On April 5, 1989, the State of Wisconsin issued Pleasant Prairie a Certificate of Incorporation. This event marked Pleasant Prairie's conversion from a Town form of government to a Village. This past April 5 marked the twentieth anniversary of incorporation as a Village.

Through incorporation, Pleasant Prairie gained "home rule authority," or the ability to make decisions about municipal affairs, administration and public policy based on State law, along with the ability to provide extended public services. A major motivation behind seeking incorporation was the ability to create Pleasant Prairie's first Tax Increment District (TID #1). The creation of TID #1 assisted in the establishment of LakeView Corporate Park.

Since 1989, the landscape of the entire Kenosha area, including Pleasant Prairie, has changed substantially. The area has grown steadily from an auto industry town into a diverse and dynamic economic hub. The Village has experienced industrial and commercial growth throughout LakeView Corporate Park. This growth has extended to other areas of the Village, and beyond.

Today, roughly one third of Pleasant Prairie's value is generated by a variety of commercial and manufacturing properties, while roughly two thirds are derived from residential properties. A healthy balance between economic development and residential development in the Village has been achieved. The Village recognizes, however, that this balance is dynamic and always changing.

With this in mind, the Village is taking an active approach to maintaining this balance. Pleasant Prairie is seeking high-quality development for Village-owned property along I-94 near Highway 165, while continuing with plans for aggressive road rehabilitation projects throughout upcoming years. The Board and staff remain committed to attracting new economic development that will provide high-quality jobs, while continuing to work to improve the quality of life for all Pleasant Prairie residents.