Community Development Authority (CDA)

AGENDA CITY OF WAUPUN CDA COMMITTEE MEETING Waupun City Hall – 201 E. Main Street, Waupun WI Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 7:45 AM The Waupun Community Development Authority will meet In-person, virtual, and teleconference. Instructions to join the meeting are provided below: Virtual: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84949639125?pwd=YWt0R015Z09wN3E5Q1o0WDFpclhrZz09 Meeting ID: 849 4963 9125 Passcode: 757382 Phone: 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL CONSENT AGENDA 1. Minutes from December 19, 2023 CDA Meeting 2. December 2023 CDA Financials PRESENTATION OF NEW GRANT APPLICATIONS 3. Grant Application for 425 E Main Street (Madeline Clothing Co., LLC) DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. Discuss Revolving Loan Fund Parameters 5. Update on Design Wisconsin 6. City Administrator Updates ACTION ITEMS 7. Consider CDA Grant Fund Allocation for 425 E Main St (Madeline Clothing Co., LLC) ADJOURNMENT Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate disabled individuals through appropriate aids and services. For additional information, contact the City Clerk at 920-324-7915.  MINUTES CITY OF WAUPUN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING Waupun City Hall – 201 E. Main Street, Waupun WI Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at 7:45 AM Chairperson, Mayor Bishop, called the meeting to order at 7:45 a.m. Roll Call taken. Present are Mayor Bishop, Gary DeJager, Sue Vandeberg, Derek Drews, Jill Vanderkin and Bobbi Jo Kunz, Cassandra VerHage. Also present Administrator Schlieve, Assistant Administrator Langenfeld (online), Jason Whitford (online). Motion Drews, second Vanderkin to approve November 21, 2023 CDA Meeting Minutes as presented. Carried unanimously. Motion Vandeberg, second DeJager to approve November 2023 CDA Financials as presented. Carried unanimously. Outstanding applications are reviewed with the following extensions granted:  Motion Vanderkin, second DeJager to extend Broken Threads application to January 31, 2024. Carried unanimously.  Motion DeJager, second Vandeberg to extend Gysbers Jewelry application to March 30, 2024. Carried unanimously. Approve 2024 Façade Improvement Program Guidelines and Application 2024 Façade Improvement Grant Program guidelines and application are reviewed. Determination that the program guidelines should remain focused on exterior improvements and that a future revolving loan fund program could be used to support interior improvements is discussed. Determination is made to remove signage as an eligible expenditure if it is being funded by the BID. Also removed outdoor seating as an eligible expenditure, unless permanent installation is part of the proposal. Administrator Schlieve is recommending the addition of pictures of final improvements be submitted with receipts for reimbursement. VerHage requests that if applicants are not present that their award amount can be reduced and/or denied. The guidelines do recommend that applicants be present but Schlieve also notes that many of our small businesses also work full- time jobs and that being present is not always an option, reminding the group that in most cases applicants have worked with her to bring an application forward. Also discussed was the downtown guidelines and review with desire expressed by VerHage to be more stringent on review. Schlieve notes that the City does not have a historic preservation commission and that the guidelines are provided as a means to main historic character of downtown buildings. Schlieve emphasizes that the building inspector must sign off on each application and that the CDA is the group authorized by ordinance to review and approve designs. Motion DeJager, second Vanderkin to approved the 2024 Façade Improvement Program Guidelines and Application as presented with changes to eligible expenditures that eliminate funding for BID-funded signage and references to outdoor seating. Carried unanimously. Administrator Schlieve provides an update as follows:  Change in police leadership and administration is working on transitions plans to secure a strong leader for the role. Jeremy Rasch has been named to the Interim Police Chief role. Schlieve indicates that there will be community forums to gather community input on selection during the hiring process.  Fire & Emergency Response Staffing Study complete with community conversations planned for first quarter of 2024.  Housing remains a challenge but staff are working on single family, multi-family (new), and a possible project to redevelop larger sections of 331 Bly St.  Designs for Food Truck Alley nearly complete. Will be seeking input on review in January.  Design WI team has reengaged the High School Students with plans to present at the Annual Business Alliance meeting in March.  Main Street Awards are due in January. The City will submit the Wind & Unwined expansion for an award this year.  Staff are working through final questions with WEDC on CDI grant for 514 E Main redevelopment.  City is working on land acquisition to expand the industrial park near the travel plaza.  Business Improvement District (BID) will move their grant award to a cap of $2,100 every other year.  BID will run a Business Attraction Grant in 2024, offering $2,100 grant for new startups in the District. A total of $4,200 is available. Motion VerHage, second Drews to adjourn the meeting at 8:20 a.m. Carried unanimously.  CDA Financial Statement For the Month Ending: 12/31/2023 BUDGET REVENUE $ 159,598 ANNUAL ACTIVITY AMOUNT 3/23 WEDC GRANT PAYMENT $ 134,200 3/23 GRANT REIMBURSEMENT STONE & SUEDE $ (105,797) EXPENSE Budget Amt YTD Actual Balance $ 28,403 WAGES $ 15,116 $ (16,484) $ (1,368) PROFESSIONAL SERVICES/AUDIT FEES $ 1,000 $ (14,307) $ (13,307) GRANTS APPROVED Funds Disbursement Date $ 40,000 DEBT PAYMENTS $ 32,967 $ (32,895) $ 72 WEAVING IT UP TO YOU!- cancelled $ - PAYOUT FOR 2023 PROJECTS $ 28,025 $ (68,224) $ (40,199) WIND & UNWIND 10/31/2023 $ 5,000 IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS $ 40,000 $ - $ 40,000 BROKEN THREADS $ 5,000 TARGETED INVESTMENT/STREETSCAPING $ 53,971 $ (3,650) $ 50,321 K'S BOUTIQUE 11/21/2023 $ 509 TOTAL EXPENSE $ 171,079 $ (135,560) $ 35,519 JUDSON'S 10/31/2023 $ 4,742 MAEDOX TAX & ACCOUNTING 10/31/2023 $ 3,163 STATE FARM $ 5,000 AVAILABLE PROJECT FUNDS EDWARD JONES 12/20/2023 $ 2,360 IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS $ (774) B&B PLUMBING 12/20/2023 $ 5,000 TARGETED INVESTMENTS/STREETCAPING $ 3,085 GAPPA PROPERTIES 11/30/2023 $ 5,000 CARRYOVER FUNDS PRIOR YEAR(S) $ 49,374 KARSTEN REAL ESTATE 11/21/2023 $ 3,800 REIMBURSEMENT $ 28,403 JOHN GREY INS 12/20/2023 $ 5,000 $ 80,088 AVAILABLE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FUNDS $ (774) GRANTS - TARGETED INVESTMENTS Funds Disbursement Date $ 53,971 GYSBER'S JEWELRY $ 39,300 MSA EAST PLAZA 2/14/2023 $ 3,500 CEDAR CORPORATION 12/20/2023 $ 7,096 CEDAR CORPORATION 12/28/2023 $ 990 AVAILABLE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FUNDS $ 3,085 GRANTS - CARRYOVER FUNDS Funds Disbursement Date $ 79,374 WEE CARE DAYCARE 10/31/2023 $ 30,000 AVAILABLE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FUNDS $ 49,374  Summary Report Design Downtown Waupun December 21, 2023 Design Downtown Waupun Team Community Design Charrette Project sponsor: USDA Rural Business Development In collaboration with: City of Waupun Waupun Area Chamber of Commerce/Envision Greater Fond du Lac Waupun Area School District Waupun Business Improvement District Waupun Community Development Authority Dodge County & Fond du Lac County The University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension The University of Wisconsin-River Falls This report was prepared by: Todd Johnson, Land Use & Community Development Specialist The University of Wisconsin-River Falls (UW-Extension) UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN RIVER FALLS Land Use + Community Development Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Design Wisconsin Team A research-based approach to community placemaking  Table of Contents Introduction 1 The Community Design Charrette 1 Study Area 3 Walking Tour & Site Analysis 4 Shared Vision 4 Public Parking Redevelopment 5 The Patio Off-Main 8 Downtown Beautification 11 Downtown Multi-Purpose Plaza 18 Former Senior Center Building 20 Connect Waupun 21 Implementation 22 Acknowledgments 24 UW-Extension Community Vitality & Placemaking 25 Image Credits 26 Extension 27 Contact 27 Summary Report Downtown Waupun (2023) Introduction Engaging in a community placemaking process was one of several outcomes of from a Community Economic Analysis conducted by Extension in 2023. On September 18th and 19th, 2023, the University of Wisconsin facilitated a 2-day placemaking program called Design Wisconsin. The purpose of the program is to work with local stakeholders to develop a shared vision for improving the downtown and its sense of place. The purpose of this document is to provide details as to the purpose, process, and outputs of that program. Design Wisconsin Design Wisconsin is a community design program offered by the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s Community Vitality & Placemaking Team-a “Signature Effort” that combines best practices and expertise from applied research in community development, economic development, natural resources, positive youth development, organizational and leadership development, and sustainability. Design Wisconsin helps communities identify and visualize their short-, medium-, and long-range visions. University of Wisconsin educators and specialists worked with local high school students to facilitate the process. Outputs from this process can be used to inspire and guide positive community change. Noah Reif, Community Development Educator, University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac County, and Todd Johnson, Land Use & Community Development Specialist, the University of Wisconsin-River Falls will provide the technical support necessary to bring the ideas from this report to life. The Community Design Charrette A charrette is a brief and intense period of public participation, planning, and design. By compressing planning activities into a short period of time, ideas are generated quickly with enthusiasm that can create momentum for implementation. Because the final presentation includes hand-drawn illustrations of the shared vision, community members can quickly grasp concepts and be motivated to pursue them. The outcomes in this document include hand-drawn illustrations and digital simulations of the shared vision as well as best practices for pursuing that vision. The Design Team The Design Team for this program included a multidisciplinary group of Extension educators and specialists as well as local high school students. The Extension professionals provided expertise 1 Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Land Use + Community Development in positive youth development, economic development, community development, downtown revitalization, communications and marketing, land use and transportation planning, and community placemaking. The students provided valuable perspective and insight and collaborated with Extension to develop and present planning and design alternatives for their community. Community Planning Team Extension worked with the City of Waupun to develop a group of local stakeholders to serve as the Community Planning Team. Representatives from the Waupun Business Improvement District, the Waupun Community Development Authority, the Waupun Area School District, and the Waupun Area Chamber of Commerce/Envision Fond du Lac were in attendance. A detailed list of members can be found at the end of this report. Schedule The community design charrette took place over two days. The first day was devoted to gathering input while the second day was all about developing output. The schedule below provides further detail. Monday, September 18, 2023 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Working lunch at “Wind and Unwined” in downtown Waupun. 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Walking tour of the downtown revitalization sites. 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM Set up workshop and meeting space at the local high school. 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Working supper to discuss workshop format. 5:300 PM – 8:00 PM Visioning workshop with the local stakeholder group. 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM Debrief workshop outputs. Tuesday, September 19, 2023 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM Design team work session. 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Working lunch. 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Work session continues. 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Working supper. 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Presentation setup. 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Community presentation 9:00 PM Adjourn 2 Summary Report Downtown Waupun (2023) Study Area The Community Planning Team identified several sites in a four-block area of the downtown to be considered for this program. • Site A: Public parking lot off of North Mill Street behind the “Wind and Unwined”. • Site B: Alley behind businesses along the north side of East Main Street between North Mill Street and Fond Du Lac Street. • Site C: Intersection of Found Du Lac Street and East Main Street. • Site D: Former Senior Center Building on the corner of South Mill Street and East Main Street. • Site E: Open space on the south side of East Main Street across the street from the bowling alley. 3 Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Land Use + Community Development Walking Tour & Site Analysis The Community Planning Team and Design Team conducted a walking tour of the study area in the downtown. Participants shared concerns and hopes for each site and identified possible planning and design alternatives. Some overall concerns included the frequency of truck traffic on Main Street, the lack of clear and consistent signage for public parking, and the lack of street trees. Some positive observations included the abundance of downtown businesses, the number and quality of historic buildings, and well-thought out placemaking elements (park benches, banners, waste receptacles, murals, and outdoor seating). Shared Vision Following the walking tour, Design Team members facilitated a visioning workshop with the Community Planning Team. Participants engaged in discussion about thier hopes and concerns for the entire downtown as well as the specific sites in the study area. The following themes were identified: • Public Parking Redevelopment: Redesigning the circulation and configuration of public parking to maximize local parking needs while mitigating stormwater runoff and delineating pedestrian and bike traffic. • The Patio Off-Main: Re-imagining the alleys behind businesses along the north side (and possibly the south side) of East Main Street to be an inviting place for customers, visitors, and non- motorized vehicles. • Downtown Beautification: Working with local artists, youth, businesses, and organizations to enhance the downtown using art, light, planters, street trees, and seating. • Downtown Multi-Purpose Plaza: Creating and programming an outdoor multi-purpose space that serves as a focus for community events, art, and history all-year round. • Former Senior Center Building Options: Identifying the pros and cons of what to do with the former Senior Center Building on Main Street. • Connect Waupun: Developing a comprehensive strategy to communicate community restaurants, events, shops, parking, etc. The following text and images will provide artist conceptions and proposed strategies for pursuing the shared vision. 4 Summary Report Downtown Waupun (2023) Public Parking Redevelopment Parking within many commercial districts, including downtown Waupun, doesn’t function efficiently because off-street parking has been added in a piecemeal fashion over time instead of being planned. Downtown Waupun’s off-street parking spaces are not serving the district as a whole; they are not shared. When the downtown was first developed, the majority of parking spaces were on- street. On-street parking doesn’t require way-finding, serves to calm traffic, and acts as a protective buffer between pedestrians on the sidewalk and vehicles moving along the street. Downtown Waupun’s parking inefficiency can be seen in parking occupancy data collected by MSA. Downtown Waupun’s parking inventory includes 896 on-street and off-street spaces. Checked four different days, the highest overall parking occupancy was 37%, with the lowest overall occupancy being 34% (consistent across the four days). However, occupancy was not consistent across blocks, with some blocks having recorded occupancy as low as 9% and other blocks having occupancy as high as 120%. It should be noted that the results of MSA’s parking inventory has been questioned by some downtown business/property owners. Was parking occupancy counted on the right days or during the right time of day? These are good questions, and the community of Waupun is encouraged to continuing monitoring parking usage to answer these questions. However, it must continue to be stressed that the ultimate goal is for parking, especially public parking, to serve the whole of the downtown, and for visitors to park once and shop the whole of a walkable downtown. This requires thinking not only about the quantity, quality and location of parking, but the quality of the walking experience including the comfort, aesthetics, sequence of storefronts, etc. Again, the best location for downtown parking spaces is on the street. The graphic on the following page is meant to serve as a overall parking concept for the downtown that takes into account input from the Community Planning Team and the “Downtown Waupun Streetscape and Redevelopment Concepts” from MSA. While on-street parking doesn’t require way-finding, it does need to be signed to communicate parking rules. Whether downtown parking should be free or not is still open to debate (there are pros and cons to both approaches). However, what is not debated is the fact that downtown parking should have strategic time limits and those time limits need to be enforced. This is to ensure that parking is used by customers and turns over. In addition, for downtown parking to be successful, the downtown needs to be walkable. This requires traffic calming devices for increasing pedestrian and bicycle safety; crosswalk designs that shorten the distance for crossing the street; seating for people to congregate; lighting for safety; multimodal forms of movement to reduce auto traffic and attract more users; and street trees for providing shade. 5 Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Land Use + Community Development The graphic below illustrates the concentrations of off-street parking and multimodal traffic circulation to and from these parking concentrations. Parking concentrations are currently located behind Main Street buildings to the north and south. Efficient use of these parking lots could be improved through better way-finding and identification signage as well as more efficient design/ striping. Some of the identified concentrations include private parking spaces. Private parking spaces often become the most inefficient type of parking because demand for the respective business is short-term or has changed as the business or market has changed (e.g., changes in the banking industry). Shared parking or cooperative parking agreements can alleviate some of this inefficiency. In addition, more and more municipalities are reducing or eliminating off-street parking requirements from their ordinances since those requirements are not market-based and often result in too much parking development and higher development costs. The graphic above also shows a proposed location for a shared use path (in red) to the rear of Main Street buildings. The shared use path concept allows limited vehicle access (limited to building owner/lessor and safety/maintenance/delivery vehicles), shared with bike and pedestrian use. The image on the left is a cross- section of the shared use path. Concentrated parking and the shared use path are seperated by a bioswale. Trees planted along the bioswale provide shade. Bioswale vegetation captures, filters, and directs water runoff deep into the soil. Patio space behind Main Street businesses create a safe and welcoming parking bioswale shared use path patio pedestrian-scale experience. 6 Summary Report Downtown Waupun (2023) existing conditions The photo-realistic simulation below also depicts the concept of bioswale and shared use path improvements to the rear of Main Street buildings. It further illustrates improvements to aesthetics that could come from burying overhead utilities and adding artistic murals to appropriate blank wall canvases. Unpainted historic brick, particularly higher quality brick, may not be the best choice for a mural canvas because you would be covering an already attractive architectural element. In fact, downtown Waupun’s historic commercial buildings should be looked at as bricks and mortar sculpture; part of Waupun’s collection of sculptures. Walls chosen for murals should be repaired and properly tuck-pointed prior to painting. Adding a structural canvas over a currently deteriorated wall is not encouraged because it can trap moisture and further accelerate wall deterioration. shared use path concept 7 Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Land Use + Community Development  redeveloped public parking lot patio & alley access The Patio Off-Main During the walking tour, several participants identified an interest in developing the backs of stores along East Main Street as a pedestrian and bike-friendly alternative to their front entrance. The Team examined the existing traffic patterns, parking, and access and suggests transforming the alleys off of Main Street as “The Patio Off-Main”-a pedestrian scale space enlivened with art, lighting, vegetation and patio space. The current alley conditions are not safe for pedestrians or cyclists. The spaces lack clear signage and lighting necessary to safely accommodate a variety of users and transportation modes (see images below). 8 Summary Report Downtown Waupun (2023)  overhead lighting bioswale and street trees shared use path decorative pavers or concrete To safely accommodate both motorized and non-motorized traffic, consider delineating specific modes using color, material, texture, lighting, and signage. This will signal to all users that something different is going on here and that they should be paying closer attention to other users. Require automotive traffic to use the alley sparingly and mostly to access public parking. Specify the alley as a one-way (traveling west to east) to prevent traffic bottlenecking. Narrow the alley using bike path striping and a vegetation strip that doubles as Above: Example of shared use space in an alley. a bioswale. This encourages automotive traffic These “woonerfs” are common in Netherlands to slow down, provides color and shade making (image 1). it more welcoming, and directs contaminated stormwater deep into the ground for natural filtration. Working with local business owners, coordinate back door patios and entrances that provide seating and feature decorative lighting and local art. Consider joint marketing efforts as “The Patio Off-Main” for hosting live events (i.e. street dance, music, and other street performances). This concept could also be applied to the corresponding alley on the south Above: Example of outdoor patio dining located side of East Main Street as well. in an alley in Kent, England (image 2). 9 Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Land Use + Community Development The illustrations below depict the east and west entrances into “Tthe Patio Off-Main”. east entrance west entrance 10 Summary Report Downtown Waupun (2023) Downtown Beautification Downtown Waupun is more than a collection of businesses in one location. It is a special place that represents a community’s character, history, and values. The variety and quality of businesses and services reflects the vibrancy of the community and provides a source of identity and pride. A 2019 community survey indicated that residents want to see more seating, planters, and trees in the downtown. The street furnishings, plantings, lighting, signage, and public art have the ability to enhance and express the unique culture and character of Waupun. A comprehensive downtown beautification effort that takes into account commerce, civic functions, and community activities can elevate the entire downtown experience. Planters & Street Trees Community survey results, along with input received from participants during the Design Wisconsin visioning session, suggest increasing the downtown tree density and adding more opportunities for vegetation. Besides the micro-climate improvements that vegetation offers, well-planned and maintained vegetation can improve aesthetics. Those two factors, micro- climate and aesthetics, have the potential to increase not only the length of time visitors spend downtown, but also the percentage of downtown they actually visit. Research shows that the more time visitors spend in a commercial district, the more money they spend. An unvisited portion of the district is a portion missing out on potential sales. The images below illustrate the impact that adding street trees can have on a downtown. before after 11 Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Land Use + Community Development Lighting Light enhances visibility which enhances safety. It can also be considered as an artistic element. Light can add color, movement, whimsy and intrigue to a downtown. It can accent and highlight, and help tell a story that welcomes and draws people in. Lit storefronts and store windows after business hours, advertises businesses while indirectly helping to light the sidewalk. Lit store windows allow nighttime strollers to see displayed products and see into the store, further “selling” after hours while improving nighttime security. Consider enhancing the visual quality of the buildings at night using inexpensive LED lighting. The placement, intensity, and color of light can punctuate architectural elements. The overall effect can attract visitors and provide additional visual security at night. The simulations below depict projected and/or painting murals with overhead LED lighting at the corner or Main St. and Fond du Lac. 12 Summary Report Downtown Waupun (2023) Seating Choice of seating is important for cost, comfort, aesthetics, and maintenance. Believe it or not, some communities don’t want their street furniture to be too comfortable (to discourage loitering). Street furniture can also serve as street sculpture and downtown art. Waupun has already installed high-quality metal benches. Consider additional seating that is movable. This allows for flexibility and encourages groups of Above: Consider additional seating options based on the people to congregate. ones already found in the downtown. Multi-Modal Circulation A vibrant downtown welcomes people from all walks of life with a variety of things to do and with a variety of ways to move about. Downtowns that are safe and easy to navigate by foot and bike are inviting additional users of all ages. Consider working with local youth, seniors, cyclists, and local businesses to make the downtown accessible by auto, bike, and walking. Some strategies to consider include: • Flashing lights that indicate pedestrian and bike crossing. • Traffic calming features (planters, changes in surface texture and color, speed bumps, etc.). • Designated bike lanes and routes. • Crosswalk curb extensions (a.k.a. “bump outs”) that shorten the travel distance across the street (see image below). (image 3) 13 Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Land Use + Community Development Bike Racks Creating a bike-friendly downtown requires bike racks. The design and location of racks requires some planning. Local cyclists and youth can provide valuable insight as to the best locations for new racks. Rack designs can be a form of artistic expression that adds beautification of downtown. Consider working with local artists and schools to design and fabricate unique bike racks that celebrate Waupun while encouraging cycling. Above: bicycle-shaped bike rack design Above: Bike rack design that celebrates local (image 4). heritage (image 5). Way-finding Directional signs, informational kiosks, and plaques tell the story of your community. Directional signs help visitors navigate and allow the community to identify which places are most important. Informational kiosks can be used to display information that benefit both residents and visitors. They can display cultural and natural history and serve as a community bulletin board. Plaques can be displayed to denote key places that residents and visitors should see and learn about. Modern plaques sometimes include quick response (QR) codes that can enable viewers to access online information using a smart phone or tablet computer. Waupun benefits from lots of interesting places that could be enhanced and celebrated using a variety of way-finding elements. When considering design options, rely on local artists and students for inspiration to build a unique vocabulary of way-finding elements that can only be found in Waupun. Above: An example of wayfinding signage and information kiosk in Hastings, Minnesota. 14 Summary Report Downtown Waupun (2023) Public Art Waupun, the “City of Statues” is uniquely positioned to capitalize from its reputation by bringing sculpture into the downtown. Enhancing private and public spaces in the downtown not only celebrates Waupun’s culture it draws people in and invites them to linger, explore, play, and shop. Consider partnering with local schools, artists, organizations, and businesses to create and install murals, sculptures, and performance spaces. Instead of borrowing ideas from other communities, take time to develop ideas that are unique to Waupun. Consider locating art that can be used as a backdrop for photography and for way-finding. Above: A granite scuplture Above: Sculpture on bench to Above: A combined seating, integrated with bike rack encourage interaction water feature, and landscaping (image 6). (image 7). element (image 8). Building Facades Waupun has numerous historic buildings in the downtown each with its own character and style. Individual building facades express the history of the building as well as the use of what’s inside. Collectively, building facades in a downtown paint a picture of the community’s history as well its current vibrancy. Care should be taken to protect the structural and aesthetic integrity of each building. This protects the individual and collective property values of the downtown and the image of the community as a whole. Some best practices include: historic color palette of paint schemes, using durable and appropriate materials, maintaining original window openings when feasible, maintaining and highlighting unique architectural features, and incorporating awnings and well-designed Above: Historic building facade and signage. business signage in downtown Princeton, Wisconsin. 15 Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Land Use + Community Development Building Signage Well-designed signage expresses the type of the business, its personality, as well as the type of customer it wishes to attract. Thoughtful signs made from durable materials can improve the value of the individual property as well as the downtown. When coordinated with other downtown businesses, signage can project an overall aesthetic, or theme, designed to communicate local culture and values (see examples from Wisconsin and Minnesota below). 16 Summary Report Downtown Waupun (2023) Integrated Stormwater Management As noted in the previous section, stormwater management systems such as bioswales can be used to address multiple issues in a downtown setting. Not only do they help control water runoff, they can filter the water on its way through the soil strata and add to the beautification of the downtown. Other stormwater management devices to consider include: • Pervious paver systems that allow surface water to penetrate into the soil. • Green roofs that retain and filter rainwater before entering the city’s stormwater system. • Tree pits that store water beneath the root system and slow and filter the movement of water. image 9 image 10 Above: Pervious pavers integrated into crosswalk (left) and parking spaces (right). image 11 image 12 Above: Green roof on a sloped roof (left) and on a flat roof (right). image 13 image 14 Above: Sidewalk tree pit with ivy groundcover (left) and with a decorative metal surround (right). 17 Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Land Use + Community Development Downtown Multi-Purpose Plaza A vibrant downtown provides a variety of activities and uses for a variety of people. This raises the importance of planning and maintaining all of the physical and social elements to insure an attractive and unique experience. Ideally, when buildings become empty or lots vacant, those spaces should be filled. In some instances, filling empty lots may take time or may not be feasible. In those particular cases, consider redeveloping an empty lot as a outdoor civic space that can host a variety of activities and events year-round. The empty lot on the south side of Main Street provides an opportunity to create a flexible outdoor space in which multiple organizations provide programming over the course of a calendar year. Physical improvements may include metal trusses that span across the space providing an overhead structure to mount lighting, sound, and projection equipment; hanging decorations for different seasons and events; and securing shading elements to provide protection from the sun. 18 Summary Report Downtown Waupun (2023) The ground surface treatment could remain grass. If heavy traffic is anticipated, consider permeable pavers. During the warmer months, the flexible open space could accommodate festivals, picnics, live entertainment, volleyball, bocce ball, horseshoes, corn hole, etc. In the winter, the space could feature ice skating and portable fire pits in which folks warm up with vendors offering hot chocolate and s’mores. The wall to the west side of the space could remain a mural and still have space to project outdoor films on it. The wall on the east side could display murals and relief sculptures that tell the story of Waupun through the eyes of local artists and students. The south end of the space opens to a parking lot and could service food trucks, portable toilets, and live performances. Keeping the space flexible allows a variety of activities. Those activities would require programming through a partnership of businesses, organizations, and public services. The illustrations left and below depict the potential physical elements that could support a variety of activities. 19 Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Land Use + Community Development Former Senior Center Building The City of Waupun runs its Senior Center out of 301 E. Main Street. The City is in the process of constructing a new community center. It is anticipated that the Senior Center will move to that new site. The Design Wisconsin Team was asked to consider the pros and cons of either selling or retaining the property once the Senior Center is gone. Option A: Sell the Property • Pros: This removes the financial liability of the City and creates an opportunity for something new to happen downtown. • Cons: The City has little control of the future uses of the property and its maintenance. The future uses of the site may or may not be compatible or complimentary with the existing uses and the value of the property may or may not have a positive impact on surrounding properties. Option B: Retain the Property • Pros: The City would control the future uses of the building. The City may locate or expand a public service or rent the building to an organization aligned with the City’s interest. The future use could be something that provides a public benefit to the downtown businesses and residents. • Cons: The City is ultimately responsible for maintaining the building. Regardless of which option, the ideal future use for 301 E. Main Street should have a positive contribution to the downtown. When considering new uses, think about the complementary business mixes that drive and attract consumer traffic downtown (restaurants, brew pubs, entertainment, specialty retail, apparel, etc.). 20 Summary Report Downtown Waupun (2023) Connect Waupun It was identified in our conversations that there is a perceived gap between the quality of local restaurants, shops, and activities and the community, in particular, the youth (those under the age of 18). Empowering community members, including youth, to take an active role in creating, shaping, and managing a communication platform that bridges this gap can improve participation in local activities, local business, and quality of life. In addition, the process of developing and managing the communication platform could help develop and support local programming and policies while increasing a sense of belonging. Consider a digital media platform (webpage) built around a centralized QR Code that leads to a website that serves as a digital “table of contents” for community members and visitors. Information could include local restaurant menus, community calendar of events, location and description of local shops, public parking, and other information. The QR Code would be displayed in high visibility areas in the downtown including existing and new way-finding elements (signage and kiosks), street furnishings (seating, planters, and artwork), and local businesses (windows and counters). Local schools, parks, library, community center, and all other public spaces would display the QR Code in a strategic location with information about the intent of the QR Code as well. In addition, the QR Code could be included on websites from other community groups to help direct users to the site. Benefits: • A singular webpage to access all basic community communication for residents and visitors. • A managed process for developing and managing communication and marketing. • A multi-generational group dedicated to strengthening and expanding the community network. • A stronger bond between young people and their community. In addition to the benefits listed above, the QR Code concept could open up new opportunities for public engagement and events such as: • Digital scavenger hunts brining residents and visitors downtown to explore (and shop). • Local history tours conducted as part of walking tour by smartphone. • Dynamic digital content at physical kiosks and other bulletin boards. 21 Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Land Use + Community Development Implementation Implementation is work, but it doesn’t have to be painful. Ideas are realized when a group of people come together to get something done, take deliberate steps to bring folks into the process, provide clear and consistent communication, and celebrate success. The ideas generated during the charrette provide opportunities for community members to come together to create something that benefits the entire community. Use these ideas to identify common interests and energy. Convene a series of planning meetings to identify why people are interested in the idea, what they can offer, and what’s left to figure out. Start with simple “quick wins.” Build capacity and confidence to take on larger more complex projects. Community Change Dr. John Kotter describes the steps for making change happen in a community in two books, “Leading Change” and “The Heart of Change.” He recommends the following steps: Step 1: Establish Sense of Urgency • Examine market and competitive realities • Identify and discuss crises, potential crises or major opportunities Step 2: Form a Powerful Coalition • Assemble a group with enough power to lead the change effort • Encourage the group to work as a team Step 3: Create a Shared Vision • Create a vision to help direct the change effort • Develop strategies for achieving that vision Step 4: Communicate the Vision • Use every vehicle possible to communicate the new vision and strategies • Teach new behaviors by the example of the Guiding Coalition Step 5: Empower Others to Act • Remove obstacles to change • Change systems or structures that seriously undermine the vision • Encourage the risk-taking and nontraditional ideas, activities, and actions Step 6: Plan for and Create Wins • Plan for visible performance improvements • Create those improvements • Recognize and reward people involved in the improvements Step 7: Change Improvement Checkpoints • Use increased credibility to change systems, structures and policies that don’t fit the vision • Hire, promote, and develop people who can implement the vision • Reinvigorate the process with new projects, themes, and change agents 22 Summary Report Downtown Waupun (2023) Step 8: Institutionalize New Approaches • Articulate the connections between the new behaviors and organizational success • Develop the means to ensure leadership development and succession Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading change. Boston, Mass., Harvard Business School Press. Kotter, J. P. and D. S. Cohen (2002). The heart of change : real-life stories of how people change their organizations. Boston, Mass., Harvard Business School Press. Positive Change in Waupun Local community members will work with local Extension educators and state specialists to develop a plan for action. Key elements of implementation include: • Recipe for Success: Community Planning Team members consider past projects that were successful in: volunteerism, communication, ideation, fundraising, and leadership. As a team, document what aspects of each made it successful and what lessons can be learned and applied to future projects. • Community Change Structures: Local community members document existing community structures for change and identify resources needed to move forward. Consider the relationship of formal and informal groups, businesses, and individuals who “make things happen”. What is the path of least resistance and is equipped to support change? What barriers exist that need to be removed, repositioned, or bridged to support change? What new community resources or relationships might be needed to support change? • Positive Change Workforce Assessment: Community members provide information needed to assess what types of skills, associations, and interests are available to make change happen. Using a simple form, individuals will document what they “bring to table” to help make positive change happen. • Prioritization: Community members self-sort themselves into similar interests and explore ways in which their group can make change happen. • Action Planning: Fundamentals of community change as well as planning tools are used to help community members develop basic action plans for implementation. • Celebration & Reflection: Community members are given examples of evaluation and reflection methods that can double as opportunities for celebration and benchmarking. 23 Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Land Use + Community Development Acknowledgments Members of the Community Planning Team and the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s Community Vitality & Placemaking Team thank the City of Waupun, the Waupun Business Improvement District, the Waupun Community Development Authority, Waupun Area School District, Waupun Area Chamber of Commerce/Envision Fond du Lac, Dodge and Fond du Lac County and Dodge and Fond du Lac County Extension, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Division of Extension, and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. The following organizations and individuals dedicated thier time, passion, and talent for this effort. USDA Rural Business Development, Project Sponsor Waupun Area Chamber of Commerce/Envision Greater Fond du Lac Joe Venhuizen , Vice President of Membership & Resource Development Waupun Area School District Doug Disch, Director of Activities & Community Partnerships McKenna Weisenbeck, Student Planning & Design Team Member Aron Marton, Student Representative Xander Walker, Student Representative Katrina Reinhart, Student Representative Dace Branson, Student Representative Hannah Derksen, Student Representative Abigail Farley, Student Representative Gwen Selken, Student Representative Waupun Business Improvement District: Tyler Schulz, BID District Representative Rich Matravers , BID District Representative Craig Much, At-Large Representative Gary DeJager, BID District Representative Krista Bishop, BID District Representative Jodi Mallas, At-Large Representative Teresa Ruch, At-Large Representative Mitch Greenfield, BID District Representative Kate Bresser, At-Large Representative Rohn Bishop, Mayor-Ex Officio; Staff Kathy Schlieve, City Administrator/Economic Development Director Waupun Community Development Authority Rohn Bishop, Mayor Bobbi Jo Kunz, Council Member Derek Drews, Community Member At-Large Cassandra VerHage, Downtown Property Owner Sue VandeBerg, Downtown Business Owner Gary DeJager, BID Representative Jill Vanderkin, Community Member At-Large 24 Summary Report Downtown Waupun (2023) Extension Leslie Quevedo, Positive Youth Development Educator, Milwaukee County Extension Matt Kures, Community Development Specialist, UW-Madison, Division of Extension Neil Klemme, Positive Youth Development Educator, Iron County Extension Noah Reif, Community Development Educator, Fond du Lac County Extension Steven Chmielewski, Community Development Educator, Waukesha & Jefferson County Extension Todd Barman, Downtown Revitalization Specialist, UW-Madison, Division of Extension Todd Johnson, Land Use & Community Development Specialist, UW-River Falls (Extension) UW-Extension Community Vitality & Placemaking Signature Effort The UW-Extension Community Vitality & Placemaking Signature Effort is a group of UW-Extension county educators and state specialists who research, create, and test community placemaking curriculum in response to the challenge set forth by the Wisconsin Idea. Design Wisconsin is one of several community placemaking programs offered by the group. Current members include: Barry Hottmann, Community Development Educator, Iowa County Extension Brandon Hofstedt, Community Economic Program Manager, UW-Madison, Division of Extension Brian Gauthier, Community Development Educator, Lac du Flambeau Extension Christa Van Treek, Positive Youth Development Educator, Marquette County Extension David Timmerman, Editor/Journalist/Photographer, Grant County Herald Independent Ed Freer, Landscape Architect & Urban/Waterfront Designer, GRAEF, USA Gail Huycke, Community Development Specialist, UW-Madison, Division of Extension Jessica Jane Spayde, Food Entrepreneurship Specialist, UW-Madison, Division of Extension Joshua Clements, Planning Director, City of Sun Prairie Karina Ward, Community Coach, UW-Madison, Population Health Institute Katie Livernash, Community Development Educator, Portage County Extension Kellie Pederson, Community Development Educator, Bayfield County Extension Kristin Runge, Community Development Specialist, UW-Madison, Division of Extension Mariah Goode, Director of Land Use Services Department, Door County Michelle Gobert, Positive Youth Development Educator, Forrest County Extension Nathan Sandwick, Supervisory Community Liason, USDA Rural Development Neil Klemme, Positive Youth Development Educator, Iron County Extension Sharon Krause, Positive Youth Development Educator, Oneida & Lac du Flambeau Extension Steve Grabow, Professor Emeritus, Jefferson County Extension Taylor Seale, Positive Youth Development Educator, Dane County Extension Todd Barman, Downtown Development Specialist, UW-Madison, Division of Extension Todd Johnson, Land Use + Community Development Specialist, UW-River Falls (Extension) 25 Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Land Use + Community Development Image Credits Image 1: File:Woonerf with bikeshare rack (18601748360).jpg Eric Fischer, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Image 2: Royal_Albion_Hotel_patio_at_Broadstairs_Kent_England_01 Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Image 3: Curb_extensions_at_midblock_crosswalk Richard Drdul, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Image 4: Bike-Shaped_Bike_Rack_(22501093336) James Badger from Calgary, Canada, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Image 5: AtikokanOntarioBikeRackAN Alexk33alt, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Image 6: File:Granite street sculpture in Barre, Vermont.jpg Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Image 7: File:Fair Maid of Perth sculpture, High Street - geograph.org.uk - 3680392.jpg Fair Maid of Perth sculpture, High Street by kim traynor, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Image 8: Berkovitsa_downtown_view Пакко, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Image 9: Shorewood_PerviousCrosswalks_2016_10_21_(9) Aaron Volkening, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Image 10: Pavé_alvéolé_3 Normand Lemieux, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Image 11: Green_Roof_Shed Newtben33, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Image 12: ESF-Walters-Hall-Green-Roof-2014 DASonnenfeld, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Image 13: 10292023_ivy_tree_pit_on_W_114th_St_NYC Wil540 art, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Image 14: Arbre_avec_grille EcologieParis5, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons 26 Summary Report Downtown Waupun (2023) Extension The University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension provides statewide access to university resources and research so the people of Wisconsin can learn, grow and succeed at all stages of life. UW-Extension carries out this tradition of the Wisconsin Idea – extending the boundaries of the university to the boundaries of the state. Who We Are With an office in each Wisconsin county, Extension develops practical educational programs tailored to local needs and based on university knowledge and research. We deliver our expertise to the public, addressing a wide range of needs to people, plants and animals, in both urban and rural areas of the states. What We Do We teach, learn, lead and serve, connecting people with the University of Wisconsin, and engaging with them in transforming lives and communities. The Wisconsin Idea “The University of Wisconsin’s direct contributions to the state: to the government in the forms of serving in office, offering advice about public policy, providing information and exercising technical skill, and to the citizens in the forms of doing research directed at solving problems that are important to the state and conducting outreach activities.” – Jack Stark, “The Wisconsin Idea: The University’s Service to the State”, p.1 Contact For more information about the University of Wisconsin-Extension Community Vitality & Placemaking Signature Effort and the Design Wisconsin program, please contact: Todd W. Johnson, Land Use & Community Development Specialist The University of Wisconsin-River Falls and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension todd.johnson@uwrf.edu (715) 425-3941 27 Community Vitality + Placemaking Signature Effort Land Use + Community Development