Chapter Adm 48

Adm 48.02(9) (9) “In-kind services” means services rendered by the local governmental unit defined in s. 66.1001 (1) (b), Stats. Federal grant funds are not included as in-kind services.

Adm 48.02(10) (10) “Multi-jurisdictional plan” means 2 or more local governmental units participating in the development of a single comprehensive plan that covers the jurisdictions of those local governmental units which is adopted separately by each unit under s. 66.1001, Stats. A county comprehensive plan is a multi-jurisdictional plan if the county and 2 or more local governmental units located in the county participate and adopt the plan.

Adm 48.02(11) (11) “Plan” and “planning effort” means a comprehensive plan as defined in s. 66.1001 (1) (a), Stats.

Adm 48.02(12) (12) “Plan update” means a revision to an existing county development plan under s. 59.69 (3), Stats., or to a master plan under ss. 62.23 (2) or (3) or 66.0309 (8), (9) or (10), Stats., to comply with the comprehensive plan provisions of s. 66.1001, Stats. A plan update may include a revision to an existing comprehensive plan under s. 66.1001, Stats.

Adm 48.02(13) (13) “Planning grant manual” means the document published annually by the department which includes the grant application, instructions, application and scoring timelines, detailed scoring, application review process, funding availability, and other pertinent information relating to the current grant cycle.

Adm 48.02(14) (14) “Planning grant priority list” means the department’s ranking of grant applications by the numeric order of the scores.

Adm 48.02 History History: CR 01-086: cr. Register February 2002 No. 554, eff. 3-1-02.

Adm 48.03 Adm 48.03 Eligible activities.

Adm 48.03(1) (1) An applicant may apply to the department for a grant to develop a plan or plan update for any of the following activities:

Adm 48.03(1)(a) (a) Services and activities included in ss. 16.965 (2) and 16.9651 (2), Stats., including contracting for planning consultant services, public planning sessions, educational activities, and purchase of computerized planning data, planning software and hardware required to utilize planning data or software.

Adm 48.03(1)(b) (b) Development of the plan document including printing costs.

Adm 48.03(1)(c) (c) Public participation and outreach activities including educational materials, citizen surveys, internet activities and newsletters.

Adm 48.03(1)(d) (d) Development, purchase and documentation of data, maps and computerized information used within the plan or plan update as follows:

Adm 48.03(1)(d)1. 1. Digital mapping and data development activities funded under this grant such as geographic information system development shall be consistent with applicable county land records modernization plans developed under s. 59.72 (3) (b), Stats.

Adm 48.03(1)(d)2. 2. Digital mapping and data development activities funded under this grant may not duplicate efforts funded through the Wisconsin land information program under s. 16.966, Stats.

Adm 48.03 Note Note: Approved land records modernization plans and the planning grant manual can be obtained from the Comprehensive Planning Grant Program, Department of Administration, P.O. Box 8944, Madison, WI 53707 (telephone [phone]).

Adm 48.03(1)(e) (e) Other activities that the applicant deems necessary in the preparation of a plan or plan update except ineligible activities noted under s. Adm 48.03 (2).

Adm 48.03(2) (2) The following activities are ineligible for funding under this grant:

Adm 48.03(2)(a) (a) Segmented activities not related to the development of a plan or plan update such as highway corridor plans, outdoor recreational plans and recreational trail plans.

Adm 48.03(2)(b) (b) Planning activities and plan development costs incurred by the applicant prior to the council approving the grant priority list under s. Adm 48.08.

Adm 48.03 Note Note: Section 15.107 (16), Stats., Wisconsin Land Council, was repealed in 2011 Wisconsin Act 257.  Pursuant to s. 16.9651 (2), Stats., “Prior to awarding a grant under this section, the department shall forward a detailed statement of the proposed expenditures to be made under the grant to the secretary of transportation and obtain his or her written approval of the proposed expenditures.”  Section 48.03 (2) (b) will be modified accordingly in future rule-making by the Department. 

Adm 48.03(2)(c) (c) Costs incurred by the applicant to prepare the grant application.

Adm 48.03(2)(d) (d) Activities undertaken by applicants that have received a fully funded planning grant under s. Adm 48.05 within the previous ten years.

Adm 48.03(2)(e) (e) Purchase of property or land.

Adm 48.03 History History: CR 01-086: cr. Register February 2002 No. 554, eff. 3-1-02.

Adm 48.04 Adm 48.04 Grant application.

Adm 48.04(1) (1) The department shall make the planning grant manual available by September 1st of each year.

Adm 48.04(2) (2) All grant applications shall be completed on forms provided by the department and follow instructions according to the planning grant manual.

Adm 48.04(3) (3) All grant applications shall be approved by specific action of each governmental unit participating.

Adm 48.04(4) (4) The department shall review the submitted application for consistency with eligible activity requirements and may delete parts of the request for grant funding that do not reasonably relate to the development and adoption of a plan.

Adm 48.04(5) (5) Signed grant applications must be received by the department by November 1st.

Adm 48.04(6) (6) The department shall make copies of submitted application materials available to the public after the planning grant priority list has been approved under s. Adm 48.08 (1).

Adm 48.04 History History: CR 01-086: cr. Register February 2002 No. 554, eff. 3-1-02.

Adm 48.05 Adm 48.05 Planning grants.

Adm 48.05(1) (1) The department shall provide grants based on the population from the department’s official population estimates of the local governmental unit and the base funding level noted in the table below.

- See PDF for table

Adm 48.05(2) (2) Subject to availability of funds, applicants shall be eligible for not less than 50% of the base funding level noted in sub. (1) except as provided in sub. (3).

Adm 48.05(3) (3) When an applicant’s cost for the comprehensive plan is less than the base funding level noted in sub. (1), the community shall be eligible for up to 75% of the actual plan costs not to exceed the eligible grant amount in sub. (2).

Adm 48.05 Note Example: A town’s population is 300. The town’s proposed cost of plan is $12,000. The town would be eligible for up to a $9,000 grant.

Adm 48.05(4) (4) When the population of the applicant is within 5% of the next higher population category, the applicant’s base funding level shall be the average of the 2 categories.

Adm 48.05 Note Example: A village’s population is 1,993. The eligible base funding level of the village is $25,000

Adm 48.05(5) (5) For a multi-jurisdictional plan, each local governmental unit participating within the application shall add together the base funding levels of each unit participating plus add an additional 10% incentive of the total base funding level for each city, village and town.

- See PDF for table

Adm 48.05(6) (6) For a multi-jurisdictional plan where all towns within a county participate jointly under a county plan and are included within a single grant application, the maximum grant award shall also include a 10% incentive of the county base funding level.

Adm 48.05 Note Note: In s. Adm 48.05 (5), Example 2, if all towns in Holstein Co. participate, the maximum grant award increases by the additional $20,000 incentive (10% of $200,000 = $20,000).

Adm 48.05(7) (7) A grantee’s local match is the difference between the total cost for the comprehensive plan development and the grant provided under this chapter. A grantee’s local match may be financed in the annual budget, by in-kind services and through grants from other sources. Not more than 50% of the local match may be through federal grants.

Adm 48.05(8) (8) The grant may contain multiple state and federal funding sources. The department shall comply with the requirements and provisions of the funding sources and shall require grantees to comply with any requirements related to the funding sources. Requirements of these funding sources shall be outlined in the planning grant manual.

Adm 48.05 History History: CR 01-086: cr. Register February 2002 No. 554, eff. 3-1-02.

Adm 48.06 Adm 48.06 Grant application scoring criteria. The grant application scoring criteria is based upon preferences in s. 16.965 (4), Stats., and shall be scored as follows:

Adm 48.06(1) (1) Thirty percent of the total points available shall be assigned to addressing the interests of overlapping or neighboring jurisdictions. Applications may be evaluated based on the applicant:

Adm 48.06(1)(a) (a) Providing a list of participants anticipated within the development of a plan or plan update and addressing coordination efforts within the planning process with these participants.

Adm 48.06(1)(b) (b) Identifying the process to review existing plans of these participants and identifying discrepancies between plans.

Adm 48.06(1)(c) (c) Addressing consistency of plans, especially regarding border issues between jurisdictions.

Adm 48.06(1)(d) (d) Addressing implementation efforts to minimize conflicts between jurisdictions.

Adm 48.06(1)(e) (e) Including proposals for coordination within extraterritorial boundaries through intergovernmental cooperation techniques.

Adm 48.06(1)(f) (f) Including proposals for cooperative agreements.

Adm 48.06(1)(g) (g) Engaging in a multi-jurisdictional plan as defined in s. Adm 48.02 (10).

Adm 48.06(2) (2) Twenty-five percent of the total points available shall be assigned to providing a specific description of the means by which all of the local, comprehensive planning goals specified in s. 16.965 (4), Stats., will be achieved. Applications may be evaluated based on the applicant:

Adm 48.06(2)(a) (a) Addressing each of the goals and discussing the specific elements within s. 66.1001, Stats., in which each of these goals will be addressed.

Adm 48.06(2)(b) (b) Describing specific locational issues within the discussion of the goals such as population changes, transportation needs, environmental issues, housing issues and other planning issues.

Adm 48.06(2)(c) (c) Describing the goals in a coherent and consistent manner between all goals.

Adm 48.06(3) (3) Twenty percent of the total points available shall be assigned to providing a description of the process to identify smart growth areas. Under s. 16.965, Stats., a smart growth area is an area that will enable the development and redevelopment of lands with existing infrastructure and municipal, state and utility services, where practicable, or that will encourage efficient development patterns that are both contiguous to existing development and at densities which have relatively low municipal, state governmental and utility costs. Applications may be evaluated based on the applicant:

Adm 48.06(3)(a) (a) Identifying the planning process for identifying potential smart growth areas and the policy implications for implementing these areas.

Adm 48.06(3)(b) (b) Describing the implementation of smart growth areas.

Adm 48.06(3)(c) (c) Developing these areas cooperatively with adjacent and overlapping jurisdictions.

Adm 48.06(3)(d) (d) Identifying demographic, social and economic changes within the past 10 years.

Adm 48.06(4) (4) Twelve percent of the total points available shall be assigned to including planning efforts, including subsequent updates and amendments, that include development of implementing ordinances, including ordinances pertaining to zoning, subdivisions and land division. Applications may be evaluated based on the applicant:

Adm 48.06(4)(a) (a) Addressing the process of developing or updating ordinances and other implementation strategies that are consistent with the provisions of the plan or plan update.

Adm 48.06(4)(b) (b) Identifying land use issues related to new, anticipated, or potential transportation facilities or improvements.

Adm 48.06(4)(c) (c) Identifying innovative plan implementation techniques such as improved processes and coordination techniques among neighboring and overlapping jurisdictions, community design guidelines and other techniques.

Adm 48.06(4)(d) (d) Describing the level of applicant’s zoning authority.

Adm 48.06(5) (5) One percent of the total points available shall be assigned to including planning efforts contemplated for completion within 30 months from the date the grant is awarded.

Adm 48.06(6) (6) Twelve percent of the total points available shall be assigned to including planning efforts that provide opportunities for public participation throughout the planning process. Applications may be evaluated based on the applicant:

Adm 48.06(6)(a) (a) Identifying the process for determining and adopting public participation procedures and address all requirements found in s. 66.1001 (4) (a), Stats.

Adm 48.06(6)(b) (b) Proposing creative and innovative public participation efforts.

Adm 48.06(6)(c) (c) Providing a variety of opportunities for broad public participation throughout the planning process.

Adm 48.06(6)(d) (d) Providing opportunities for neighboring and overlapping jurisdictions to participate.

Adm 48.06 History History: CR 01-086: cr. Register February 2002 No. 554, eff. 3-1-02.

Adm 48.07 Adm 48.07 Grant application evaluation.

Adm 48.07(1) (1) The department shall evaluate and score applications based on the scoring under s. Adm 48.06.

Adm 48.07(2) (2) When developing the planning grant priority list, the department through a peer review process identified within the planning grant manual, shall rank all applications according to the applicant’s total score received.

Adm 48.07(3) (3) The department shall establish the threshold in the planning grant priority list for determining which applications will be funded on the basis of the grant evaluation under this section and the availability of grant funds.

Adm 48.07(4) (4) The department shall prepare a detailed summary of expenditures for proposed grant awardees identified under sub. (3), including funding sources and any funding source requirements. The department shall forward the summary to the council as required by s. 16.965, Stats., the department of transportation as required by s. 16.9651, Stats., and any other agency as necessary due to funding sources.

Adm 48.07 Note Note: Section 15.107 (16), Stats., Wisconsin Land Council, was repealed in 2011 Wisconsin Act 257.  Section 48.07 (4) will be modified accordingly in future rule-making by the Department.   

Adm 48.07 History History: CR 01-086: cr. Register February 2002 No. 554, eff. 3-1-02.

Adm 48.08 Adm 48.08 Grant awards.

Adm 48.08(1) (1) The council shall review and approve or disapprove by resolution, the grant priority list including activities proposed to be funded in compliance with ss. 16.965 (4) and 16.9651 (2), Stats. The department shall receive approval from the council before awarding a grant.

Adm 48.08 Note Note: Section 15.107 (16), Stats., Wisconsin Land Council, was repealed in 2011 Wisconsin Act 257. Pursuant to s. 16.9651 (2), Stats., “Prior to awarding a grant under this section, the department shall forward a detailed statement of the proposed expenditures to be made under the grant to the secretary of transportation and obtain his or her written approval of the proposed expenditures.”  Section 48.08 (1) will be modified accordingly in future rule-making by the Department.   

Adm 48.08(2) (2) The department shall provide the department of transportation and other agencies, where required, with the detailed summary of activities proposed to be funded through transportation planning grants in compliance with s. 16.9651 (2), Stats. The department shall receive written approval from the secretary of the department of transportation before awarding a transportation planning grant.