NCWRPC Newsletter - Autumn 2020

NCWRPC News | Autumn 2020 | Issue 70

North Central Wisconsin

Regional Planning Commission

Serving Adams, Forest, Juneau, Langlade, Lincoln,

Marathon, Oneida, Portage, Vilas, and Wood Counties since 1973

NCWRPC 2021 Work Program

Being Developed

Every fall the NCWRPC develops its work program for the following year. Many projects have already been identified, but there is always room for more. Projects may fall under any of our five program areas of economic development, geographic information systems (mapping), intergovernmental cooperation, land use, and transportation.

Feel free to contact us if your community is thinking about a planning related project. Staff is always available to answer a phone call, respond to an email, or attend a meeting to discuss a project. Even if we cannot help, we can often steer you to someone that can.

Contact Dennis Lawrence at (715) 849-5510, Extension 304 or at dlawrence@ncwrpc.org.

NCWRPC Receives EDA CARES Act Grant

Earlier this year the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission was awarded a grant from the US Economic Development Administration (EDA) to help with the economic recovery of the region as a result of the coronavirus. Every town, village, city, and county has been impacted. The scope of work supports activities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic, and to respond to economic injury as a result of coronavirus. To address recovery, NCWRPC will undertake the following:

Regional Recovery Plan

Prepare an economic recovery plan with the goals of rebuilding a resilient and sustainable region, including short-term and long-term strategies focused on pandemic economic recovery and resiliency.

Update of Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) to include Recovery and Resiliency

Prepare both a recovery and resiliency section for the CEDS update. Align the CEDS with the economic recovery and resilience sections. Also identify locally generated, recovery economic development and resiliency projects. View the current CEDS here.

Regional Health Pandemic Assessment and Future Response

Prepare an assessment of various county response efforts related to the coronavirus and identify future approaches to better address similar pandemics. The goal is to better prepare the region for future public health related disruptions. This effort will support the CEDS and county level all-hazard mitigation plans.

Business & Industrial Park Inventory, Absorption, & Needs Study

Conduct a regional land use update and specifically examine existing business and industrial space within the region. Prepare a regional absorption space study for the region to identify future needs. This will include a region-wide land use inventory using 2020 airphotos.

Technical Assistance, Planning Support, & Other Efforts

Technical assistance will include identifying economic development grant-eligible projects and providing guidance in preparing and submitting EDA and other state and federal agency applications. Other technical assistance and capacity building for member organizations, local businesses, and other local stakeholders impacted by coronavirus will be provided. Planning support will be provided to communities for a variety of planning activities, such as workforce housing, broadband, downtown development, freight rail, paper & forestry, tourism & recreation, comprehensive planning, and other plan efforts at the local, tribal, county, regional and state levels.

Two staff have been identified as Recovery Coordinators to provide assistance. Contact either Eric Sonnleitner at esonnleitner@ncwrpc.org or Carrie Edmondson at cedmondson@ncwrpc.org for more information.

Safe Routes To School Update

The NCWRPC is in the process of completing plans for 25 schools across 11 districts in North Central Wisconsin as part of its Regional Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program. This is the second round of the NCWRPC's ongoing effort that began with a successful TAP grant application by the NCWRPC in January of 2018.

Most recently, NCWRPC staff facilitated a collaborative effort between the Nekoosa School Board and the City of Nekoosa Public Works Committee on July 7, 2020. At this meeting, the final Nekoosa Safe Routes to School Plan was presented and both bodies had an opportunity to ask questions, identify issues and opportunities, and together identify best practices. The plan was then adopted by the Nekoosa School Board and was recommended for Nekoosa City Council approval later in July.

Nekoosa Papermakers Logo

Humke Elementary School in Nekoosa

The Nekoosa SRTS Task Force has had a robust beginning and has nominated a Task Force Chairperson to continue their momentum. In addition, the City already began painting new high visibility crosswalks in late summer to make intersections throughout the City safer for walkers and bikers as recommended in the plan. One intersection that was identified as being of particular concern by the Task Force was the intersection of Crestview Lane and S. Section Street, northeast of Humke Elementary School. Most students travel through this intersection after being dismissed from school. The high visibility crosswalks will create enhanced safety for walkers and bikers. Additional improvements are planned for Nekoosa as the Task Force continues to prioritize infrastructural improvements with the possibility of a TAP grant application during the next cycle.

Intersection of Crestview Ln. and S. Section St. in Nekoosa

Before

After

There are a total of 56 school districts located fully or partially within the Region, 41 of which are based within the Region. At present, 16 districts, or over one-third of the Region's districts, have partnered with NCWRPC on their Safe Routes to School planning. This means there is still a great deal of SRTS planning potential within the Region and the NCWRPC looks forward to partnering with the remaining districts and continuing to realize successful outcomes like Nekoosa.

For more details about Nekoosa's Safe Routes to School program, please view the Nekoosa Safe Routes to School Plan. To view our other Safe Routes to School efforts, please visit our Safe Routes to School page. For more information on Safe Routes to School planning or how the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission can assist with your local SRTS efforts, contact Carrie Edmondson at 715-849-5510 extension 311, or at cedmondson@ncwrpc.org or Fred Heider at extension 310, or at fheider@ncwrpc.org.

Broadband Initiatives

Governor Appoints NCWRPC’s Faust to Broadband Task Force

Governor Tony Evers signed Executive Order #80 creating the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access. The task force will advise the governor and Wisconsin State Legislature on broadband actions and policy, including strategies for successfully expanding high speed internet access to every residence, business, and institution in the state; initiatives for digital inclusion; and pathways to unlocking and optimizing the benefits of statewide, affordable access to broadband for all communities in Wisconsin.

The task force will be chaired by Brittany Beyer, Executive Director for Grow North Regional Economic Development Corporation, and consists of members who represent a balance of interests, perspectives, and areas of expertise. It will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to research and develop recommendations for actions so that all Wisconsinites can have access to this essential and critical service needed for daily life.

The task force will be charged with promoting broadband expansion and researching policies and projects to meet the state's goals. One of those goals is providing affordable broadband internet access to all residents by 2025. The NCWRPC is currently searching for funding to help address this issue from a regional perspective.

The task force will prepare an annual report that will include the current state of broadband in Wisconsin, as well as recommendations for policies and initiatives to overcome challenges to statewide access, affordability and adoption. Staffing support for the task force will be provided by the PSC’s State Broadband Office.

For more information contact Andy Faust, 715-849-5510, ext. 305 or afaust@ncwprc.org.

Broadband Expansion Grant 2021 Applications Now Open

On Tuesday, Sept. 1, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) announced the opening of the 2021 Broadband Expansion Grant. This round of the Broadband Expansion Grant Program has $24 million in funding available for projects that will expand high-speed broadband internet to unserved and underserved areas of the state.

The objectives of the program are to: permit individuals that reside in areas of the state that have fewer than two broadband service providers to have access to broadband service, and; ensure that grant funds are used for the construction of broadband facilities and are not used to subsidize the expenses of a telecommunications provider or the monthly bills of telecommunication customers.

In March of this year, the PSC awarded 72 grants to extend high-speed internet access to as many as 3,182 businesses and 46,537 homes statewide. Within the North Central Wisconsin Region, eight projects were awarded funds, with a combined $4,305,746 in funds being awarded throughout the Region.

Applications for the 2021 Broadband Expansion Grant are due by December 1st. Questions or concerns about the grant application process, program administration, content of the application, or the meaning of any provision of the application instructions should be submitted by e-mail message to the State Broadband Office at PSCStatebroadbandoffice@wisconsin.gov.

NCWRPC Secures TAP Grant Award for

Wood County Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan

The North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (NCWRPC) is pleased to announce that Wood County has been awarded a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant for the preparation of an update to its countywide bicycle and pedestrian plan. The application was submitted to WisDOT earlier this year by NCWRPC Staff on behalf of Wood County. The TAP program is intended to provide transportation choices that are safe, reliable and convenient alternatives to automobile use. This project will plan and promote the development of a countywide system of interconnected bicycle and pedestrian facilities for Wood County.

The plan's development will be a joint effort of the NCWRPC and Wood County Planning Department. This will be a higher level plan that will focus on establishing and promoting a county-wide bike-ped facility framework that can be further built upon at the local level over time. Connections across county lines will be evaluated to ensure integration with the greater regional and statewide systems.

Wood County and its residents have shown broad support for bicycle and pedestrian projects over time including extensive trail development in the Cities of Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids. The County's previous bike-ped plan is credited with spurring over 30 miles of paths with significant improvements to the connectivity of the networks in both the Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids Areas, leading to a noticeable increase in path usage.

However, that plan is out of date, having been written in 1995, and bicycle and pedestrian plans should typically be updated every 10 years. County officials have long desired to complete a new bicycle and pedestrian plan to continue this success, and with this new partnership with the NCWRPC it has become possible to move this update forward. Project Staff will work with each local unit and other entities across the County to "stitch together" an overall county plan comprising of existing and recommended future bicycle and pedestrian route connections within and between the communities. The process will make bicycling and walking more attractive and safer transportation choices.

The potential benefits of bicycling or walking are significant. Planning for the development of a comprehensive, safe and attractive bicycle and pedestrian network within the community is an important first step toward realizing these benefits. On a national, state and local level, the public is increasingly recognizing the benefits of biking and walking beyond their recreational values. Planning and subsequent implementation of bicycle and pedestrian improvements will be a strong step toward achieving such benefits for the community.

NCWRPC has prepared several county and local bicycle and pedestrian plans, as well as a regional plan. All of our bicycle & pedestrian plans are available on our website.

For more information on the NCWRPC's bicycle and pedestrian planning program, contact Darryl Landeau, AICP at 715-849-5510 extension 308 or dlandeau@ncwrpc.org.

Redistricting Coming Soon

WROC Digital Aerial Data Being Delivered

As many of you know, following the decennial census, redistricting occurs to develop our county board and local districts. Redistricting is the process of revising the geographic boundaries from which people elect their representatives. This is an important process. Next year we will be working with most of our counties to develop these plans.

Below is a brief overview of the process. At the county level this is a three step process that requires cooperation and coordination among the county and its local municipalities.

Step One: Within 60 days of receiving the census data, the county will develop and submit a tentative County Supervisory District Plan to each municipality.

Step Two: Municipalities adjust ward boundaries in line with the proposed county plan.

Step Three: Within 60 days of receiving the municipal ward adjustments, counties are required to adopt a final supervisory plan consisting of whole municipal wards. The plan is then submitted to the state and is used for future voting elections.

For more information about redistricting contact Andy Faust, GISP, at (715) 849-5510, Extension 305 or email to afaust@ncwrpc.org.

This spring, nearly the entire state was flown to capture digital imagery as part of the Wisconsin Regional Orthoimagery Consortium (WROC). That aerial data is now being released to the sixty-seven counties, and the many cities, and villages that worked with the NCWRPC and our consultant. This data is used for many things at the local level, from land use to 911 updates.

The NCWRPC coordinated the effort to develop specifications, identify the consultant, and secure funding from various federal and state partners to reduce the cost to our communities. Every five years since 2005 this program has been operating and every time there are more participants. The consortium provides several benefits to participants, including: cost savings, specifications and standards support, data sharing between participants, and procurement support.

For more information about the release of the digital aerial data contact Andy Faust, GISP, at (715) 849-5510, Extension 305 or email to afaust@ncwrpc.org.

EMSI Analyst Reports

The NCWRPC continues its partnership with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to provide economic development analysis data throughout the Region. A comprehensive economic modeling program, called Analyst, developed by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) is a tool that provides industry/ occupation data, impact assessments, and economic base analysis information.

Detailed quarterly summary economic reports have been prepared for each county. Those are available on our website. Requests for additional data can also be made on the website at http://www.ncwrpc.org/emsi/data-request/.

2020 3rd Quarter Economic Overviews