E-Newsletter Volume 12, Issue 2 / February 2022
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The Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission is pleased to welcome the following communities as new members of the Commission! We look forward to assisting our newest members in their planning needs.
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Village of Allouez (Brown County)
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Village of Denmark (Brown County)
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Village of Egg Harbor (Door County)
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Village of Sister Bay (Door County)
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Town of Gibraltar (Door County)
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Town of Jacksonport (Door County)
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Non-member communities can still join the RPC for 2022. If you have any questions about membership, our services, etc., please reach out to Cindy Wojtczak.
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On January 25th and 27th, two Bay-Lake RPC Staff – Adam Christensen and Jessica Missall – taught seven sixth grade science classes at Horace Mann Middle School in Sheboygan about watersheds, non-point and point source pollution, and good habits to reducing stormwater runoff. At the end of the presentations a Kahoot Quiz was held with a prize of candy, so the stakes were high for these sixth graders. Every student did an amazing job on the quiz and the presenters were impressed with their enthusiasm, participation, and questions. Special thanks to Aaron Brault, Sheboygan County Planning and Conservation Department Director, for coming up with the idea, Sarah DeZwarte for the contact information for interested teachers, and Christine Bahr and Melissa Selk for sharing their classes and classrooms.
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These presentations were provided by Bay-Lake staff to assist the Sheboygan County Stormwater Coalition in providing educational opportunities about stormwater. To learn more about the Sheboygan County Stormwater Coalition please visit their website.
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Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Funding
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Due to increased funding brought about by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), WisDOT has notified the Commission that two additional solicitations for transportation related projects will occur this year. The first solicitation, which will include the Surface Transportation Program (STP)-Urban, STP-Rural, STP-Local, and Local Bridge Assistance programs, is now open and will close on April 1, 2022. Eligible projects for this solicitation are limited to construction projects (design projects are not eligible) for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2022 (Oct 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022).
The second solicitation is expected to be announced in late February and will include the above programs with the addition of the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and Congestion Mitigation Air Quality program (CMAQ). Eligibility for the second solicitation will include both design and construction projects for FFYs 2023 through 2026 (October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2026).
More information about the solicitations and their requirements can be found on WisDOT’s website here.
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CDBG-PF Applications Now Open
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The Community Development Block Grant - Public Facilities (CDBG-PF) application opened on 1/31/22 to communities in Wisconsin. Applications may apply for up to $1 million in funding that can be used for improvements, repairs, or expansions of streets, drainage systems, water and sewer systems, sidewalks, community centers, and more. Communities must meet one of the following national objectives in order to be eligible for funding: Benefit to Low- and Moderate-Income (LMI) Person, Prevention or Elimination of Slum and Blight, or Urgent Local Need. There are currently 18 communities in the Bay-Lake Region that are eligible to apply based on the LMI national objective.
Applications are due by 4:00pm on Thursday, May 12, 2022. Click here for more information.
For questions about the program, eligibility, or our grant writing services, please contact Jessica Missall.
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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. Since the program began, we have received over 625 Intents to Apply and funded 269 applications! Grant eligibility includes:
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New purchaser or tenant with a 12 month or longer signed lease of a vacant commercial space or a business that expanded its existing footprint into additional vacant commercial space. Lease or sales contract must be dated on or after January 1, 2021. Some exceptions may apply.
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Minor amendments to the 2022 – 2025 Sheboygan Metropolitan Planning Area Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) were recommended for approval by the Sheboygan MPO Technical and Policy Advisory Committees at their joint meeting on January 27th and were approved by the Commission at a meeting of its Executive Committee on January 28th. These amendments can be found here.
The Sheboygan MPO advisory committees reviewed the Annual Listing of Obligated Projects for Calendar Year 2021 at their joint meeting on January 27th. This listing can be found here.
The annual report on transportation system performance indicators for the Sheboygan Metropolitan Planning Area for 2021 was presented at the joint meeting of the MPO advisory committees on January 27th. The report can be found here, and a Power Point presentation concerning the report can be found here.
Updating the long-range transportation plan for the metropolitan planning area will be a major task in 2022. This will be particularly challenging given updated Census data, likely revisions to the urbanized area and metropolitan planning area, delays in receiving population and household projections from the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) Demographic Services Center, and the new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). In addition, the BIL increased authorizations for local transportation program funding, meaning that 2022 could be a busy year for processing amendments to the 2022 – 2025 TIP.
In January, Commission staff participated virtually in two meetings of Sheboygan County’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Transportation Taskforce, one quarterly meeting of the Northeast Wisconsin Regional Access to Transportation Committee (NEWRATC, which staff chairs), and one quarterly meeting of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Transportation Conformity Work Group. In addition, Commission staff participated in a briefing with WisDOT staff regarding the BIL and what it means for funding of local transportation programs, a meeting of the Northeast Wisconsin Intermodal Study Steering Committee, and a quarterly meeting of the MPO/RPC Directors with WisDOT and USDOT staff.
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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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Upcoming Events & Meetings
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2022 WLIA Annual Conference
February 23 - 25
The Osthoff Resort, Elkhart Lake, WI
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Sheboygan MPO Technical and Policy Advisory Committees Joint Meeting
Thursday, February 24, 1:00pm
Sheboygan City Hall, Sheboygan
and Virtual
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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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- March 11, 2022 -
Bay-Lake RPC Full
Commission Meeting
10:00am
Location TBD
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Funding and Grant Opportunities
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February and March Grant Deadlines
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- FEMA Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) (February 4)
- EDA Good Jobs Challenge (February 10)
- NEA Grants for Arts Projects (February 10)
- WisDOT Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) (February 15)
- USDA Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program (February 22)
- FWS North American Wetlands Conservation Act: Standard Grants Program (Cycle 1) (February 25)
- USDA Rural Business Development Grant Program (February 28)
- EDA Economic Adjustment Assistance Program (March 15)
- EDA Indigenous Communities Program (March 15)
- PSC Broadband Expansion Grants (March 17)
- EDA Travel, Tourism & Outdoor Recreation Program (March 31)
- T-Mobile Hometown Grants Program (March 31)
- WisNRF Go Outside Fund (March 31)
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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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