E-Newsletter Volume 12, Issue 8 / August 2022 |
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Welcome to Our Newest Employee! |
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We are pleased to welcome Heena Bhatt to the Bay-Lake RPC team!
Heena joins our team as a Transportation Planner and will be assisting primarily the Sheboygan MPO and Regional Transportation programs. Heena brings experience in designing as well as Planning with her Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Gujarat, India and a Master’s degree in Urban Agglomerations from the Frankfurt Institute of Applied Sciences, Germany.
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Environmental Corridors of the Bay-Lake Region |
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Bay-Lake RPC has completed an update to its regional environmental corridor dataset. The dataset consists of steep slope (greater than 12%), surface water (with a 75-foot setback), floodplains, and wetlands (with a 50-foot setback). Other areas within the region that are considered sensitive in nature and should be preserved (such as state parks, state natural areas, habitat preservations, and others) are also included in the dataset. The update will provide crucial information in many of the Commission’s planning documents as a region as well as in individual community plans.
The dataset can be viewed within individually prepared community maps available within the Environmental Corridors of the Bay-Lake Region Map Series Guidebook or through an interactive dashboard where users can navigate an online map and locate environmental corridors within their community. These tools and more information regarding the updated dataset can be accessed through the Environmental Corridor Public Portal.
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State Announces 41 Grants through Wisconsin Coastal Management Program |
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The Wisconsin Coastal Management Program (WCMP) announced that it is awarding 41 grants, totaling more than $1.4 million, to coastal communities across Wisconsin. These grants will be used to protect and improve Wisconsin's natural resources, quality of life, and economic development potential. Of the 41 grants, 18 (totaling over $527,000) in WCMP grants were awarded in the Bay-Lake region. The complete list of grants can be viewed here.
The WCMP grant program occurs annually. The next Request for Proposals cycle will open in August with an application deadline of early November 2022.
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Waterfront Planning Toolkit |
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Bay-Lake RPC has been awarded a WCMP grant to create a Waterfront Toolkit that provides templates, best practices, and other information on how communities can create their own waterfront plan. The toolkit will also provide several case studies on waterfront projects. Case studies will have information on funding sources, partnerships, maintenance, and lessons learned, so communities can duplicate projects for their own waterfront.
Bay-Lake RPC will be reaching out to several communities to gather information on waterfront projects. Specifically, we are looking for projects that improve environmental amenities, promote sustainable economic development, and improve how people utilize and access the waterfront. Feel free to reach out with projects that could be included in the toolkit or for more information on this project, please contact Adam Christensen.
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Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts Report |
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One of the many focus areas on climate impacts is on Wisconsin’s Great Lakes coastal communities. The most recent assessment from the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI) shows that large fluctuations in Great Lakes water levels along with flooding and bluff erosion from extreme storms are impacting the areas along Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan and Lake Superior coastlines.
“Coastal communities and businesses will need to adapt to more volatile lake level fluctuations, with frequent fluctuations between extreme highs and low lake levels, as the climate continues to warm.” according to Adam Bechle, WICCI Coastal Resilience Co-Chair.
Fact sheets and guides are available on the WICCI Coastal Resilience Working Group webpage, addressing nature-based shoreline techniques suitable for the Great Lakes, different types of shore protection structures, and options for stabilizing coastal bluffs. Read more... here
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Main Street Bounceback Grant Program Update |
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Bay-Lake RPC is continuing to accept grant applications for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Main Street Bounceback Grant program. The grant is available to new businesses that have purchased or leased a vacant commercial space after 1/1/2021 for business. Existing businesses that have expanded into a previously vacant commercial space after 1/1/2021. Lease or deed must be dated on or after 1/1/2021. Additional program eligibility and exclusions can be found on the grant program's webpage. Please note that funding is limited under this program and businesses are not guaranteed grant funds. Bay-Lake RPC is focusing on spaces that meet the square footage requirements and operating at time of completed application submittal.
Since the program began, we have received over 1,200 Intents to Apply and funded 520 applications!
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Updating the long-range transportation plan for the metropolitan planning area continues to be a major task in 2022. Commission staff completed work on draft Chapter 5 (Existing Condition of the Transportation Network), continued work on draft Chapter 6 (Transportation and Land Use), and started work on draft Chapter 9 (Financial Plan) of the Year 2050 SATP in July.
The Sheboygan MPO Technical and Policy Advisory Committees recommended approval of a minor amendment to the Sheboygan Metropolitan Planning Area Transportation Improvement Program (TIP): Calendar Years 2022 – 2025 at their special joint meeting on July 28th. This amendment involved Table 5 (Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Projects). A financial plan (fiscal constraint demonstration) accompanied this amendment. The amendment is scheduled to be approved by the Commission’s Executive Committee in August.
The Sheboygan MPO Technical and Policy Advisory Committees ranked candidate projects for Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) Urban funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) for the federal fiscal years 2023 – 2026 cycle (using the project prioritization policy for that program) at their special joint meeting in late July. The MPO advisory committees also selected a project for funding at this meeting.
Commission staff continue to plan for the 2022 MPO/RPC/WisDOT/USDOT transportation planning conference that will be held at Blue Harbor Resort and Conference Center in Sheboygan October 10th – 12th. This included meetings with other MPOs, with WisDOT and FHWA, and a short discussion at the MPO/RPC Directors’ meeting in late July.
Commission staff completed the Transit Asset Management (TAM) plan and targets for Shoreline Metro in July. The plan and targets will be presented to the Sheboygan Transit Commission at its August meeting.
Commission staff assisted Shoreline Metro with a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) quarterly report in early July.
Commission staff continued work on setting Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) targets for the Sheboygan metropolitan planning area in July.
In July, Commission staff participated in a WisDOT Electrification Plan meeting, chaired a quarterly meeting of the Northeast Wisconsin Regional Access to Transportation Committee (NEWRATC), participated in a quarterly meeting of the Wisconsin DNR Transportation Conformity Workgroup, participated in the MPO mid-year work program review meeting, and participated in the quarterly MPO/RPC Directors’ meeting. In addition, Commission staff continued to advise area local governments as they apply for special local program funding administered by WisDOT under the BIL.
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The past few months, the Commission recently completed comprehensive plan updates for three towns within the Bay-Lake region. These documents will serve as a guide to the each of these town's growth and development for the next 20 years and can be found by clicking on the links below.
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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. |
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2022 CEDS SWOT Analysis Survey |
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The Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission is currently in the process of updating the region's five-year Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). This important document acts as a roadmap for economic development in the region and is also a prerequisite needed to receive Economic Development Administration (EDA) and other federal/state grant funding.
As part of the CEDS update, Bay-Lake RPC is collecting input on the region's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, formally known as SWOT analysis. The SWOT survey provides examples of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and all responses are appreciated. The survey takes 10 minutes to complete and will remain open through August 2022. Results of the survey will be reviewed and analyzed by the CEDS Committee and incorporated into the document.
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Village of Mishicot 20-Year Comprehensive Plan Survey |
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The Village of Mishicot has started updating its 20-year comprehensive plan which will be used as a guidance tool for growth in the village over the next 20 years. The village is asking residents in the area to participate in an online survey to tell us what concerns you have or what improvements are needed in the community. The online survey is available through the end of August, and can be accessed by clicking on the following link:
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Upcoming Events & Meetings |
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City of Plymouth Comprehensive Plan Open House
Thursday, August 4, 5:00pm
Plymouth City Hall
128 Smith Street, Plymouth WI
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Bay-Lake RPC
Executive Committee Meeting
Friday, August 19, 10:00am
Bay-Lake RPC Office
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- September 9, 2022 -
Bay-Lake RPC Full
Commission Meeting
10:00 am
Bay-Lake RPC Office
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Funding and Grant Opportunities |
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August and September Grant Deadlines
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- NEA Our Town Grant Program (August 4)
- OBT Community Asset Building Grant Program (August 11)
- WEDC Wisconsin Cooperative Feasibility Grant (August 15)
- WisDOT Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) (August 15)
- AARP Wisconsin Small Dollar, Big Impact Grant (August 16)
- WHEDA Housing Grant Program (August 26)
- WDT Ready, Set, Go1 (RSG) Grant Program (September 1)
- WisNRF C.D. Besadny Conservation Grants (September 1)
- WDNR Surface Water Grant Program (September 2)
- WDNR Shooting Range Grant Program (September 15)
- AARP Wisconsin Small Dollar, Big Impact Grant (September 20)
- WDNR Surface Water Grant Program – Pre-Proposals Due (September 22)
- ATC Community Planting Program (September 30)
- ATC Pollinator Habitat Program (September 30)
- FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (September 30)
- WDNR Clean Water Fund Program (September 30)
- WisNRF Go Outside Fund (September 30)
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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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