New Leaf Public Works Projects: All 94 with Costs & Unlocks
As mayor you can build bridges, benches, fountains, landmarks and new Main Street shops, and set one town ordinance. First you need 100% approval and the development permit; then every project below, with its price and who suggests it.
- Projects
- 94
- Town limit
- 30 at once
- Cheapest
- 17,400 Bells
- Dearest
- 726,000 Bells
- Ordinance
- 20,000 Bells
Approval rating and the development permit
- Your approval rating starts the day after you become mayor. Isabelle tells you where it stands when you sit in the mayor’s chair.
- You need a house (not the tent) and 100% approval for the development permit.
- Once both are done, sit in the chair the next day and Isabelle hands over the permit: projects and ordinances unlock.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Move from the tent into a house Once | 20 |
| Donate an item to the museum Once | 7 |
| Change the town tune Once | 3 |
| Change the town flag Once | 3 |
| Sell an item at Re-Tail Once | 3 |
| Post on the bulletin board Once | 3 |
| Talk to villagers Repeatable | 3 |
| Water flowers Repeatable | 3 |
| Pull a weed Repeatable | 1 |
| Throw rubbish away at Re-Tail Repeatable | 1 |
How projects work
- Sit in the mayor’s chair behind Isabelle and choose a project; for outdoor projects she walks with you to pick the spot.
- Only one project can be under construction at a time, and a town holds 30 at most (the Reset Surveillance Center doesn’t count).
- Lloid stands on the site collecting donations. Villagers chip in a little, but you pay most of it. Once fully funded it is built by 6 AM the next day, with an opening ceremony.
- Villagers suggest new projects as you talk to them, and which ones they suggest depends on their personality. Accepted suggestions are added to your list.
- Projects need open ground: not next to water (except bridges), cliffs, rocks or buildings, and with a one-tile gap all round.
- Cancelling a project loses the donations so far; demolishing a finished one costs 10% of its price. A town can have three bridges at most.
- The town hall is closed on event days, so no project work can be done then.
94 projects
Major projects
| Project | Cost | How to unlock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Campsite3×3 | 59,800 | Available from the start | Brings a visiting camper who may move in if you have fewer than 10 villagers. Cannot be demolished. |
 Police station3×4 | 264,000 | Any villager may suggest it | Two designs: modern (Copper) or classic (Booker). Only one per town. |
 Café (The Roost)5×5 | 298,000 | Blathers, a week after the museum renovation, once you have donated 50 items with at least one in every wing | Brewster’s coffee shop. Cannot be demolished. |
 Reset Surveillance Center1×1 | 368,000 | Quit without saving once | A manhole leading to Resetti and Don. Not counted towards the 30-project limit. |
Main Street
| Project | Cost | How to unlock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Museum renovation | 198,000 | Blathers, after talking to him on 14 days and donating 20 items (at least one in each wing) | Adds Celeste’s shop and four 8×8 exhibition rooms (10,000 Bells each). |
| Dream Suite | 234,000 | Isabelle, once one project is built, you have been online and you find her asleep at her desk | Luna’s dream-visiting service. |
| Fortune Shop | 340,000 | Katrina tells 20 fortunes to residents | Katrina’s permanent shop. |
| Club LOL | Signatures | If you turned Dr. Shrunk down at first; costs six villager signatures instead of Bells | Dr. Shrunk and K.K. Slider’s club. |
Remodels
| Project | Cost | How to unlock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town hall remodel (Zen, Fairy-tale or Modern) | 498,000 | A perfect town rating | Changes the look of the town hall. |
| Train station remodel (Zen, Fairy-tale or Modern) | 498,000 | Porter, after 100 visits to your town | Changes the look of the station. |
Benches & seating
| Project | Cost | How to unlock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Camping cot1x2 | 32,000 | Requested by Lazy villagers | — |
 Outdoor chair1x2 | 23,400 | Requested by Normal villagers | — |
 Hammock2x1 | 32,000 | Requested by Lazy villagers | — |
 Yellow bench | 30,000 | Available from the beginning | — |
 Blue bench | 42,500 | Requested by Jock villagers | — |
 Wood bench | 42,500 | Requested by Uchi villagers | — |
 Metal bench | 42,500 | Requested by Peppy villagers | — |
 Fairy-tale bench | 52,800 | Requested by Normal villagers | — |
 Zen bench | 52,800 | Requested by Cranky villagers | — |
 Modern bench | 52,800 | Requested by Snooty villagers | — |
 Log bench2x1 | 38,000 | Requested by Uchi villagers | — |
 Picnic blanket2x3 | 39,800 | Requested by Uchi villagers | — |
 Tire toy2x1 | 49,800 | Requested by Lazy villagers | — |
 Pile of pipes2x1 | 79,800 | Requested by Lazy villagers | — |
 Chair sculpture2x2 | 265,000 | Requested by Smug villagers | — |
Bridges
| Project | Cost | How to unlock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Cobblestone bridge | 128,000 | Available from the beginning | — |
 Suspension bridge | 128,000 | Available from the beginning | — |
 Brick bridge | 224,000 | Requested by any villager type | — |
 Modern bridge | 224,000 | Requested by any villager type | — |
 Fairy-tale bridge | 298,000 | Requested by Peppy villagers | — |
 Wooden bridge | 298,000 | Requested by Cranky villagers | — |
Signs & street furniture
| Project | Cost | How to unlock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bus stop | 136,000 | Requested by Uchi villagers | — |
 Drinking fountain | 39,800 | Requested by Normal villagers | — |
 Fence | 49,800 | Available from the beginning | — |
 Fire hydrant | 32,600 | Available from the beginning | — |
 Fountain | 99,800 | Available from the beginning | — |
 Garbage can | 53,000 | Requested by Normal villagers | Counts against a perfect town. |
 Instrument shelter | 42,000 | Requested by Jock villagers | — |
 Do-not-enter sign | 43,500 | Available from the beginning | — |
 Caution sign | 43,500 | Requested by any villager type | — |
 Yield sign | 43,500 | Requested by any villager type | — |
 Traffic signal | 82,000 | Requested by Jock villagers | — |
 Water well | 148,000 | Available from the beginning | — |
Clocks
| Project | Cost | How to unlock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Park clock | 29,800 | Available from the beginning | — |
 Zen clock | 78,000 | Requested by Cranky villagers | — |
 Fairy-tale clock | 78,000 | Requested by Normal villagers | — |
 Modern clock | 78,000 | Requested by Snooty villagers | — |
 Flower clock | 87,000 | Must have perfect town rating | — |
 Illuminated clock | 146,000 | Requested by Peppy villagers | — |
Lights
| Project | Cost | How to unlock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Street lamp | 39,800 | Available from the beginning | — |
 Round streetlight | 39,800 | Requested by Peppy villagers | — |
 Streetlight | 42,800 | Requested by Snooty villagers | — |
 Fairy-tale streetlight | 64,000 | Requested by Normal villagers | — |
 Modern streetlight | 64,000 | Requested by Snooty villagers | — |
 Zen streetlight | 64,000 | Requested by Cranky villagers | — |
Public art
| Project | Cost | How to unlock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Balloon arch | 86,000 | Requested by Lazy villagers | — |
 Flower arch | 87,000 | Requested by Normal villagers | — |
 Illuminated arch | 148,000 | Requested by Snooty villagers | — |
 Archway sculpture | 265,000 | Requested by Peppy villagers | — |
 Cube sculpture | 265,000 | Requested by Smug villagers | — |
 Custom-design sign | 40,000 | Available from the beginning | — |
 Face-cutout standee | 50,000 | Available from the beginning | — |
 Fire pit | 46,000 | Requested by Jock villagers | — |
 Flower bed | 26,400 | Requested by Normal villagers | — |
 Hot spring | 98,000 | Requested by Snooty villagers | — |
 Illuminated heart | 136,000 | Requested by Peppy villagers | — |
 Illuminated tree | 128,000 | Requested by Peppy villagers | — |
 Jungle gym | 69,800 | Requested by Lazy villagers | — |
 Rack of rice | 17,400 | Requested by Cranky villagers | — |
 Sandbox | 36,000 | Requested by Lazy villagers | — |
 Scarecrow | 22,400 | Requested by Uchi villagers | — |
 Stadium light | 236,000 | Requested by Jock villagers | — |
 Statue fountain | 88,000 | Requested by Snooty villagers | — |
 Torch | 29,800 | Requested by Jock villagers | — |
 Video screen | 248,000 | Requested by Jock villagers | — |
 Water pump | 42,000 | Requested by Lazy villagers | — |
 Wisteria trellis | 124,000 | Requested by Uchi villagers | — |
 Zen garden | 148,000 | Requested by Cranky villagers | — |
| Bell / Zen bell2×2 | 86,000 | Requested by Peppy (bell) or Cranky (Zen bell) villagers | Ring it with A. |
| Topiaries (round, square, tulip) | 93,000 | Have no weeds in town on Weeding Day | — |
Landmarks
| Project | Cost | How to unlock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Drilling rig | 298,000 | Requested by Cranky villagers | Counts against a perfect town. |
 Geyser | 98,000 | Requested by Uchi villagers | — |
 Lighthouse | 372,000 | Requested by any villager type | Only one per town. |
 Moai statue | 538,000 | Requested by Smug villagers | — |
 Parabolic antenna | 148,000 | Requested by Smug villagers | — |
 Pyramid | 698,000 | Requested by Smug villagers | — |
 Solar panels | 126,000 | Requested by Jock villagers | Helps towards a perfect town. |
 Sphinx | 698,000 | Requested by Smug villagers | — |
 Stone tablet | 39,800 | Requested by any villager type | Only one per town. |
 Stonehenge | 698,000 | Requested by Smug villagers | — |
 Totem pole | 538,000 | Requested by Smug villagers | — |
 Tower | 726,000 | Requested by Snooty villagers | — |
 Windmill | 372,000 | Requested by Uchi villagers | — |
 Wind turbine | 156,000 | Requested by any villager type | Helps towards a perfect town. Only one per town. |
No project matches.
Town ordinances
Ordinances unlock with the development permit. Only one can be in force; each costs 20,000 Bells to enact (cancelling is free).
| Ordinance | Effect |
|---|---|
| Keep the town beautiful | Flowers never wilt, weeds grow much more slowly, and no rubbish or cockroaches appear. Gold roses become impossible to grow because nothing wilts. |
| Bell Boom | Shops charge 20% more, Re-Tail pays 20% more (turnips excepted), Reese lists two premium items a day and island souvenirs cost 20% more medals. |
| Early Bird | Shops open earlier (most at 6 or 7 AM) and villagers get up earlier. |
| Night Owl | Shops close later (T&T Mart until 5 AM, Re-Tail until 2 AM) and villagers stay up later. |
FAQ
How do you unlock public works projects in New Leaf?
Move into a house and raise your approval rating to 100% by talking to villagers, watering flowers, pulling weeds and donating to the museum. Isabelle gives you the development permit the next day.
How many public works projects can you have?
Up to 30 at a time, building one at a time. The Reset Surveillance Center doesn’t count.
How do you get more projects suggested?
Talk to your villagers every day. Each personality suggests its own projects; for example, smug villagers suggest the Moai statue, pyramid and Stonehenge.
What is the best ordinance?
Keep the Town Beautiful is the favourite: flowers never wilt and weeds barely grow. Bell Boom raises prices both ways.
Sources & picture credits
- Public works projects, Animal Crossing Wiki
- Public works project, Nookipedia
- Mayor (approval rating), Animal Crossing Wiki
- Ordinance, Nookipedia
- Town Ordinance, Animal Crossing Wiki
- Picture: Campsite.png
- Picture: PoliceStation-C.png
- Picture: Café.png
- Picture: PWP-Reset_Centre_model.png
- Picture: NL-CampingCot.png
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- Picture: Hammock.png
- Picture: YellowBench.png
- Picture: BlueBench.png
- Picture: WoodenBench.png
- Picture: MetalBench.png
- Picture: FairyBench.png
- Picture: ZenBench.png
- Picture: ModernBench.png
- Picture: PWP-LogBench.png
- Picture: S58_picnic_blanket.png
- Picture: PWP-TireToy.png
- Picture: Pileofpipes.png
- Picture: PWP-ChairSculpture.png
- Picture: StoneBridge.png
- Picture: WoodenSuspensionBridge.png
- Picture: BrickBridge.png
- Picture: ModernBridge.png
- Picture: FairyTaleBridge.png
- Picture: JapaneseBridge.png
- Picture: PWP-BusStop.png
- Picture: ParkClock.png
- Picture: ZenClock.png
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- Picture: Modern_Clock.png
- Picture: Flower_clock.png
- Picture: S58_Illuminated_Clock.png
- Picture: DrinkingFountain.png
- Picture: PWP-Fence_model.png
- Picture: PWP-Fire_Hydrant_model.png
- Picture: Fountain.png
- Picture: PWP-GarbageCan.png
- Picture: PWP-InstrumentShelter.png
- Picture: PWP-Do-Not-Enter_Sign_model.png
- Picture: Caution_Sign.png
- Picture: Yieldsign.png
- Picture: PWP-Street_Lamp_model.png
- Picture: PWP-RoundStreetlight.png
- Picture: Streetlight.png
- Picture: Fairy_Tale_Light.png
- Picture: PWP-ModernStreetlight.png
- Picture: Zen_Streetlight.png
- Picture: NL-TrafficSignal.png
- Picture: Waterwell.png
- Picture: S58_Ballon_Arch.png
- Picture: Flower_arch.png
- Picture: HNI_0051.png
- Picture: PWP-Archway_Sculpture.png
- Picture: PWP-CubeSculpture.png
- Picture: PWP-Custom-Design_Sign_model.png
- Picture: PWP-Face-Cutout_Standee_model.png
- Picture: PWP-Fire_Pit.png
- Picture: PWP_-_Flower_Bed.png
- Picture: HotSpring.png
- Picture: Illuminated_Heart_Public_Works_Project.png
- Picture: Illum_edited-12.png
- Picture: Junglegym.png
- Picture: PWP-RackOfRice.png
- Picture: Sandbox_Public_Works_Project.png
- Picture: PWP-Scarecrow.png
- Picture: Stadium_Light.png
- Picture: S58_Statue_Fountain.png
- Picture: Torch_Public_Works_Project.png
- Picture: Videoscreen.png
- Picture: PWP-WaterPump.png
- Picture: Wisteria_Trellis.png
- Picture: PWP-ZenGarden.png
- Picture: Drilling_Rig.png
- Picture: PWP-Geyser.png
- Picture: PWP-Lighthouse.png
- Picture: S58_maoi_statue.png
- Picture: PWP-Parabolic_Antenna_model.png
- Picture: S58_pyramid.png
- Picture: 1016742_10201310633075483_2129812779_n.gif
- Picture: 8339_10201310635755550_139103782_n.gif
- Picture: PWP-Stone_Tablet_model.png
- Picture: PWP_-_Stonehenge.png
- Picture: PWP-Totem_Pole_model.png
- Picture: PWP-Tower.png
- Picture: PWP-Windmill.png
- Picture: PWP-Wind_Turbine_model.png
Guide text is original retrogameindex writing, checked against Nookipedia and the Animal Crossing Wiki. Icons, renders and screenshots © Nintendo; local copies archived from Animal Crossing Wiki file pages (listed in the picture gallery).