Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission

Great work underway to bolster Walworth County’s economy and housing! On Tuesday we attended the Walworth County Economic Development Alliance’s annual State of the County event, and the ribbon cutting for new employee housing at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa.

Congrats Retzer Nature Center - Cheers to 50 Years! The Center has been a great partner and valued community asset, hosting more than 25,000 visitors annually at its 450+ acre nature area, learning center, and planetarium.

Hey Nature Lovers! 🍃✨

Did you hear? Retzer Nature Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and you're invited to join the festivities! Let's cheers to five decades of breathtaking beauty, educational programs, and special memories. 🌿

🎈🌳 Mark your calendars for June 22 to enjoy fun activities, history hikes, live music, delicious food, and much more! This is a FREE event, with food and beverage available to purchase.

Visit us tonight at VIA Community Development Corporation's Ice Cream Social & Resource Fair! Enjoy a free ice cream and stop at our table to learn about our agency's work to strengthen communities and the latest planning projects we have underway.

When we hop on a bike to make a trip, that's one less car on the road, and that means less congestion! Where will you bike this summer?

Visit us at the Lake Country Clean Water Festival from 10am-3pm this Saturday, June 22! We’ll be at Lakefront Park on Pewaukee Lake sharing information about our Lake Country area lake and river management plans.

We hope you can join us next Saturday, June 22nd for the Lake Country Clean Water Festival at Pewaukee Lake! We have activities for kids and families and new workshops this year!

11:00 am: Plastic-Free: From the Individual to the World
-Marissa Jablonski, Sustainability Consultant and Environmental Advisor

12:00 pm: Aquatic Invasive Species & Native Plants In Our Lakes
-Tom Koepp, Manager, Lake Pewaukee Sanitary District

1:00 pm: Turtles of Wisconsin
-Helen Holtz, Land Management Director for the Waukesha County Land Conservancy

2:00 pm: Sustainable Yardening
-Jayne Jenks, Conservation Specialist, Waukesha County

Commission staff joined project partners on Tuesday to celebrate the completion of the Fish Passage project at Kletzsch Dam on the Milwaukee River in Glendale. The Commission was instrumental in reviewing the hydraulic/hydrologic modeling and design alternatives for this passage. Now, fish can reach spawning, nursery, and wetland habitats in the river's upper reaches. Learn more about the project:

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/columnists/paul-smith/2024/06/13/sturgeon-smallmouth-and-steelhead-move-in-kletzsch-falls-fish-passage/74055527007/

CBS 58 video
https://www.cbs58.com/news/new-fishway-passage-around-glendales-kletzsch-dam-provides-easier-fish-access

Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District - MMSD
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Milwaukee County Parks
County Executive David Crowley
Riveredge Nature Center
U.S. EPA Region 5 (Great Lakes Region)

We’ve released the fourth report in our ongoing and in-depth Chloride Impact Study! Technical Report No. 64, Regression Analysis of Specific Conductance and Chloride Concentrations, includes regression models to estimate chloride concentrations in surface water from measurements of specific conductance.
https://www.sewrpc.org/SEWRPC/Environment/ChlorideImpactStudy.htm

Congratulations to our Executive Director, Stephanie Hacker, who was honored at the Milwaukee Business Journal 2024 Women of Influence Awards event yesterday at the Baird Center!

Bike or bus not available for your morning commute? No problem. Ever thought of carpooling? 🫣🚗

Find neighbors and coworkers coming from your area at connect.commutewise.org.

Come canoe or kayak with us on Wednesday, July 24 in Racine for the Waters for Wildlife Paddle at the REC (Root River Environmental Education Community Center)! Registration details below.

Fun Event Alert for Wednesday July 24th!

Join us for a discussion by and on common water pollutants, their impact on local freshwater wildlife habitats, and how you can reduce your impact on these ecosystems. Try your hand at trivia to take home pollution-preventing prizes! Then head out in the kayaks and canoes for some paddling on the Root River to see what wildlife you can spot. The cost per participant covers their boat, oar, and life jacket rental. All participants will take home a free goodie bag of items and information to aid in water pollution prevention.

To register visit https://rootpikewin.charityproud.org/EventRegistration/Index/16215

Attention Sussex area businesses! Join us for a Transportation Roundtable hosted by the Waukesha County Business Alliance. CommuteWISE will share about our ride-matching and trip planning platform and Commute with Enterprise will present vanpool options. Come learn about commute options for your workforce followed by a group discussion.

business.waukesha.org/events/details/transportation-solutions-12367

We’re busy working on park and open space plans for Ozaukee County, the Village of Caledonia, and the Village of Sussex. The Commission regularly works with counties and local governments in the Region to prepare and update their plans.
https://www.sewrpc.org/SEWRPC/NaturalResources/RegionalParkandOpenSpacePlan.htm

Celebrate !🌱🌍
May 22 is the International Day for Biological Diversity, designated by the United Nations to increase the understanding and importance of biodiversity issues. The sets the world on a path to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. https://cbd.int/biodiversity-day/take-action/2024

Sign up now for Geneva Lake focus group meetings this Monday and Tuesday, 6-8pm. Help guide the future of Geneva Lake and learn about recent water quality and recreational use studies. Register here: https://genevalakeconservancy.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/GenevaLakeManagementPlanFocusGroupMeetingsSeries/FocusGroupRegistration/tabid/1431648/Default.aspx

Don't forget to sign up for our Geneva Lake Focus Groups! May 20 & 21. Sign up here: https://genevalakeconservancy.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/GenevaLakeManagementPlanFocusGroupMeetingsSeries/FocusGroupRegistration/tabid/1431648/Default.aspx

MAJOR UPDATE: We’ve completed a major land use inventory for Southeastern Wisconsin, now updated to the year 2020. This in-depth inventory identifies existing land uses throughout the entire Region, using a classification system with more than 60 land use categories. This information is available on our Interactive Mapping Application at www.sewrpc.org/Regional-Mapping

The Cudahy Nature Preserve is the fourth forest in Southeastern Wisconsin to be inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network. The Commission has studied the Preserve extensively over the years as part of our natural areas inventory for the Region. Said Senior Biologist Zach Kron: “Cudahy Woods remains one of the finest quality examples of this forest type in the Region.”

https://www.oldgrowthforest.net/wi-cudahy-woods-state-nature-area

https://awealthofnature.org/an-old-growth-forest-in-milwaukee-county-gets-recognition/

Switching to a sustainable commute mode even once a week, once every other week, or a few times a month can reduce your individual carbon footprint. Find out more at commutewise.org/commuters.

What did you think of our Spring Roll Challenge? All challenge participants have a short survey in their inbox to share their thoughts. Here’s what a few folks said from 2023!

We joined the well-attended Ozaukee Economic Development 2024 Outreach Event last week to discuss our latest efforts with community leaders, business executives, and state and local government officials.

We had an absolutely amazing turnout for this years Outreach Event. Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith shared some wonderful insight into how AI is helping with economic development all over the glow and right here in Wisconsin.

Look out for some content related to Brad’s presentation very soon. Join our mailing list at Ozaukeebusiness.org to stay up-to-date on all news related to Ozaukee Economic Development, and future events.

Walworth County has launched Recovery at Work, a new initiative providing local employers with resources to support employees' overall health, address substance use issues, and build stronger businesses.

This program is an outgrowth of Walworth County’s Community Health Assessment, focused on strategies to improve equity, social connectedness, the built environment, and economic stability. The Commission has been a long-standing community partner with the County on its health and housing initiatives. Our Public Involvement & Outreach Manager, Nikki Payne, serves on the Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plan Steering Committee.

Walworth County today unveiled Recovery at Work, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at empowering local employers to tackle substance use disorder (SUD) among their teams, reduce stigma, and foster a recovery-supportive workplace.

Launching to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Recovery at Work underscores the deep link between mental health and substance use disorders. Substance use can be hard to spot at work, but it’s there. In Wisconsin, nearly half a million people live with a substance use disorder—and 3 out of 4 of them are part of our workforce. Recovery Friendly Workplace practices can help your company keep employees safe, healthy, and productive. Find the tools you need at
co.walworth.wi.us/rfw today.

Thank you STEM Forward for inviting our Public Involvement & Outreach team to New Testament Christian Academy in Milwaukee, where last week we spoke with 5th-8th grade classes about engineering careers and the work of our agency. Staff provided a hands-on activity with students using a floodplain simulation model to learn about the impacts of flooding and stormwater runoff on watersheds.

The City of Racine, Wisconsin Government, City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District - MMSD, and The Water Council have joined “The America the Beautiful Freshwater Challenge,” a new national partnership announced by the White House to conserve and restore freshwater resources.

Our environmental planning efforts, like the Root River Watershed Restoration Plan, will help guide efforts to restore and preserve the health of our Region’s waterways as part of the initiative.

Root River Watershed Restoration Planhttps://www.sewrpc.org/SEWRPCFiles/Publications/CAPR/CAPR-316-root-river-executive-summary.pdf

Racine Embraces National Freshwater Challenge
https://racinecountyeye.com/2024/04/24/racine-freshwater-challenge/

Racine embraces National Freshwater Challenge to enhance water conservation, public enjoyment | Racine County Eye RACINE, Wis. — Racine has joined the ranks of the first participants in the America the Beautiful Freshwater Challenge, an initiative President Joe Biden and

Join our Deputy Director Ben McKay, and Chief Environmental Engineer Laura Herrick, on Wednesday, May 8 at Noon as they virtually present, “Why Acting with Urgency Can Protect the Future of Our Region and the Planning Profession,” as part of the UWM School of Architecture and Urban Planning (SARUP)’s Innovative Cities Lecture Series.

More details and registration information for the free virtual lecture:
https://uwm.edu/sarup/planning-with-urgency-2024/

Lots of insightful discussion on our Region’s critical transportation issues at the Wisconsin Policy Forum's Viewpoint Luncheon on Wednesday.

Our Executive Director, Stephanie Hacker, joined a panel of local leaders, including Milwaukee County Transportation Director and SEWRPC Commissioner Donna Brown-Martin, discussing the wide-ranging needs of our transportation system, upcoming projects, and strategies moving forward.

Learn more about VISION 2050, our long-range plan for land use and transportation in the seven-county Southeastern Wisconsin Region:
https://www.sewrpc.org/SEWRPC/VISION_2050/2050RegLandUseTranspPlan.htm

Photo: Landre Photography

We’ve released the third report in our ongoing and in-depth Chloride Impact Study! Technical Report No. 62, Impacts of Chloride on the Natural and Built Environment, reviews literature examining the impacts of chloride and chloride salts. These include physical and chemical impacts on surface water, groundwater, and soils; effects on biological systems; impacts on infrastructure; and effects on human health and activities.https://www.sewrpc.org/SEWRPCFiles/Publications/TechRep/tr-062-impacts-of-chloride-on-the-natural-and-built-environment.PDF

Great turnout for the City of Whitewater's Housing Roundtable last Thursday, exploring strategies to address the pressing issue of housing affordability in the community. Our Deputy Director, Ben McKay, presented recommendations and statistics from our 2035 Regional Housing Plan, and the Housing for a Healthy Walworth County report, that we produced in partnership with the Walworth County Community Health Improvement Plan Committee. Learn more:

2035 Regional Housing Plan
https://www.sewrpc.org/SEWRPC/Housing.htm

Housing for a Healthy Walworth County https://irp.cdn-website.com/e397a32d/files/uploaded/Housing%20for%20a%20Healthy%20Walworth%20County%20Booklet.pdf

Walworth County Government
Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services
Walworth County Economic Development Alliance

Celebrate your sustainable choices by logging your trips on connect.commutewise.org. We're giving away two WI State Park Vehicle Stickers 🚗to participants who log 4 trips (2 round trips) by Saturday, April 27th.

FUN FACT: There are 10+ state parks and forests in Southeastern Wisconsin.

EVEN MORE FUN FACT: Lakeshore State Park, Wisconsin’s only urban state park, is accessible from the Oak Leaf Trail and multiple bus lines.

Friends of Lakeshore State Park Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources