E-Newsletter Volume 11, Issue 6 / June 2021 |
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Welcome to Our Newest Employee! |
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We are pleased to welcome Henry Wakamiya to the Bay-Lake RPC team! Henry joins our team as a Land Use Technician (LTE position for the summer) and will be assisting the Sheboygan MPO staff with a land use inventory and other duties within the Sheboygan MPO program. Henry is currently pursuing his master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Iowa, and has a bachelor’s degree from the University of California Los Angeles. |
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New Job Opening - Environmental Planner |
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The Bay-Lake RPC is looking for a dedicated and collaborative individual to fill an open Environmental Planner position. This position is full-time and will work closely with local communities and Bay-Lake RPC staff members to create planning documents for a variety of natural resource-related projects, including coastal resilience, outdoor recreation, hazard mitigation, and restoration planning work. This position will remain open until filled.
For more information on the Environmental Planner position and to apply, please visit our website.
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The Commission is partnering with the Luxemburg-Casco School District to develop a Safe Routes to School plan. This plan aims to improve the health and well-being of students by identifying and addressing barriers to walking or biking to school safely. A kickoff meeting for the project team will be held on June 15, 2021, at the high school. This project is being partially funded through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).
For more information about the Luxemburg-Casco School District Safe Routes to School Plan please contact Chris Garcia.
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Funding for Small Businesses |
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The Wisconsin Tomorrow Small Business Recovery Grant program will award $420 million to small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is intended to support businesses who are hardest hit by the pandemic and are key to Wisconsin making a strong recovery. The program is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) in collaboration with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). The program is funded with money received from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act.
The online application should take about 15 minutes to complete. Interested businesses must apply by Monday, June 7 at 4:30 PM. Grant amounts are expected to be $5,000 per eligible applicant.
Check out our COVID-19 Response & Recovery Portal for more information about COVID-19 related funding opportunities, news and updates, and key resources for small businesses! Contact Sydney Swan with any questions or for application assistance.
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City of Marinette and New North Inc. Receive $4.4 Million in EDA CARES Act Funding |
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On May 27, 2021, the Department of Commerce announced two EDA award recipients within the Bay-Lake RPC region.
The City of Marinette will receive a $3.9 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant for road and utility upgrades adjacent to a shipbuilding business, and development of additional nearby city-owned industrial properties for new and expanding businesses. The project, to be matched with $973,800 in local funds, is expected to create 420 jobs retain 1,760 jobs and attract about $24 million in private investment.
New North Inc., based in Green Bay, will receive a $500,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to conduct a broadband gap analysis for the 18-county New North region in northeast Wisconsin.
For additional information on these awards, please contact Sydney Swan.
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Commission staff examined the number and location of units in new and emerging apartment and other housing developments, as well as housing growth from 2010 through 2019 in the communities of the Sheboygan metropolitan planning area. In addition, Commission staff examined Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) school enrollment data for 2020 for public, private, and post-secondary schools in the Sheboygan area. The analysis informed an effort to update socioeconomic data for the travel demand forecast model.
Commission staff will conduct a land use inventory of the Sheboygan metropolitan planning area in June, July, and August of 2021. A land use technician hired for the summer will complete this effort and other MPO tasks as assigned. The inventory will help establish base year land use and socioeconomic data for the travel demand forecast model. It may also help area communities update their comprehensive plans.
The third set of amendments to the Sheboygan Metropolitan Planning Area Transportation Improvement Program (TIP): Calendar Years 2021 – 2024 was processed in May. The amendments included funding modifications to one project in Table 3 (Elderly and Disabled Transportation Projects), and a cost modification to one project in Table 6 (Street and Highway Improvement Projects). The Sheboygan MPO Technical and Policy Advisory Committees recommended approval of the amendments at their joint meeting in late May. The Commission is scheduled to approve the amendments at its June meeting.
WisDOT opened several local programs for the 2022 – 2027 funding cycle. These include:
Commission staff participated in WisDOT’s virtual Local Program Symposium in which these programs were rolled out in May. We will announce additional programs as they are rolled out later this year and into 2022. Additional information can be found on the transportation portion of the Commission’s Funding and Grant Opportunities Portal.
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City of Manitowoc Bicycle and Pedestrian Open House |
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The City of Manitowoc Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan is nearly complete! Commission staff has worked with the City of Manitowoc’s Parks and Recreation Department to develop a plan that will guide future development to make the city a more walkable and bikeable place. A copy of the plan and large maps of recommended improvements will be located at the Manitowoc Farmers Market on June 12, 2021 from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM. Activity books for children will also be available!
For more information about the plan please contact Chris Garcia.
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Want to help make an impact in our region? Below are links to the public input activities and surveys that are currently open. |
Coastal Resiliency Plan: Community Survey
Do you live, work, play, or own property in the counties of Kewaunee, Manitowoc, and/or Sheboygan? If so, please consider participating in a brief survey to inform our region’s Coastal Resilience Plan.
We are looking for community feedback to understand how the Lake Michigan shoreline is used and what, if any, issues people are observing.
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Upcoming Events & Meetings |
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Bay-Lake RPC
Full Commission Meeting
Friday, June 11, 10:00am
Bay-Lake RPC Office
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City of Manitowoc Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Informational Meeting
Saturday, June 12, 9:00am - 12:00pm
Manitowoc Farmers Market
(Quay Street, City of Manitowoc)
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Check with the Bay-Lake RPC COVID-19 Response and Recovery Portal for new and upcoming events/workshops.
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- July 30, 2021 -
Bay-Lake RPC Executive
Committee Meeting
10:00 am
Bay-Lake RPC Office
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Funding and Grant Opportunities |
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- WDOA Rental Housing Development (June 1)
- USDA Cooperative Conservation Agreements (June 4)
- USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grants (June 4)
- WDOR Wisconsin Tomorrow Small Business Recovery Grant (June 7)
- WPS Rewarding Responders Grant (June 15)
- AARP Wisconsin Small Dollar, Big Impact Grant (June 16)
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Do you want to know more about planning services or grants available? |
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The staff of the Bay-Lake RPC are happy to speak to your boards/councils, committees, organization, or community groups about what is happening in our region. We are also available to assist communities and counties with meeting facilitation.
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