Ken Pearson

The Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NWRPC) was created in 1959 by local units of government of Northwest Wisconsin. It is the oldest planning commission in Wisconsin and one of the first multi-county planning commissions in the nation. The Commission is a cooperative venture of Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, and Washburn Counties and the tribal nations of Bad River, Red Cliff, Lac du Flambeau, Lac Courte Oreilles, and St. Croix.

NWRPC provides a variety of community and regional services focusing on economic, community and business development, transportation, land use, coastal and environmental resources.

The region that NWRPC serves has a combined area of 10,927 square miles and a population of approximately 179,000. It consists of a mix of governmental units forming a complex matrix of overlapping and adjoining jurisdictional boundaries comprised of 10 counties, 230 units of local government (185 towns, 31 villages and 14 cities), 5 tribal units of government and one Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).