~ E-Newsletter ~
Volume 13 | Issue 1 | Winter 2023
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E-Newsletter Changes in 2023 |
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The Commission will be switching from monthly E-Newsletters to quarterly E-Newsletters in 2023 that will be distributed as Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall editions. The change will provide for more meaningful articles on activities that Commission staff have completed, are currently working on, and any other upcoming events. In addition to the quarterly E-Newsletters, important information such as surveys, public comment periods, new grant opportunities, etc., will be distributed through one topic specific emails as well as through our social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you are not currently following the Commission, these links are provided below. |
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2023 Technical Assistance Grant Program |
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We are once again offering our Technical Assistance Grant Program to our member communities. This program offers limited free professional planning assistance on small-scale plans or projects. Eligible projects must fit within the Commission’s work program and fall under the categories of community planning, economic development, mapping/visualization, environmental, or transportation planning.
Up to three projects from throughout the Bay-Lake region will be selected to be carried out by Commission staff at no cost. Each project will be limited to a maximum of 40 hours of staff time. Larger projects are also eligible to get a project underway. All awarded technical assistance hours must be used in 2023.
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Main Street Bounceback Grant Program - CLOSED |
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The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Main Street Bounceback Grant program has closed in the Bay-Lake Region. Since August of 2021, the Main Street Bounceback Grant program awarded over $100M in grant funds to businesses throughout the State of Wisconsin. Commission staff awarded $7,800,000 in grant funds to 780 businesses in the Bay-Lake Region alone.
The program helped support economic development throughout the region by providing $10,000 grants to new startup and expanding businesses that located in previously vacant commercial properties, bringing life back into the region's downtown areas. We thank our regional partners who assisted with the program by working with potential applicants and writing letters of acknowledgment.
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2023 CDBG-PF Application Available 1/24/2023 |
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The 2023 Community Development Block Grant - Public Facilities (CDBG-PF) Program application materials will be available no later than January 24, 2023. The application will be similar to previous years' application materials, although key changes were made to the eligibility, match funding, and scoring in 2023.
CDBG-PF funds help support infrastructure and facility projects for communities, including improvements, repairs, or expansions of streets, drainage systems, water and sewer systems, sidewalks, and community centers. Grants are limited to projects that, if implemented, meet a CDBG National Objective. To learn more about the CDBG-PF, click here. If your community is eligible for CDBG funding and you would like assistance with writing the application or environmental review, please contact Sydney Swan via email.
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2022 - 2027 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Open for Public Review |
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The draft 2022-2027 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) was developed by the Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission (Bay-Lake RPC) as required by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to maintain eligibility as the region's Economic Development District. The CEDS documents was prepared on behalf of the entire Bay-Lake RPC region which consists of Brown, Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Oconto, and Sheboygan counties.
In 1974, EDA designated the Bay-Lake RPC as the provisional Economic Development District (EDD) for the region and in 1979, EDA recognized Bay-Lake RPC as the official planning organization of the Economic Development District. To maintain eligibility as the region's EDD, Bay-Lake RPC is responsible for updating the CEDS annually and completely revising the CEDS every five years. This document is the 5-year revision of the 2017 CEDS.
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Updating the long-range transportation plan for the metropolitan planning area continues to be a major task. Commission staff presented draft Chapter 6 (Transportation and Land Use) and most of draft Chapter 7 (Recommended Transportation Plan) at the joint meeting of the Sheboygan MPO Technical and Policy Advisory Committees in early December.
Approval of the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) update and targets for the MPO also took place in December. The Sheboygan MPO advisory committees recommended approval of the PTASP update and targets at their joint meeting in December, and the Commission approved the PTASP update and targets at its December meeting. These materials have been submitted to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Region 5 staff.
WisDOT approved the 2023 – 2026 Sheboygan Metropolitan Planning Area Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and WisDOT and USDOT approved the 2023 Sheboygan Metropolitan Planning Area Transportation Planning Work Program in December.
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Upcoming Events & Meetings
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~ January ~
Sheboygan MPO Technical and Policy
Advisory Committees Joint Meeting
Thursday, January 26, 1:00pm
Sheboygan City Hall and Online
Bay-Lake RPC Executive
Committee Meeting
Friday, January 27, 10:00am
Bay-Lake RPC Office
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~ February ~
2023 WLIA Annual Conference
February 22nd - 24th
Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells, WI
Sheboygan MPO Technical and Policy
Advisory Committees Joint Meeting
Thursday, February 23, 1:00pm
Sheboygan City Hall and Online
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~ March ~
Bay-Lake RPC Full
Commission Meeting
Friday, March 10, 10:00am
Bay-Lake RPC Office
Sheboygan MPO Technical and Policy
Advisory Committees Joint Meeting
Thursday, March 30, 1:00pm*
Sheboygan City Hall and Online
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Funding and Grant Opportunities |
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Upcoming Grant Deadlines
The following grants have deadlines approaching in the next three months. Please click on each grant to view further details.
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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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