The Wisconsin Legislature also authorizes local governments to prepare a number of different types of plans. Additional planning activities may also occur as the result of laws passed by the federal government. Other planning activities occur without any type of express statutory enabling authority. The key to a successful planning process is understanding exactly what type of plan a community is preparing and how that plan relates to other existing plans or future planning activities.

The following is a brief summary of some of the other types of plans and the statutory authority for undertaking those plans.