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Shoreland 400 Rail Trail is the National Trail of the Month
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has recognized the Shoreland 400 Rail Trail in the City of Sheboygan as its National Trail of the Month for May 2014. The Shoreland 400 Rail Trail is a nearly two mile multi-use trail that travels on a former Union Pacific rail corridor through the City of Sheboygan. The trail project was completed in the fall of 2013, and is a product of NOMO Sheboygan County, the federally funded Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program (NMTPP).
The project was funded by a combination of NMTPP funding and funds from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program that can benefit counties in the region adjacent to Lake Michigan. Commission staff included this project in the Sheboygan Area Transportation Plan as well as in the Sheboygan Metropolitan Planning Area Transportation Improvement Program, and also participated in committee meetings of the advisory committee to NOMO Sheboygan County that selected this project for implementation. This project will serve a key environmental justice target area in the City of Sheboygan with another alternative to the automobile. Congratulations to the Sheboygan County Planning and Conservation Department and City of Sheboygan staff on this honor!
Click here to learn more about this trail.
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Senate Bill 596 Becomes Law
Senate Bill 596 includes water trails in the State Trail System as part of the federal government's new "national water trail" designation. The bill will allow the Department of Natural Resources to plan, research, and gather public input on the appropriate use of state trails, including use by hikers, cross-country skiers, equestrians, bicyclists, riders of electric personal assistive mobility devices, snowmobilers, or in-line skaters. Senator Luther Olsen (R- Ripon) and Representative Al Ott (R- Forest Junction) co-authored the bill, which passed the Senate on a voice vote and was approved by the Assembly 93-0; it is Act 248.
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Tipping Points Planning Workshop for Marinette Menominee Area Stakeholders
The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute and the Commission are holding a one-day Tipping Points Planning Workshop on May 28, 2014 in Marinette to demonstrate a tool created to guide communities through development of a tipping point action plan. The Marinette Menominee area was selected for the focus of these efforts.
A tipping point refers to the point at which something changes from one state to another. Research shows us that once an ecosystem changes, it is difficult to return the ecosystem to its previous condition. Extensive research across the Great Lakes has identified a number of tipping points for ecosystems based on land use, population, and other factors. Turning research into actual changes on the ground is no small task.
At the beginning of this project, it was recognized that research on tipping points had direct applicability to communities and watershed organizations across the Great Lakes region. The Tipping Points & Indicators Planner was developed as a tool to guide communities through the tipping points toward development of an action plan. The tool is available at TippingPointPlanner.org. This workshop will pilot the use of this tool with a group of stakeholders.
Please contact Angela Pierce if you have any questions about this workshop or the Tipping Point Planner.
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Measuring Sprawl 2014 Report
While some places in the United States are sprawling, some places are building in compact and connected ways, and the difference between these two strategies affects the lives of millions of Americans. Smart Growth America updated its landmark 2002 study that had been widely used by researchers to examine the costs and benefits of sprawling development. Measuring Sprawl 2014 updates the research and analyzes development patterns in 221 metropolitan areas and 994 counties in the United States as of 2010, examining which communities are more compact and connected, and which are more sprawling. Researchers used four primary factors to evaluate development in these areas and assign a Sprawl Index score to each: residential and employment density; neighborhood mix of homes, jobs and services; strength of activity centers and downtowns; and accessibility of the street network. As noted in the report, the Madison and Milwaukee areas fare well on this index, while the Green Bay area has been found to be one of the most sprawling metropolitan areas in the United States - ranked 204 out of 221 metro areas.
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Sheboygan MPO Update
The Sheboygan MPO Technical and Policy Advisory Committees met jointly on April 24th. Significant agenda items at this meeting included: a public hearing, review and recommendation of approval of an amendment to the street and highway component of the Sheboygan Metropolitan Planning Area Transportation Improvement Program (TIP): Calendar Years 2013 - 2016 to the Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission; review of the Annual Listing of Obligated Projects for Calendar Year 2013; review of draft Chapter 2 of the Year 2045 Sheboygan Area Transportation Plan (Metropolitan Transportation Planning Process); review of revisions to draft Chapter 3 of the Year 2045 SATP (Profile of the Metropolitan Planning Area); updates on Chapters 4 (Mission Statement, Goals and Objectives) and 5 (Existing Condition of the Transportation Network) of the Year 2045 SATP; and an update on WisDOT Northeast Region and other MPO planning activities.
Commission staff continues to prepare Chapter 5 of the Year 2045 SATP. Thus far, primary emphasis has been on the Transit Network section of Chapter 5. This chapter will take several months to prepare.
Commission staff spent some time in early April assisting Shoreline Metro with a quarterly report for its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).
The Commission approved a major amendment to the street and highway component of the 2013 - 2016 TIP at a meeting of its Executive Committee on April 25th. Commission staff transmitted the approved major amendment to applicable state and Federal agencies at the end of April.
For more information, please contact Jeff Agee-Aguayo.
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Trade Venture to South America
Companies in northeast Wisconsin that wish to expand the scope of their global business have an extraordinary opportunity in a ten day, three country trade venture to South America September 13 - 23, 2014. Colombia, Peru, and Chile are rapidly growing South American economies whose development needs align well with proven capabilities found among Wisconsin industry leaders. Their investments in infrastructure and preference for U.S.-made products make them ideal destinations for proven Wisconsin technology and expertise.
For more information and an application, please contact Dani Long via email or call International Business Development, Inc. at (920) 358-5128.
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EDA Launches New Website
(1)(2).jpg) The Economic Development Administration has recently launched a newly redesigned website that provides easier access to grant application resources, current projects, announcements for new national initiatives, a list of case studies, as well as agency contact information. There is also a portal in which to sign-up for EDA's monthly E-Newsletter under the "Stay Connected" tab on the front page of their website. Please take a moment to visit EDA's website. |
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Share office space with us!
 The Commission has 2-4 offices available for occupancy. The offices range in size from 108 sq. ft. to 143 sq. ft. Each office has a window with partial furnishings. The rent is $9.00/sf and includes utilities. There will be an additional monthly cost for phone and internet service, parking, and office cleaning. A conference room and small break room are included in the rental cost. If your organization is seeking temporary or long-term office space close to all the downtown amenities, please contact Richard Heath for more information. |
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Available Grant Opportunities
The following is a list of upcoming grant opportunities and their due dates. Please contact the Commission if you have a project idea, or need assistance with preparing or administering a grant, or if you are interested in partnering with the Commission on a project. -
Nonpoint Pollution Abatement - Targeted Runoff Management Water and Waste Revolving Loan Fund Grants, May 27, 2014
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Recreational Boating Facilities, June 1, 2014
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Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Grant, June 1, 2014
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Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Planning and Public Facilities, June 2, 2014
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NFWF Acres for America (pre-proposal), June 3, 2014
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Economic Development Assistance (EDA), June 13, 2014
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To submit information for consideration in future newsletters, send an email to [email protected]. Include your name, community/organization, and contact information in the body of the message. |
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An Economic Development District & Metropolitan Planning Organization serving Northeast Wisconsin for over 40 years.
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To submit a request for an EMSI Analyst Query, please complete and submit this form:
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
June 10, 2014
Full Commission meeting, Green Bay
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STAFF CONTACTS
Richard Heath
Executive Director
Jeff Agee-Aguayo
Transportation
Planner
Richard Malone
Office Accounts
Coordinator
Angela Pierce
Natural Resources
Planner
Brandon Robinson
Community Assistance
Planner
Joshua Schedler
GIS Coordinator
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