Pittsville Among Best Small Communities to Live in Wisconsin
PITTSVILLE, WI (OnFocus) – Those seeking to live in a small community with big opportunity are encouraged to check out Pittsville, Wisconsin. With an excellent school system, ample recreational opportunities, community clubs, two museums , a library, and an arts foundation – building in Pittsville is more enticing than ever thanks to a special incentive program available now.
Anyone interested in building a new home within the City of Pittsville has access to special incentives, equating 4% of the assessed value up to $150,000 with a maximum award of $6,000. The incentive is paid out after substantial completion is determined.
“Our City government created incentives to remain competitive with other communities that also offer incentives,” explained Dale Nichols, Pittsville Mayor. “We wanted to insure a growing tax base, provide more housing to bring more students to our school and more housing also brings more customers to our local businesses.”
Nichols has lived in the community since 1983 and was first elected to the City Council as an Alderman in 1992 before running for mayor in 2014.
“Anyone considering building a home should take a look at Pittsville,” he said. “Pittsville has numerous local builders that all do fantastic work. The price of building materials is coming down. Interest rates are fantastic! Pittsville’s City staff and officials (including the mayor) respond very quickly to any questions or issues.”
Top 9 Reasons to Build in Pittsville, by Dale Nichols:
- Cost – Costs to build in Pittsville could be significantly lower than other Villages or Cities in Central Wisconsin. We have fully improved building lots on paved streets, with curb and gutter and street lighting. Many lots have water and sewer and natural gas installed to the property line (lowering construction costs). The typical cost for one of these lots is $15000 and the new owner isn’t saddled with assessment costs for the above items.
- Incentives – Through the Community Development Authority, we offer construction incentives up to $6000 per home. These incentives are similar to other communities and in some cases Pittsville’s incentives are larger.
- Lower Taxes – Pittsville is a growing community, and the tax base since I’ve become the Mayor in 2014 has grown 34%. That means the City revenue has increased as a result. This allows the City to expand services without raising taxes. In the same 2014-2021 period, the tax rate has declined from $27.71/M to the current mill rate of $24.11/M, and the only city in Wood County to have a lower rate is Marshfield. Property values in Marshfield are significantly higher, which results in higher tax bills compared to Pittsville’s.
- Excellent Police Protection – In an informal study conducted in 2015 by the State Dept of Justice, Pittsville had more Police “patrol hours per capita” than any other community in Wood County except Grand Rapids. I have heard that Grand Rapids has been given the designation of “the safest community in Wisconsin.” I suggest that Pittsville is not far behind them. Pittsville is a very safe place to live or operate a business.
- Progressive Zoning – Zoning was reviewed and updated in 2020 allowing for home construction on smaller lots if the home owner wishes a “small home/small lot” concept. Currently, many communities don’t allow for this. Pittsville has also updated its Commercial district zoning to allow for flexibility in owning and building on commercial property. Pittsville is encouraging the idea of “mixed use,” where people live in the business district.
- Duplexes – Pittsville encourages the construction of duplexes by partnering with property developers. Agreements are negotiated on a case by case basis, between the City and the developer and the results have been mutually beneficial.
- Top School System with Advanced Educational Opportunities– An example of how good Pittsville Schools are is illustrated by test scores. A few years ago, Pittsville High School juniors scored in the top 5 schools statewide. My children attended Pittsville and I can attest that the teachers and staff are involved and focused on bringing as many educational opportunities to our youth as possible. 2021 saw the completion of our new Technology Building on the Pittsville School campus. This new building will allow Pittsville students to train and learn on the most up-to-date equipment in Wisconsin. The equipment used in Pittsville for educational training is more modern and advanced than the equipment in any Wisconsin Tech School. Pittsville High School students have excellent opportunities.
- Recreational Opportunities – Pittsville is in the middle of many recreational opportunities. From my home, I can be kayaking the Yellow River in 2 minutes. 99% of the roads in Pittsville allow ATV/UTV travel. Two Wood County Parks and public hunting land are within a 10-minute drive. There is a large, gorgeous City Park that’s only blocks away from nearly every home.
- Friendly Atmosphere – Pittsville is a friendly place with a welcoming small town atmosphere. Its the type of place where neighbors look out for their neighbors. People who have never lived in a small town are missing out on a great way of life!
To learn more about opportunities in Pittsville, visit www.pittsvillewi.com.
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Author: News Desk
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