Welcome to the new RPCGB
"Regional Roundabouts" newsletter!
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Regional Roundabouts is a new quarterly e-newsletter from the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB). It is our way to share what we are doing for the member municipalities in the Greater Birmingham Region. In each newsletter we will highlight some of the exciting projects and initiatives the RPCGB is currently conducting, and let you know how you can take advantage of the many services that the RPCGB can offer!
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RPCGB Annual Meeting is Postponed
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Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and CDC guidelines, the RPCGB Annual Meeting that was scheduled for April 16 at Vulcan Park has been postponed. We will advertise a new date when it is safe to hold larger gatherings. Please follow the
news section of our website to stay up to date, and if you have questions please contact Jesslan Wilson at
jwilson@rpcgb.org
or 205-264-8417.
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RPCGB writes successful grant for
Birmingham-Jefferson Port Authority
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RPCGB’s Economic Development department assisted the Birmingham-Jefferson County Port Authority (BJCPA) pursue and write an Inland Port Grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA). The awarded project will consist of constructing a 10,000-square-foot warehouse to increase storage capacity at the Lynn Port Terminal on the Black Warrior River. The $840,000 grant was announced February 24
th
. Click
here
to view the full announcement.
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Current grant and funding opportunities
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Economic Development Administration:
- Public Works & Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs- Due Date: Ongoing
- Disaster Supplemental Assistance- Due Date: Ongoing
- Planning &Technical Assistance Programs- Due Date: Ongoing
Alabama Department of Economic & Community Affairs:
- Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)- Due Date: June 12th, 2020
U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development:
- Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Program- Due Date: April 30th, 2020
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Does your community or organization need grant assistance?
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If your community or organization needs grant writing or application assistance, RPCGB is here to help. For questions about funding application assistance, please contact Jesslan Wilson, Economic Development Specialist, at
jwilson@rpcgb.org or 205-264-8417.
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The RPCGB Community Planning department provides community planning services for the member governments within the following counties: Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Walker Counties. The Community Planning department develops long-range plans to direct growth and redevelopment for communities over the next 5 to 15 years. Planning services include the development of citywide comprehensive plans, downtown master plans, corridor studies, subarea plans, zoning overlay districts and zoning ordinance updates.
The RPCGB offers an 80/20 match through its Building Communities Program for communities within Birmingham’s Metropolitan Planning Area, which includes all of Jefferson and Shelby Counties and portions of St. Clair and Walker Counties. Local municipalities pay for 20% of the cost of a plan. To learn more about the Building Communities Program, please visit the RPCGB Community Planning page on our website by clicking
HERE.
For additional information about RPCGB community planning services, please contact Lindsay Puckett at
lpuckett@rpcgb.org
or 205-264-8421.
Below are some recent success stories from our community planning team.
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Pelham adopts the new "Plan Pelham" Comprehensive Plan
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On January 9, the City of Pelham adopted their new Comprehensive Plan, branded as “Plan Pelham”. The plan establishes a long term vision for the City and features guidance on future land-use, transportation, economic development, planning and public services and green systems. Over 700 Pelham citizens and interested stakeholders gave input during the robust public involvement process – hence, the new Comprehensive Plan is truly the public’s vision for the future of their City.
To learn more about the Pelham Comprehensive Plan, visit the
www.PlanPelham.com or click the image to the right.
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Birmingham adopts the new
City Center Master Plan
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On March 4, 2020, the City of Birmingham Planning Commission adopted the new Birmingham City Center Master Plan, which provides a fresh new vision and set of policies since the 2004 Birmingham City Center Master Plan. The City Center Master Plan was a collaborative effort between the City of Birmingham, the RPCGB, REV Birmingham, and Stantec Urban Places, who was the lead planning consultant on the project. Downtown Birmingham has changed dramatically in the last 10 years and we are excited to see how this plan can guide the City Center over the next decade.
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Two Comprehensive Plans in Shelby County that are currently in progress
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Currently, the Community Planning team is working on two comprehensive planning efforts, the Chelsea Comprehensive Plan update, branded as “Plan Chelsea” and the Montevallo Comprehensive Plan update, branded as “Making Montevallo.” Both plans should be finalized by May/June. To learn more about these plans, click on the project websites below.
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Do you know about CommuteSmart?
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CommuteSmart Birmingham is an initiative of the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, that started in 1999 to alleviate traffic and air quality congestion in our region. CommuteSmart provides an incentive to anyone searching for an alternative way to commute to work and wants to save a little cash. CommuteSmart will pay commuters incentives if they carpool with one other person, take public transit, bicycle, telework or walk to and from work at least 20 times in a 90-day period.
For anyone who logs a clean commute on their CommuteSmart website profile, CommuteSmart will pay each commuter $1 per day for the first 90 days
up to $70 and will give a $25 gift card to each commuter every 90 days following that as long as they continue logging a clean commute at least 20 times every 90 day period. CommuteSmart provides a free ridematching system to encourage finding a carpool partner or bike buddy with similar preferences.
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CommuteSmart has a vanpool program for Commuters who are taking a longer commute into work. The van, insurance and maintenance are provided by CommuteSmart. Commuters share in the driving of the van, as well as the cost of their commute. The vanpool program is recommended for those taking a 30 mile or more commute to and from work.
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1-87-RIDEMATCH to register for free.
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Transportation Project Feasibility Studies...AKA "APPLE Studies"
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Transportation Project Feasibility Studies, also known as Advanced Planning, Programming and Logical Engineering (APPLE) studies, are designed to educate local municipalities about the transportation project development process, assist them in their decision making process, and provide resources to help develop and advance transportation projects. To learn more about the program visit
www.rpcgb.org/transportation-project-feasibility-studies-apple
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News regarding recent APPLE studies
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The
City of Springville
utilized the APPLE studies 80/20 match program to analyze the US-11/SR-174 intersection and develop recommendations for improvements. The study was instrumental in securing a $2 million ATRIP II grant from ALDOT and the project is currently under engineering design.
The RPCGB, working with the
City of
Calera
, is working to determine the feasibility of realigning SR Route 25 through Downtown Calera to alleviate traffic congestion and improve usability.
Does your municipality have a project in mind that could benefit from an APPLE transportation study? If so, please contact Mike “Kaz” Kaczorowski at
Mkaczorowski@rpcgb.org
or 205-264-8444 to learn more.
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Medicaid Waiver Program - an essential service to our community
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RPCGB’s Medicaid Waiver Program provides in-home care services to low income, elderly and disabled individuals receiving full Medicaid benefits who are at risk of nursing home placement - allowing them to remain in their home for as long as possible. This program is operated by Alabama Department of Senior Services (ADSS) and funded by Alabama Medicaid. The services offered are homemaker, personal care, skilled and unskilled respite, companion and home delivered meals.
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Individuals who qualify and who are approved to be on the Medicaid Waiver program have the choice to receive services either through a Direct Service Provider or they have the option of Self-Directed Services. Direct Service Providers have a contract with RPCGB and offer trained professional Home Attendants to provide the services. Self-Directed Services offer a Direct Service Worker selected by the individual and paid under the Self-Directed Program, also known as Personal Choices. Home Attendants and Direct Service Workers must pass a criminal background check and meet certain minimum standards in order to provide assurance that services are provided safely and appropriately.
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We hope you have enjoyed this new quarterly edition of RPCGB’s Regional Roundabouts. For additional information about RPCGB services, please contact Hunter Garrison at
hgarrison@rpcgb.org or 205-264-8442.
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“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work…” – Daniel Burnham
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