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Welcome to the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission's bi-weekly roundup of news, trends, and events related to regional planning! To see previous edition of this newsletter,
click here.
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Stay up to date with our roundup of planning and development news around the region presented on an
interactive online map
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Chicago Region Examines Five Alternative Futures
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As A Greater Madison Vision looks forward to prepare a vision and plan for our future, we can learn from other regions who recently did the same. Recently we looked at the greater Philadelphia region’s Connections 2045 process that explored five possible future forces.
Another regional futures effort is underway in the Chicago area. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is conducting intensive public engagement, as part of their ON TO 2050 around five alternative futures that could shape their region for decades to come. ON TO 2050 asks, what if, by 2050:
For each future they explore the primary driver, what life would be like in 2050, and strategies to face the future. Opportunities to comment include kiosks, videos, workshops, forums, and social media.
Combining the Philadelphia and Chicago regions paints a picture of 25-30 years out where demographic change results in more people living in walkable mixed-use urban communities, where technology has made transportation more efficient and user-friendly, while automation has led to a free agent economy and exacerbated skills gaps and inequalities, all in the face of a hotter, wetter climate that brings more extreme weather events. To this picture the Chicago region adds a resource constrained future as public funding declines, while the Philly region adds an energy boom and job growth.
What alternative futures should we focus on in the greater Madison region?
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New Tool Available for Comparing Benefits of Restoration Projects
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Communities and organizations often make decisions on prioritizing stream or wetland restoration projects based on limited financial or ecological criteria. The EPA has developed a new decision making tool that also incorporates the social benefits of restoration projects into this evaluation. This Rapid Benefit Indicators (RBI) approach provides an additional tool to aid communities in screening, prioritizing, and justifying restoration projects. Emphasizing the social components integrates more sustainability metrics into the evaluations.
Using the RBI assessment, communities can quantify how a restoration project’s ecosystem services would provide the community with benefits such as reduced flood risk, scenic views, environmental education, and recreation. The EPA’s step-by-step guide helps identify project objectives, important ecosystem services, and relevant social benefits for each prospective site. This assists communities with prioritizing public engagement by identifying the desired services, benefits, and potential concerns of stakeholders. Information such as the number of homes near a site and the presence of trails or roads help to quantify the number of people who would benefit from a restoration project.
The RBI approach leads to a relative comparison of projects through qualitative and narrative information. This approach can be combined with biological functional assessments and other considerations for further discussions with stakeholders. The Regional Planning Commission has free resources available to assist municipalities or organizations who would like to use this tool in their communities. For more information please contact Mike Rupiper, Director of Environmental Resources Planning.
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A Greater Madison Vision to Host More Workshops
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Where do you think 150,000 new residents should go? Click on different parts of the regional map to add people and jobs. Watch what happens to indicators such as housing, environment, and farmland. Get feedback from different stakeholders about your choices. Work with others to balance competing interests and create your best plan for the region. Your plan will help A Greater Madison Vision create a compelling vision and plan for our future!
For more information about events, see http://www.agmv.vision/iplan-greater-madison-workshops-begin/
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Future workshops dates and registration are available! Click the “register here” links under each workshop to learn more.
Sun Prairie Public Library
Thursday, July 20th, 4:30-6:30pm
Register Here
Rosemary Garfoot Public Library (Cross Plains)
Wednesday, July 26th, 5-7pm
Register Here
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Sign Up to Loop Lake Monona on Saturday, July 29th!
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Every year, hundreds of people who care about local water take a spin around Lake Monona for Clean Lakes Alliance's Loop the Lake bike ride. This family-friendly 12-mile scenic loop around Lake Monona is a fun ride, not a race, so anyone can join!
Sixth Annual Loop the Lake Bike Ride
10 a.m., Saturday, July 29th, 2017
Starts & ends at Olbrich Park
$35 per rider or FREE for kids 10 & under
As always, proceeds support work to protect and improve our lakes
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Events
Next RPC Commission Meeting:
July 13th, 2017 @ 6:00pm
City County Building, rm 351
210 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Madison, WI 53703
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