On October 23, 2013 Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission conducted a visioning workshop at the Washington County Fair Park & Conference Center.
Looking around the room state Rep. Pat Strachota said she hoped local residents take the time to participate in the Vision 2050 online survey. “We need some younger participants. These are the plans that will help determine the future of the region,” she said.
The workshop focused on the future of land use and transportation planning through the year 2050 for Washington County, Executive Director Kenneth Yunker said. “We’re using a variety of techniques to determine what people would like to see for the future of the area.”
Consulting engineer Ron Dalton lives in Grafton and works out of Germantown. “I wanted to participate and see how this process works. It’s one element of their planning. It’s good to see SEWRPC is engaging participation from citizens in their planning process.”
SEWRPC will return in December with a compilation of the data collected during the seven workshops from the seven counties in SE Wisconsin.
Online surveys also are available and SEWRPC will do random phone surveys of around 300 people in each of the seven counties in southeast Wisconsin.
The collected data will be used to develop a variety of conceptual scenarios, Yunker said. “The final recommendation about the plan will be ready in about two years.”
Executive Director Craig Farrell of the West Bend Area Chamber of Commerce took part in the workshop. He said he wanted to get involved early in the planning. “I’ve got to represent the business community and make sure they’re concerns are properly represented. Now is the time to get your voice heard and not at the end of the process. I felt this was worth doing.”
Two online surveys are available at www.vision2050 http://vision2050sewis.org/Vision2050/Survey-Opportunities
■ Preference questionnaire with similar questions to those asked through the telephone survey;
■ Visual preference survey, similar to the presentation at the Public Visioning Workshops.
SEWRPC is the areawide planning agency for infrastructure and land use in the seven counties of southeastern Wisconsin, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha.
Under state law, commission plans can only be advisory for local and state government agencies. For more information on SEWRPC’s Vision 2050, visit www.vision2050sewis.org.