Location and Setting

The City of Thorp is located along STH 29 in the northern portion of Clark County in west central Wisconsin (refer to Map 1).  The community is within an hours drive of larger urban areas, such as Eau Claire to the west, Wausau to the east, and Marshfield to the southeast.  The community of 1,536 residents lies in an area of gently rolling farmland with soils generally conducive to agricultural production.  The topography is gently sloping from the northeast to the southwest with McGrogan Creek serving as the primary surface water drainage system through the community.  Due to its location in a predominately agricultural-based county, the City of Thorp has served as an agricultural service center.  However, declining trends in the farm economy, combined with a decreasing farm population and changing culture within the farming community, have prompted City officials to pursue a more diversified economy to help maintain the quality of life the residents of this small rural community have enjoyed.

Residential

The total amount of land occupied by residential development increased by 37 percent, or 54 acres, between 1973 and 2000.  That increase reflects the infill of existing lots with the construction of single and multi-family dwellings.  The biggest change occurred with the increase in multi-family dwellings.  A housing inventory conducted in conjunction with the 1973 Land Use Policy Plan identified 15 multi-family dwellings in Thorp, compared with the 150 multi-family units (two or more) identified in 2000.  Many of these units were likely built with the retired elderly in mind.  Another reason for the increase in multi-family dwellings and relatively high percentage of mobile homes in the City is a higher demand for lower cost housing.

The City currently has a limited number of available lots that can accommodate today’s single family housing market.  Recent residential construction trends have also continued to identify a demand for smaller multi-family developments designed for two to four units.  Almost half of the new housing units constructed in the community between 1990 and 2000 were two or four unit complexes.  The City will need to identify suitable areas to accommodate future residential development.

Commercial

The amount of land devoted to commercial use has declined slightly (8 percent) since 1973 and represents four percent of the total land area in the City.  Declines in the retail, wholesale and finance sectors of the community can be associated with a declining rural economy, and are evidenced by the loss of businesses in the downtown area.  However, the highway-oriented commercial development in the vicinity of the STH 29/STH 73 interchange area has experienced some growth over the years, and has served to lessen the impact of the losses experienced in the downtown area.

The largest areas of commercial land use in Thorp include:  the downtown business area, located along Washington Street between West Prospect Street and East Soo Street; the STH 29/STH 73 interchange area; and a large farm implement dealership, adjoining East Prospect Street along the eastern City limits.  The City has acquired additional land to the southwest of the STH 29/STH 73 interchange area with plans to use a portion of it to accommodate additional highway and large lot commercial development.  The City is also focusing on the redevelopment of the downtown area to improve retail services for the residents of the local area.  Future commercial land uses should be evaluated with regard to their compatibility with adjoining land uses and their impact on public infrastructure requirements.

Industrial

Industrial land uses have increased by 40 percent (six acres) since 1973 and represent almost three percent of the total land area in the City.  Concentrations of industrial uses in the City have historically been located adjacent to the rail line.  More recently, the creation of the industrial park in the northeast corner of the community has provided the City with an expanded area in which to increase its industrial base.  As the industrial park began to reach full development, the City identified two additional locations for future industrial use.  Approximately 29 acres of a 60-acre parcel located on the north side of CTH “X” along the western city limits has been designated for future industrial development.  The presence of the Wisconsin Central Limited rail line along the northern boundary of this site offers the potential for freight rail service to prospective industrial park occupants.  The City also acquired 120 acres of land in the southwest quadrant of the STH 29/STH 73 interchange area to accommodate a mix of future industrial and highway commercial development.  In light of the historic growth of industrial land use in the City, it would appear that the City has identified an ample amount of land to accommodate future industrial uses.

Land Prices

Land prices in Thorp have generally followed national trends with residential property increasing about 10% annually over the past decade. Affordable housing is considered to be in the range of $50,000-75,000. Recreational land peaked at $1,000 per acre in 1999 and is currently selling for $650-$800 an acre. Rural farm land with established farmsteads within three miles of STH 29 have increased in value and are selling for approximately $2,000 per acre. Commercial and industrial land prices have also followed national trends. Industrial park land with interchange access to adjoining STH 29 (highlighted on this home page as development area) recently sold for $3.00 a square foot.

Transportation

The amount of land used for transportation purposes (roads and rail lines) in the City has increased by 41 percent (49 acres) since 1973.  The 168 acres of transportation related land use represents one-fifth of the total area of the City, and is second only to the amount of land occupied by residential development.  The increase experienced is attributable to the addition of road and rail rights-of-way included with the expansion of the corporate limits, as well as the platting and construction of new roads to serve expanding development.

Government/Institutional

Government and institutional land uses are represented by facilities that serve governmental, medical, educational, religious, communication and public utility functions.  The growth of these land uses generally correspond to population growth and the increasing service needs of local, as well as areawide residents.  Government and institutional land uses increased by 45 acres since 1973, representing the highest growth rate of 161 percent.  However, land devoted to government and institutional uses still only constitutes five percent of the total land area in the City.  Expanding educational facilities, together with an increase in health and social service facilities and municipal services account for the majority of the growth in this land use category.  Population growth and the demand for services will continue to require the development of government and institutional facilities.

Recreational

Land identified for recreational purposes has almost doubled in the City of Thorp, increasing from 20 acres in 1973 to 39 acres of municipal parks and play fields in 2000.  However, recreational land still comprises less than five percent of the total land area of the City.  The City’s current Outdoor Recreation Plan, 1999-2004 more than doubles the amount of recreational land by including the recreational facilities of the public and parochial school systems.  Based upon accepted park standards of 12.5 acres per 1,000 persons, it would appear that Thorp has a more than adequate supply of dedicated recreational acreage to serve the residents of the community now and through the planning period.  Thorp’s Outdoor Recreation Plan is incorporated into this comprehensive plan by reference and its recommendations for planned improvements to the City’s recreational land areas are also endorsed within this planning document.  Essentially, the City’s Outdoor Recreation Plan calls for on-going improvements and enhancements to existing public recreational sites, with the future development of a pathway along McGrogan Creek to connect major park areas.  The City should continue to monitor the recreational needs of the community’s residents and maintain an up-to-date improvement plan to address those needs.

Undeveloped Land

Undeveloped, or vacant, land accounts for 285 acres, or 35 percent of the total land area in the City.  The amount of undeveloped land increased by only 30 acres, or 12 percent, between 1973 and 2000.  However, during this time, the City experienced the development of 173 acres to increase its total developed acreage to 535 acres, a 47 percent increase.  The City also added approximately 200 acres to its corporate boundaries, and identified approximately 150 acres of that for industrial and commercial development.  This acreage is identified in two parcels, the largest at 120 acres lies to the south of STH 29, while an additional 29 acres lies to the west along CTH “X”.

Extraterritorial Land Use

Land use was also surveyed for land surrounding the fringe of the City limits.  This information is important to the City because this activity also affects the community’s ability to grow.

The predominant land use surrounding the City is agricultural.  However, there are areas experiencing some residential, commercial, and industrial development.  The areas experiencing development outside of the City are primarily adjacent to the principle transportation corridors serving the City.  These include STH 73 to the north of Thorp and CTH “M” to the south, as well as CTH “X” to the east and west of the City limits.

Development of a Comprehensive Plan

Thorp city officials have been simultaneously involved in a wide range of municipal initiatives that contribute to the on-going maintenance, enhancement, and growth of the community.  However, as the city officials began to face an increasing number of complex issues, they recognized the need to take a comprehensive look at the issues affecting the community and try to develop an integrated approach to better evaluate and manage the growth of the community.

The City Council, together with the City’s Planning Commission, initiated this comprehensive planning process, in compliance with Wisconsin Statutes 66.1001, to study the growth and development issues facing the City and to investigate appropriate implementation strategies to help achieve the goals identified by the community.

Community Direction

The future direction for the City of Thorp is defined by not only the desires and wishes of its residents, but also determined by the dynamics of its population, physical environment and financial capabilities.

In reviewing the community opinion survey that was conducted early in the planning process, residents responded to the question of “What type of community do you want Thorp to be?” in the following manner:

• Almost three-fourths indicated their preference for a predominately residential community.
• One-half indicated a stronger emphasis should be placed on developing the manufacturing sector of the community.
• Over 35 percent wanted Thorp to develop as a commercial center.
• One-fourth identified Thorp as a tourist and recreation destination.

Respondents were permitted to make multiple choices.

In addition, when asked “What do you like about living in Thorp?”, residents listed the following top five reasons:

• Nice people
• Small town atmosphere
• Clean
• Peaceful
• Low crime

These responses reflect a level of comfort with living in a small rural community and a desire to maintain those quality of life attributes.

The Thorp Planning Commission, after considering resident input and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the community at-large, developed the following direction statement to help guide the future development of the community.

The City of Thorp will continue to strive to maintain the quality of life enjoyed by the residents of a small rural community by providing an essential level of municipal services to protect the public’s health, safety and welfare, while ensuring the availability of affordable quality housing options, and promoting the economic well being of the community through planned development.