of the 1,124 households in the Town, 275 reported incomes less than $24,999 and 75 had an income above $100,000. The 2000 Census indicates that poverty is relatively low with only 3% of families in the Town below the poverty line, and less than 5.5% of those over 65 living in poverty. Occupations of Newbold Residents Most Town residents commute to employment areas versus remaining within the Town to work. There are no industrial parks in the Town of Newbold, but there is an industrial park and other industrial areas nearby in the City of Rhinelander and other communities in north central Wisconsin that provide employment opportunities for Town residents.

Table 21: Resident Occupations – 2000 Census

Occupation Town of Newbold

City of Rhinelander Oneida County State of Wisconsin

Management/professional 406 30.2 % 970 28.4 % 5,177 29.8 % 857,205 31.4 %Sales/office 334 24.9 % 919 26.9 % 4,465 25.9 % 690,360 25.2 %Construction 210 15.6 % 260 7.6 % 1,998 11.6 % 237,086 8.7 % Production/transportation 209 15.6 % 606 17.7 % 2,604 15.1 % 540,930 19.8 %Service 170 12.6 % 593 17.4 % 2,747 16.0 % 383,619 14.0 %Farming/forestry 15 1.1 % 68 2.0 % 268 1.6 % 25,365 0.9 %

Total 1,344 100 % 3416 100 % 17,259 100 % 2,734,565 100 % Source: US Census & NCWRPC The table above identifies the total number and corresponding percentage of residents employed in the occupations shown in the first column. Data is provided for the Town of


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Newbold, the City of Rhinelander, Oneida County and the State of Wisconsin to provide comparisons. Management and professional workers are the largest component of the labor force in the Town of Newbold, constituting a similar segment of the workforce as the County or the State. Sales and office workers are the next largest employment group. Production and transportation workers are slightly over 15% of workers, which is more than the City of Rhinelander, Oneida County or the State. Sales and office employment is another 25% of workers, similar to levels in the City and County, and the State. Industrial Development Sites Newbold does not currently maintain space for industrial development. There are a few small mining sites and scattered commercial development throughout the Town, but the rural nature and lack of infrastructure within the community is not amenable to industrial development.

State Highway70 in St. Germain, the south side of this road (right) is in the Town of Newbold and is the site of a number of businesses


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Chapter 7 -- LAND USE Background The Town of Newbold covers an area of about 59,500-acres (93-sq. miles) in central Oneida County. Generally, the basic soils are weathered sedimentary deposits and outwash materials over granite bedrock with drained moranic soils more prominent in the northern sections of the Town. Woodlands and forestry are the major land uses in the Town. Recreational residences, especially on waterfront property, are prominent. Land use is a means of broadly classifying different types of activities. Each type of use has its own characteristics, making some more compatible than other combinations. Consequently, to best plan for the future, knowledge of the present is necessary. In the case of the Town of Newbold, the situation is somewhat simplified by the general dominance of woodlands and forests as a land use.

Existing Land Use

1998 Land Use Database A land use inventory of the Town was developed in January 1998, when members of the Newbold Public Advisory Committee (NEWPAC) assembled for an all-day workshop to delineate 1989 aerial photos by different land use types. The information was subsequently digitized by NCWRPC and an Existing Land Use Plan Map was produced. The 1998 Existing Land Use analysis is summarized in the following table:

Table 22: Existing Land Use – 1998 Database Land Use Type Acres Percent Forest & Woodlands 43,458 73.0 % Water 9,100 15.3 % Residential 4,551 7.6 % Agriculture 1,149 1.9 % Youth/Recreational Camps 790 1.4 % Other 452 .8 % Total 59,500 100.0 %

Source: 1999 Foth & Van Dyke report

2007 Land Use Database Members of the Newbold Plan Commission developed an updated land use inventory for the Town in 2007 by using digital databases available from the Oneida County Land Information Office and the efforts of the NCWRPC Senior GIS Analyst. A map of current Existing Land Use was prepared using digital data developed from aerial photos taken in the fall of 2006. This new database accurately identified building/structure locations. Members of the Plan Commission analyzed the new land use map to differentiate between residential and business properties, identify agricultural lands, confirm the locations of governmental properties, etc.

North Central Wisconsin Town of Newbold Regional Planning Commission 54 Land Use

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The following table summarizes current (year 2007) acreages for various land use categories:

Table 23: Existing Land Use – 2007 Database Land Use Type Acres Percent Forest & Woodlands 42,590 71.6 % Water 9,100 15.3 % Residential 4,700 8.0 % Agriculture 1,150 1.9 % Youth/Recreational Camps 790 1.3 % Transportation 780 1.3 % Commercial 270 .5 % Town Services, Gravel Pit, Abandoned Landfills 120 .1 %

Total Acres 59,500 100.0 % Source: NCWRPC GIS

In general, lands used for residential purposes in the Town are distributed around lakes and along the Wisconsin River. Forestlands and associated residential uses of some of these lands are distributed in a “mixed” pattern throughout the Town. There are some areas of agricultural use in the center of the town, east of McNaughton. Most of the northern half of the Town consists of forests and woodlands made up of WDNR and NH-AL Forest owned lands with some scattered residential areas, mainly around or near lakes. The three youth camps, Towering Pines, Fort Wilderness and Camp Birchrock, continue to thrive. The large commercial cranberry marsh, covering approximately 600- acres, in the northeastern part of the Twp. 39 is still in operation. Commercial land uses are widely distributed through out the Town and are primarily located adjacent to the County and State Highways.

Land Use Development Patterns The land use development patterns in Newbold have been influenced by several key factors: 1. The location of WDNR and NH-AL State Forest lands; 2. The location of Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company lands; 3. Lands enrolled in Forest Management Programs; 4. Privately owned lands, adjacent area lakes and the Wisconsin River; 5. The southern part of the Town's proximity to the City of Rhinelander; 6. The location and function of Co. Hwy K, State Hwys. 47 and 70. These key factors and their associated influence on the Town of Newbold land use and development pattern will now be discussed. 1. Publicly Owned Lands (WDNR and NH-AL State Forest Lands)

As previously stated, forest and woodlands are the predominant land use feature in Newbold make up approximately 42,600-acres or about 72% of the area of the Town. Of this total, approximately 22,500-acres or about 53%, are currently owned and managed by the WDNR and are included the boundaries of the NH-AL State Forest.


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Lands owned and managed by the WDNR are designated for forestry, ecological, and recreational purposes. Intensive residential or commercial development on these lands will not occur. This State ownership has produced a land use pattern that is less fragmented, with more contiguous forests in the northern half of the Town. State ownership of lands in the northern half of the Town provides long term insurance against major development pressure in this region. Existing residential developments adjacent to some of the waterways within the northern half of the Town are the result of privately owned properties that were developed before NH-AL State Forest was established. 2. Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC) Lands The charter of the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC) is:

"to produce as nearly a uniform flow of water as practicable in the Wisconsin and Tomahawk rivers by storing in reservoirs surplus water for discharge when water supply is low to improve the usefulness of the rivers for all public purposes and to reduce flood damage."

To achieve this objective, in 1935 WVIC built a dam across the Wis. River in Twp. 39, the northern part of Newbold. Construction of this dam resulted in the flooding of the upper reaches of the Wis. River and the creation of a 2,035-acre lake now known as the Rainbow Flowage. Prior to May 2004, the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC) owned and managed approximately 3,800-acres of non-flooded lands in Newbold. In May 2004 the WVIC sold approximately 1,500-acres of these non-flooded lands to the WDNR. In Dec. 2007 the WVIC sold their remaining 2,300-acres of non-flooded lands to the WDNR. Except for some small parcels of land used for parks, public landings, and maintenance requirements, WVIC no longer owns or manages any land in the Town. The historical impact of WVIC previously owned lands in Newbold has been significant. Similar to those lands owned by the WDNR and the NH-AL Forest; the WVIC previously owned woodlands and forestlands were never developed. The forestry use associated with these WVIC lands resulted in the preservation of "large blocks" of contiguous forest, essential for the preservation and protection of wildlife habitat and numerous endangered wildlife species. 3. Lands enrolled in WDNR Forest Management Programs

Some of the 42,600-acres of woodlands and forest in Newbold, are privately owned properties enrolled in WDNR Forest Management Programs. The current Forest Management Programs administered by the WDNR are the Forest Crop Law and Managed Forest Law. Currently, lands enrolled in these programs involve approximately 3,640-acres of woodlands or forests in the Town and are distributed in the Town as shown in the following table:


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Table 24: Newbold FC & MFL Lands – 2007 Twp. Acres Percent Parcels Percent

Twp 37 1,900 52 % 70 53 % Twp 38 1,460 40 % 52 39 % Twp 39 280 8 % 10 8 % Total 3,640 100 % 132 100 %

Source: WDNR, Oneida County, Town of Newbold

With respect to future land use, these lands have less protection from future development pressure than WDNR owned lands. Lands enrolled under the Forest Management Programs can be removed from the programs after payment of a withdrawal penalty or after the contractual time expires. These lands can then be developed as per current zoning regulations. The potential transition of these lands into other land use types (e.g., residential developments) will be a likely land use trend during the planning period. 4. Privately Owned Property Adjacent to Lakes, Streams and the Wisconsin River

The desire of property owners to establish seasonal or permanent residences along waterbodies is as evident in the Town of Newbold as anywhere in Oneida or Vilas County. Major residential developments have occurred on a majority of the larger lakes and the southern reaches of the Wisconsin River. Two major trends are likely to continue throughout the planning period as they relate to this factor.

• Conversion of seasonal to permanent residences will increase as the baby boomer generation migrates northward for retirement settings, and;

• Waterfront development pressure will increase, as less pristine undeveloped frontage on lakes and the Wis. River is available.

Large privately owned parcels of land adjacent to lakes, streams and the Wisconsin River will face most of the development pressure for subdivisions. 5. Township 37 Proximity to the City of Rhinelander

Newbold's land use pattern reveals more intense residential development throughout the southern Township. Since the City of Rhinelander provides regional employment opportunities, this part of the Town provides a "suburban community" housing opportunity for residents who work in the City and reside in the Town. Due to the likely increase in development pressure to infill interior lands in Twp. 37, potential border and service issues may well surface during the planning period. Resolution of permitted densities within the border region of Newbold could have long standing implications on the feasibility of future services such as public sewer, water and stormwater management. 6. Location and Function of County Highway K and State Highways 47 and 70

State Highway 47 will continue to function as the major arterial within the Town and more importantly serves as Newbold's "Main Street." Commercial activity is primarily


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MAP 6: EXISTING LAND USE


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focused at the intersection of Co. Hwy.”K” and Hwy. 47. Several tavern/restaurant type establishments occur along the northern parts Hwy. 47. An often-overlooked commercial area of the Town is located along the southern side of Hwy. 70, across the highway from the Town of St. Germain. Current development in this area includes a large hotel complex, amusement park and other small commercial establishments. Additional commercial development is feasible. Since a majority of commercial land use is associated with high traffic areas, the Town should anticipate commercial development pressure along both the County and State highways. The appearance of future commercial development should be addressed by the Town to ensure compatibility with the desire to maintain Newbold’s Northwoods/Recreational Character.

2005-2025 Future Land Use Plan The Future Land Use Plan map illustrates long-term land use recommendations for all lands in the Town. Although the map is advisory and does not have the authority of zoning, it is intended to reflect community desires and serve as a guide for local officials to coordinate and manage future development of the town. The Future Land Use Plan groups land uses that are compatible and separates conflicting uses. To create the Plan, seven basic Future Land Use Classifications were created. To ease future implementation of the Plan a majority of the classifications generally correspond to the zoning districts in the Oneida County Zoning Ordinance. It must be stressed that the Land Use Classifications are not zoning districts and do not have the authority of zoning. However, the Future Land Use Plan map and classifications will be used as a guide when reviewing subdivision applications and future zoning.

Future Land Use Classification Definitions The following Future Land Use Classifications and associated definitions generalize land use into categories. Each land use classification "title" identifies what the Town believes is the desired future use of land defined within the classification boundaries. Each classification specifies the character, location, and density of future land use. The Future Land Use Classifications are not zoning districts and do not have the authority of zoning. Each Future Land Use Classification has a distinct purpose and an area designation as shown on the Future Land Use Plan Map. The Future Land Use Classifications and their general geographic locations are discussed below. Residential – Single Family (Medium-Density) Identifies areas recommended for residential development typically consisting of smaller lot sizes. This classification targets existing residential neighborhoods that primarily serve a bedroom function to the services and opportunities offered by the City of Rhinelander. Continued in-fill of vacant lands within this classification would be encouraged and managed at densities that would not preclude the feasibility of public


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water or sewer infrastructure systems. Clustered residential development would also be encouraged. On-water (lakes, rivers, streams) property would be specifically regulated by the ability of the waterway to accommodate future development. Residential – Single Family (Low-Density) Identifies areas that are recommended for less dense residential development, consisting of larger lot sizes than the medium density residential category. The objective of this classification is to maintain high quality single-family residences in existing or clustered environments. Densities will be higher than the Residential – Country Living classification but will stay in character with existing developments within the classification. Densities should be managed to allow adequate space for the replacement of private on-site sewage treatment systems while minimizing an impact on aesthetics and water quality. On-water (lakes, rivers, streams) properties may be allowed to develop at a higher residential density but would be specifically regulated by the waterways ability to accommodate the development. Residential – Country Living Identifies areas of less dense residential development than the low-density Single Family classification, consisting of larger lot sizes than other residential categories. This classification is designed to provide for low-density single-family residences located in natural settings. On-water (lakes, rivers, streams) residential developments would be specifically regulated by the waterways ability to accommodate development. This land use category permits commercial farm operations, the raising of livestock and poultry as well as hobby farms and tree farms. In fact, these agricultural uses are preferred above all others in this classification. Multi-family housing, elderly housing developments, and businesses could be established in this category but only with appropriate zoning permits. Agriculture This land use classification is specifically targeted to allow for the continuation of existing commercial farm operations that are enrolled in the State of Wis. Farmland Preservation Program. This classification acknowledges the need for and use of agricultural type structures such as machine storage sheds and maintenance facilities to accommodate the farming operation. Educational and/or Recreational Business Identifies areas, such as summer camps and resorts, which provide an outdoor and educational experience to short-term residents. This classification is designed to accommodate educational and recreational camps, recreational businesses, resorts, and low-density single-family residential uses. Building and infrastructure support facilities such as administration, maintenance buildings, group meeting quarters, animal barns, parking and wastewater systems would be permitted. Forestry This land use classification is designed to achieve the goal of maintaining forest integrity. The primary intent of the classification is to encourage the continuation of large tracts of forested areas that are managed to produce forest products in concert with maintaining a diversity of vegetative and biological communities. These lands are also maintained to provide recreational opportunities such as hunting, fishing, hiking, skiing, camping, snowmobiling, all-terrain-vehicles (ATVs) and/or bird watching.


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MAP 7: FUTURE LAND USE


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The forests in the northern half of the Town are included in the Northern Highland- American Legion State Forest. Much of the forestland in the southern half of the Town is in private ownership where the primary intent of this classification is to allow for continued or potential enrollment into forest management programs. Community and Highway Business Identifies areas recommended for commercial development, as well as existing commercial establishments located throughout the Town. This classification would allow for the in-fill of existing vacant commercial properties. Commercial uses would be mixed between highway (tourist dependent) and community service. 2005-2025 Future Land Use Map Using the land use categories previously discussed, the Plan Commission members updated the Future Land Use map that was developed as part of the 1997-1999 planning process. Specifically, they used a current Existing Land Use map, their knowledge and understanding of the geography of the Town and their interpretation of current development trends. The goal was to produce a generalized Future Land Use Map to guide the town’s growth in the next decades. The Year 2025-Future Land Use Plan Map represents the desired arrangement of land uses for the future. The updated Future Land Use Plan map developed by the Plan Commission members identified land use acreages as shown in the following table:

Table 25: Future Land Use Acreage Land Use Acres Percent

Forestry 30,189 50.7 % Residential 17,079 28.7 % Ed. & Rec. Bus. 1,132 1.9 % Commercial 897 1.5 % Agriculture 520 0.9 %

Sub Total 49,817 83.7 % Waterbodies & Transportation 9,800 16.5 %

Total 59,617* 100.2 %* Source: NCWRPC GIS *adjustments will be made to these totals

2005-2025 Land Use Projections Based on land use projections developed by NCWRPC the need for land in various use categories is more than adequately met by the future land use envisioned by the Town.

Table 26: Land Use Projections -- Acres Type of Use 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025

Residential 4,518 4,576 5,151 5,573 5,952 6,298 Commercial 276 289 305 321 337 355

Source: U.S. Census, DOA, NCWRPC

The projected increase in single-family housing units based on a twenty-year growth trend would require 6,300-acres of land by 2025. Land in commercial use would


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increase by 2025 to 355-acres. No industrial uses are envisioned. The future land use analysis indicates a surplus of available land, especially for residential uses, over what is likely to be required based on current growth trends. As actual trends become more apparent over time it would be prudent to reconsider some of the underlying assumptions.

Land Values and Markets There are three different markets for land in the Town of Newbold that correspond roughly to the three townships.

• Township 37 lands closest to City of Rhinelander are in demand for suburban residential and commercial development. There is also waterfront and recreational development as well as some forestry lands;

• Township 38 is generally a mix of waterfront development, agriculture, and forestry lands, and;

• Township 39 is dominated by WDNR and NH-AL State Forest land. Each type of land commands a different price: forest land ranges from $2,000 to $3,000 per acre, while waterfront property, usually sold by the front-foot can cost from $1,100 to $2,500 per frontage-foot on lakes and from $800 to $1,000 per frontage-foot on the Wisconsin River. In 2004 the State’s Land Legacy Fund purchased about 1,500-acres of land from WVIC at an average price of approximately $2,500 per acre. Recently, sales of undeveloped land in the Town involving 10-acre lots were sold for $55,000 or $5,500 per acre. It is reasonable to assume that land in the Town has an average value between $2,500 per acre in the less developed parts of the Town to over $5,000 per acre in the southern sections of Newbold. Dividing the total assessed valuation of the Town by the acreage of the Town, excluding WDNR and NH-AL State Forest lands, yields an average value $11,083 per acre. However, there are significant differences in the assessed valuation of the different types of land. The more than 20,000-acres of privately owned woodlands and forestlands in the Town have an average value of $1,115 per acre, while the 4,700-acres of residential lands average $78,528 in value. This is understandable considering that the residential lands include improvements and the high value of some waterfront property.

Development Regulations Land Division and Zoning Regulations Under Wisconsin Statutes, Counties and local units of government are authorized to adopt "zoning" ordinances. Zoning is a method for implementing or carrying out a comprehensive plan by predetermining a logical pattern of land use development. A zoning ordinance consists of map and a written text. A zoning map arranges the community into districts or zones; e.g., agriculture, residential, commercial, industrial, etc. Within each of these districts or zones, the text of the ordinance specifies the permitted land uses, the size of buildings, yard/lot dimensions, and other prerequisites in obtaining permission to develop. The goal of a zoning ordinance is to ensure a


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reasonable development pattern by keeping similar and related land uses together and separating dissimilar, unrelated and incompatible uses; particularly in relationship to transportation facilities, utilities and public services and facilities. A County may promulgate a zoning ordinance as described above for the unincorporated areas of the County, that is, outside the corporate boundaries of Cities and Villages, but it is only effective if a Town adopts it for application to its jurisdiction, which the Town of Newbold has done. In the absence of a County zoning ordinance, Towns can adopt their own zoning ordinances, but if there is a County ordinance in place and a Town wants to adopt zoning, it must adopt the County ordinance, or have the County approve a separate ordinance for that Town. The County must first approve any ordinance, ordinance revision, or amendment to a Town zoning ordinance before it may become effective. For specific zoning language as it pertains to permitted uses, conditional uses, setback requirements consult the Oneida County Zoning Ordinance. Counties are mandated to promulgate and adopt a zoning ordinance that regulates land use in shoreland/wetland and floodplain areas for the entire area of the County outside of villages and cities, which Oneida County has also done. This ordinance supersedes any Town ordinance unless a separate Town ordinance is more restrictive. The shoreland/wetland and floodplain area is that area that lies within 1,000-feet of a lake, within 300-feet of a navigable stream, or to the landward side of a floodplain whichever distance is greater. Since Newbold does not have separate zoning regulations it must rely on the Oneida County Zoning and Shoreland Protection Ordinance for land use control. This arrangement has some obvious benefits like full-time, professional administration and enforcement. However, drawbacks include zoning districts and permitted uses that may not match the Town's goals such as the uses allowed in a "Recreational" and/or "Farming" zoning district. Additionally, the Town is somewhat restricted in its ability to modify these regulations to implement its land use plan, and must instead petition the County to make such changes for them. In the event of an amendment to the County Zoning Ordinance, affecting a Town, the Town does not have an opportunity to "veto" the proposed change to the Ordinance. This becomes difficult from the perspective that the regulations apply to all Towns in the County that also may have opinions on how the Ordinance should be changed, if at all. The Town of Newbold has it own Land Division Ordinance that is more restrictive than County regulations. This Town Ordinance includes a Waterbody Classification System that calls for different frontage widths and lot sizes depending on the classification of the waterbody. The County should view this Town Comprehensive Plan as a formal statement of Newbold policies regarding land use and development and utilize this Plan as a guide when reviewing subdivision plats, certified survey maps, rezoning requests, and other land use proposals.

Land and Resource Protection Programs


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Forest preservation is an extremely important issue in the Town of Newbold. The magnitude of the importance of this was demonstrated at the Issue Identification Workshop attended by the Town residents on June 25, 1997. The workshop concluded, according to the number of votes, that the preservation of forest integrity within Newbold is the most important land use issue facing the Town over the next two decades. Specifically, concerns for preserving the Town’s wilderness areas and wildlife, water quality, environmentally sensitive areas, and ensuring minimal human intervention were identified. Also identified as a priority issue for the Town was the protection of all natural resources within the Town. The area of the Town of Newbold is approximately 59,500-acres, of which about 42,600- acres (about 72%) consist of woodlands and forests. An additional 9,100-acres (about 15%) of the Town is covered by lakes, streams and flowed by the Wis. River. Hence, more than 87% of the Town’s acreage is identifiable as natural areas for preservation and protection. Private Forest Management Programs Managed Forest Law (MFL) The purpose of the Managed Forest Laws is to promote sound forestry management practices by providing property tax reduction incentives to landowners. Wooded parcels of at least ten acres in size are eligible to be enrolled in the program; however, at least 80% of the land must be productive (timber-producing) forestland. Lands may be enrolled for either 25- or 50-year periods. This requires a long-term commitment; however, this commitment also provides long-term protection from property tax escalations. Land occupied by residences and commercial buildings is not eligible. However, cabins, hunting shacks and utility buildings are allowed and are taxed as personal improvements. Preparation of an approved forestry management plan is required. Practices identified in the plan must be carried out for the duration of the contract period. Mandatory management activities required by the law include cutting mature timber, thinning plantation and natural stands, pine release, planting, post harvest treatments, and soil conservation practices. Another obligation in the program is that a 5% yield tax is applied to any harvested merchantable wood products, based on the rates in effect. Landowners may elect to place up to 80-acres in the Managed Forest Land-Closed program. These lands are then “closed” to the public access. Property enrolled in the Managed Forest Land-Open program must allow public access for hunting, fishing, cross-country skiing, hiking and sight-seeing. Forest Crop Law (FCL) The Forest Crop Law is no longer open to new participants except through the purchase of land currently under this law. The length of the original contracts was for either a 25- or a 50-year period. Forest Crop contracts cannot be renewed; however, conversion into the Managed Forest Law program is possible.


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Participants must follow a written management schedule, including mandatory activities of cutting mature timber and thinning plantations and natural stands. A 10% yield tax is applied. Public access for fishing and hunting activities must be permitted on Forest Crop land. Summary - Private Forestry Management Programs Currently there are more than 3,600-acres of privately owned land in the Town that are enrolled in WDNR Forestry Management Programs. The following Table shows the acreage distribution of the type of program for each of the Newbold Townships:

Table 27: Acreage of Forestry Mgt. Programs by Twp. - 2007

Township Forest Crop

MFL Open

MFL Closed

Total Acres %

Twp. 37 99 399 1401 1899 52 % Twp. 38 4 533 918 1455 40 % Twp. 39 0 241 40 281 8 % Total Acres 103 1173 2359 3635 100 %

Source: DNR reports The benefits of these programs to Newbold include:

• Protection against over timber harvesting; • Long-term investment in area forestry; • Encouraged woodland expansion; • Preservation and management of wildlife habitat; • Preservation of the Town's “northwoods character”, and; • FC and MFL-open lands are available for recreational use by public.

The benefits to the individual property owner include:

• Low property taxes; • Protection against annual increases in property taxes, and; • Private land forestry technical assistance.

Further participation in these programs by private landowners is a vital component to ensure the preservation of the Town's natural "northwoods character”. It should be the Town of Newbold's position to continue informing private landowners of the forestry management and preservation programs as well as other available resource protection programs, and to encourage private landowners to continue to participate in such programs.


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Other Resource Protection Programs and Designated Lands in Newbold Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest (NH-AL) Lands The WDNR and NH-AL State Forest manage approximately 22,500-acres of land in the Town of Newbold. These lands represent about 38% of the total Town acreage. The NH-AL State Forest is the dominant land use feature north and east of Two Sisters Lake in Twp. 38 and includes in its boundaries all of the lands in Twp. 39. State of Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands (BCPL) The State BCPL has title to approximately 200-acres of land in Newbold. A majority of these BCPL lands, about 160-acres, are in Twp. 39 and are flooded or flowed by the Rainbow Flowage. The remaining BCPL owned 40-acre parcel is in Sect. 33 of Twp. 38 adjacent to the headwaters of the Fredrich flowage. This 40-acre parcel of BCPL land is managed for timber production and is open for public use. No structures or camping is allowed on the land, but recreational uses such as hiking, hunting or access to the Flowage are permitted. Conservation Easements Wis. Statutes provide a method for individual property owners to transfer their land into a Conservation Easement to protect the land from any future development. In Dec. 2007 eighteen contiguous parcels of land, consisting of approximately 600-acres, located the southeastern part of Township 38 (Sections 26, 27, 34, and 35) was deeded to the Northwoods Land Trust (NWLT) through a Conservation Easement. This property contains two lakes that are considered to be unique wildlife habitats, McCabe Lake and Mudhen Lake, and will be protected from any future development of the shoreline. Impact of Public and Private Resource Protection Programs The Town of Newbold benefits from significant public and private participation in land and resource protection programs. State owned land, forestry management programs, and a conservation easement currently impact more than 26,700-acres, approximately 45%, of the available land in the Town. The 22,500-acres of State woodlands and forestlands are not likely to be developed in the foreseeable future. In addition to these State lands, about 3,600-acres of woodlands and forestlands are currently enrolled in WDNR Forest Crop (FC) or Managed Forest lands (MFL) programs. The addition of approximately 600-acres of land protected from future development by a Conservation Easement is also significant. Continued and expanded participation in these programs, because of their associated deed restrictions, also helps ensure the preservation of the natural resources and the “northwoods character” of the Town. The abundance of land dedicated to the preservation and protection of woodlands, forestlands, waterbodies and the associated natural environment is a unique, valuable, and treasured Town of Newbold asset.


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Chapter 8 -- INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION Background Governmental relationships can best be described as “vertical” relationships, such as those between Federal, State and local governmental units (County/City/Town) and are relatively well established in law. Unfortunately, there is little public policy in Wisconsin law that requires, horizontal governmental relationships such as Town to Town and Municipality to County or to Town. The result is that Towns, Municipalities, and Counties often act more as adversaries than as partners. Wisconsin Statute §66.30, entitled "Intergovernmental Cooperation", does enable local governments to jointly do together whatever one can do alone. Typically, inter-governmental cooperation and coordination refers to the management and delivery of public services and facilities. It is also dependent upon a defined geographic area within which cooperation and coordination may be feasible. Often the area is a central City and its surrounding area, or several similar Towns. It is collections of local communities in which the citizens are interdependent in terms of their employment, residence, health, and medical care, education, recreation and culture, shopping and other experiences. A variety of other factors, some long-standing and some of fairly recent origin, are combining to encourage citizens and local governments in both urban and rural areas to confer, cooperate, and in some cases, to join together in a search for better and more economic methods to deliver public services in their respective areas. These factors include:

• population settlement patterns; • local government structure, finance, and politics; • high population mobility; • economic and environmental interdependence; and • high cost, capital-intensive functions.

Adjoining Units of Government The Towns of Pine Lake and Crescent have completed Comprehensive Plans. The Towns of Woodboro, Cassian and Lake Tomahawk are currently involved in creating Comprehensive Plans, as is the City of Rhinelander. Oneida County is considering options for preparing a County Plan. The Town of St. Germain in Vilas County has an adopted Comprehensive Land Use Plan similar to Newbold’s 1999 plan, but it is not officially considered to meet the requirements of the Statutes Joint Service Agreements The Town of Newbold currently has a contract with the Town of St. Germain to provide fire and rescue services in the northern section of the Town (Township 39). There also exist mutual aid agreements with the fire departments in the Towns of Crescent, Woodruff, Lake Tomahawk, Cassian, and Pine Lake and with the City of Rhinelander. The Town contracts with Oneida County for ambulance services.

North Central Wisconsin Town of Newbold Regional Planning Commission 68 Intergovernmental Cooperation

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Chapter 9 -- IMPLEMENTATION Goals, Objectives and Policies Using the Goals & Objectives outlined in the 1999 Foth & Van Dyke plan as a starting point, the Plan Commission reconsidered and reordered these goals in light of changing conditions and the requirements of the 1999 revision of the State’s Comprehensive Planning Statute. In order to meet those requirements a series of Implementation Policies to meet the Goals and Supporting Objectives were developed. To the degree possible the policy recommendations embodied in the earlier plan have been maintained, although some substantive changes and additions have been made. GOAL 1 - PRESERVE FOREST INTEGRITY

Supporting Objectives:

a. Direct growth away from environmentally sensitive areas. b. Support the acquisition of development rights and conservation easements. c. Provide an incentive in the development of forest management plans and

encourage people with forestlands to use the Managed Forest Lands programs.

d. Support the acquisition of forestland by the WDNR. e. Evaluate the feasibility of 'cluster development' that can reduce further forest

fragmentation. f. Maintain sufficient wildlife habitat to ensure a diversity of self-sustaining

biological communities.

Policies to achieve the Objectives:

1. Develop housing density standards for forested areas. 2. Protect wildlife habitat and natural settings. 3. Encourage conservation easements and other tools to protect

environmentally sensitive or unique resources. GOAL 2 - PROTECT AND UP-GRADE THE QUALITY OF BOTH SURFACE

AND GROUNDWATER


a. Encourage tighter controls on the application of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.

b. Encourage and provide assistance in the development and maintenance of lake and waterway associations.

c. Encourage regulations to ensure that the shoreline between all surface waters and adjacent land uses will have a natural vegetated buffer.


1. Limit further alteration to existing wetlands and maintain a natural vegetative buffer between wetlands and any future intensive land uses.

2. Develop an erosion control ordinance including management of construction sites.

North Central Wisconsin Newbold Comprehensive Plan Regional Planning Commission Implementation

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3. Maintain and utilize a waterway classification system to manage waterway development.

4. Enforce existing regulations of septic systems to protect groundwater quality. GOAL 3 - DEVELOP AN APPROPRIATE MIX AND BALANCE OF LAND USES TO

PROVIDE FOR THE PRESENT AND FUTURE SOCIAL, PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC NEEDS OF THE TOWN.


a. Guide future development within or adjacent existing development. b. Review, and if appropriate, pursue changes to the existing Oneida County

Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance that promotes Newbold's Land Use Vision. c. Utilize natural and man-made indigenous buffers to minimize land use

conflicts. d. Encourage non-polluting industry, business and/or agricultural uses.


1. Accommodate home-based businesses that do not significantly increase

noise, traffic, odors, lighting, or would otherwise negatively impact the surrounding areas.

2. Discourage the development of land uses that are incompatible with existing residential areas or at inappropriate density levels, especially on waterfronts.

GOAL 4 - ENHANCE RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES WHILE MINIMIZING USER

CONFLICT


a. Reduce impacts associated with the use of motorized recreational vehicles. b. Maintain existing and provide additional skiing, biking, hiking, equestrian, all-

terrain-vehicle and snowmobile trail opportunities. c. Provide park facilities that offer active recreation opportunities. d. Pursue state and federal funding programs that can aid in the purchase or

development of parklands.


1. Maintain existing and provide additional public access to waterways. 2. Pursue the development of wilderness campsites.

GOAL 5 - MAINTAIN HIGH QUALITY TOWN PUBLIC SERVICES


a. Provide and maintain a safe and reliable Town road-network. b. Monitor current service agreements. c. Monitor and evaluate the need for a paid fire department and/or first

responder staff. d. Consider the development of impact fees to support service infrastructure

costs.


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e. Consider the development of an official map to reserve adequate Town road right-of-way to provide proper road linkage.


1. Establish a maximum number of miles of roads that will be accepted for

maintenance based on existing tax base and projected growth of the Town. 2. Periodically review existing shared service agreements, and explore

additional agreements.

GOAL 6 - PROMOTE A POSITIVE/PRO-ACTIVE VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY

Supporting Objectives: a. Develop and provide educational materials and conduct local workshops on

topics pertinent to goals. b. Make use of the talents of our citizenry in the implementation of community

projects. c. Continue relationships and communication between governments to

encourage discussion and action on land use and service issues.


1. Continue and maintain the Town web site to inform residents regarding Town business and issues.

2. Maintain and/or expand use of Town bulletin boards for posting of Official Town Business Notices.

GOAL 7 - MAINTAIN THE ABILITY AND RIGHT TO GUIDE TOWN DESTINY

Supporting Objectives: a. Utilize the Town's village powers to adopt ordinances that promote the

Newbold Vision and protects the health, safety, and welfare of residents. b. Maintain a "Newbold specific" basic code of ordinances. c. Support the Wisconsin Towns Association and be pro-active relative to local,

district and State meetings.

Policies to achieve the Objectives: 1. Initiate discussion with City of Rhinelander to execute a boundary

agreement to avoid annexation disputes. 2. No later than 2013 undertake a comprehensive revision of this Comprehensive

Plan, including extensive public input. GOAL 8 - PROVIDE A VARIETY OF HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FITTING WITH THE

NORTHWOODS CHARACTER OF NEWBOLD AND SERVICE CAPABILITIES OF THE TOWN


a. Direct new development to areas currently served by public utilities, Town

roads, parks, education facilities and other key services. b. Standards for new construction.


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Policies to achieve the Objectives: 1. Develop a Town Ordinance to regulate the density of multi-family

developments. 2. Maintain the Newbold Land Division Ordinance fitting with the Land Use

Vision. 3. Evaluate the concept of conservation design guidelines (clustering of home

sites) as a design alternative for areas appropriate to residential development.

Implementation Procedure Implementation of this Comprehensive Plan depends on the willingness of local officials, both Town and County, to use it as a guide when making decisions that affect growth and development in the Town. It is very important that local citizens and developers become aware of the contents of the Comprehensive Plan. The tools and techniques recommended to implement the Comprehensive Plan include:

• The Town Board formally adopts the Plan and uses it as a guide when making decisions that affect development in the Town.

• The Town's Plan Commission members become very knowledgeable with the Plan and use it when making recommendations to the Town Board on development issues.

• The Town encourages citizen awareness of the Town's Comprehensive Plan by making copies readily available to the Public.

• The Town of Newbold website, which did not exist in 1997, is used as a unique resource to make the public aware the content of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan.

Revisions, amendments and updating the Plan An essential characteristic of any planning program is that it be ongoing and flexible. Periodic updating of the plan is necessary for continued refinement and course correction to ensure that it reflects the desires of the Town's citizens. Wisconsin State Statutes require that a Comprehensive Plan be updated every ten years. However, the Town should re-examine the content of its Comprehensive Plan at least every five years to determine if a more complete review is required to bring the Plan into line with changed conditions or altered priorities within the Town. The release of information from the 2010 Census in 2013 provides an opportunity to update the data contained in the Plan and assess whether the vision and policies embodied in it are still appropriate to the Town’s needs. When the Town of Newbold embarked on the current planning process it was decided to use as a basis the Land Use Plan that had been prepared before the 1999 revision of the State’s comprehensive planning statutes. Especially because this current Comprehensive Plan is the result of an update of the 1999 Foth & Van Dyke Plan and is based on input received at public meetings held in the summer of 1997, now more than a decade ago, it is incumbent on the Town to seek a higher level of public involvement in any future revision of the Plan. When the current update was undertaken it was decided


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that the Issue Identification process employed in 1997 had been sufficient and the conclusions reached were still relevant. As part of any future Plan revision process the Town should consider such options as a survey of Newbold residents and property owners, another issue identification workshop similar to the one held in 1997, additional public forums and informational meetings. Amendments and revisions to this Comprehensive Plan can be adopted. The procedure is similar to amending a Zoning or a Land Division Ordinance; a Plan Commission recommendation, a public hearing, and affirmative action by the Town Board.


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ATTACHMENT A

BUILDING PERMIT ANALYSIS

ATTACHMENT B

U.S. CENSUS SUMMARY

ATTACHMENT C

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN

ATTACHMENT D

ENDANGERED SPECIES MAP

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