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Open Space
The major goals of this functional planning program are to
ensure adequate open space and recreation facilities for all residents of
the region and to preserve scarce and valuable resources important to the
ecological and economic life of the region. The Regional Outdoor
Recreation and Open Space Plan guides planning activities under the
element. This program also provides guidance in the
preparation of the agriculture, historic and cultural resources element of
the “Smart Growth” plan. Some of the elements of this
program include: Technical Assistance:
Planners provide information on historic preservation and provide
information and assistance with the preparation of recreation plans,
special studies of recreational needs or opportunities, and site planning
and design of environmental and activity corridors, specific park sites,
residential areas, downtowns, and other open spaces.
Recreation and Open Space Plan Updates: Planners assist
the local units of government in the preparation of comprehensive
recreation and open space plans. The local role is to assist with the
inventory of existing facilities and the assembly of other information and
documentation needed in the preparation of the plan and meet with East
Central to determine local needs and priorities. East Central works
with the municipality to analyze existing facilities, determine needs, and
prepare an updated project list for use in priority setting. Upon
adoption, East Central is responsible for final plan preparation, mapping,
and printing. In a typical year, one county plan and a handful of
community plans are published. Recreation Trail
Implementation Assistance: Planners assist counties and
local units of government with a variety of planning and implementation
needs, including serving in an advisory capacity on trails and greenways
committees and providing technical assistance on route planning and design
and other implementation issues which may arise. A major emphasis
will be to work with counties and local governmental units to develop an
integrated network across jurisdictional boundaries, identify potential
funding sources and, where appropriate, obtain consistent standards of
trail and facility design, maintenance, and promotion.
Expertise and assistance is made available to counties and communities in
developing trails, greenways, and support facilities, addressing special
design problems and/or user needs, identifying potential linkages to
nearby communities and with other potential and proposed trails, and
exploring potential funding sources. Efforts focus on complementary
activities related to ongoing efforts to expand the state recreational
trail network in the region. Among these are the WIOUWASH Trail,
Nicolet Trail, and the proposed Highway 10 Trail between Fremont and the
High Cliff State Park/Forest Junction areas. Planners continue
involvement with local efforts to bring about the conversion of the
abandoned rail trestle across Little Lake Butte des Morts is the
cornerstone of the Highway 10 Trail project. In addition, as work
continues under contract to prepare a trailway plan for extending the Ice
Age Trail through Waushara County, it is anticipated that assistance will
be requested by local interests to help gain momentum for identifying a
similar trail corridor in Marquette County.
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