Next Muncie initiatives advance quality of life
MUNCIE, INDIANA (with excerpts from www.thestarpress.com) – Next Muncie, a team of leaders representing Muncie’s largest employers, city officials, economic and downtown development representatives and members of the private philanthropic sector, regularly consults with economic development groups from across the city and region to identify projects that could benefit from additional public, private and philanthropic partnerships. The group then works to marshal resources, enhance communications and make connections and provide project management as needed or...
Read MoreLake Geneva awarded TAP grant for bike/ped trail
The City of Lake Geneva has been awarded $835,316 in TAP grant funding to develop a new bike/ped trail connecting a State Park, schools, and other community assets to Geneva Lake. V&A assisted the City with grant writing, developing a strong grant story, and compelling graphics. The project will have even greater impact for a many reasons: The project directly links to several vital community destinations on the trail route, including Big Foot Beach State Park, Lake Geneva Youth Camp, Badger High School, Lake Geneva Middle School, the future Geneva Lakes Family YMCA site,...
Read MoreV&A develops Rock County interactive park plan map
ROCK COUNTY, WISC. – Rock County has officially launched its new Rock County Interactive Park Plan map, developed for the County by Vandewalle & Associates GIS mapping and design team.
Read MoreOregon looks at redevelopment options of Keller Alpine site
OREGON, WISC. (excerpts from The Oregon Observer) – The Village of Oregon is starting to eye options for development on and near Keller Alpine Meadows Park–options that could include a new Village Hall. The Village Board took an initial look at a Vandewalle and Associates’ conceptual plan for development options at Keller Alpine Meadows Park and a 12-acre patch of land just south of that at its Monday, Aug. 17, meeting. Village administrator Mike Gracz told trustees this would prepare them for a discussion regarding the village’s capital improvement plan set for Monday,...
Read MoreVillage of Oregon outlines affordable housing needs with report
OREGON, WISC. (excerpts from The Oregon Observer) – The Dane County area, while a popular place to live, has continuously seen housing and rent prices rise while income wages have remained stagnant since 2009. So in a long-standing affordable housing crisis that’s been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, county municipalities like the Village of Oregon are trying to think of ways to extinguish that fire — or at least reduce it to embers — for its most vulnerable demographics. Director of planning and zoning administrator Elise Cruz told the Observer those mainly include senior...
Read MoreV&A develops new low-income identification methodology for environmental justice
V&A has developed a more accurate approach for identifying low-income populations–drawing from multiple data sources–that we believe better identifies the quantity and location than the Census Bureau Poverty thresholds method recommended by federal and state government. Our methodology includes additional data sources to help identify where affected vulnerable individuals or populations are located. Unlike Census Bureau poverty thresholds which are the same nationwide, the methodology we recommend takes into account HUD data for local cost of living when identifying low-income...
Read MoreSturgeon Bay Holds Virtual Public Meeting for Comprehensive Plan
STURGEON BAY, WISC. – Utilizing the local Sturgeon Bay public access channel, the City held a virtual public open house in early August. The full video presentation from the City and Vandewalle & Associates can be viewed here.
Read MoreOscar Mayer Special Area Plan Process Looks at Options
MADISON, WISC. (Excerpts from Madison.com) – Vandewalle & Associates has been working with the City and neighborhoods to develop a reuse plan for the abandoned Oscar Mayer plant and revitalize the surrnounding northside. Over eight months of community outreach, residents on the North and East side have expressed broad support for revitalizing the region. But many say the Oscar Mayer Special Area Plan would bring too much traffic and housing density to the neighborhood and result in the loss of key open space. And they oppose plans to locate a Metro Transit bus garage on the...
Read MoreSturgeon Bay Moves Forward on Comprehensive Plan
STURGEON BAY, WISC. (From doorcountydailynews.com) – Sturgeon Bay’s planning for the next decade is moving into final stages of development and review with the City Council. Recently Community Development Director Marty Olejniczak gave councilmembers an update on the progress of the 10-year comprehensive plan the city needs to complete this year. He says despite being a couple of months behind schedule, the plan could be approved as early as October. Vandewalle & Associates conducted focus groups and a comprehensive survey last fall and workshops to get general feedback...
Read MoreBig Box Retailer Ordinances Work to Integrate Retail into Communities
EXCERPTS FROM BDCNETWORK.COM “TAMING THE BIG BOX” – Communities are fighting back against large discount retailers, which for decades have, under the impetus of furious national expansion plans, thrown up standalone, cookie-cutter behemoths with little thought to architectural design, land-use planning, or community development issues. Enacted in 1995, (the City of Fort Collins, Colorado’s) “Design Standards and Guidelines for Large Retail Establishments” regulate everything from façade detailing and landscaping to building orientation and parking lot...
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