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Parks and Rec reviews TAP grant application for Southpointe Powerline Trail; city match and drainage concerns discussed
Summary
At its Sept. 22 meeting, Parks and Rec reviewed an informational proposal to apply for a Wisconsin DOT TAP grant to fund a citywide bike-and-ped plan and the Southpointe Powerline Trail, with the trail's cost estimated at $934,000 and a potential 20% city match if awarded.
At its Sept. 22, 2025 meeting, Parks and Rec heard an informational presentation on agenda item 25-1144, a proposed TAP (Transportation Alternatives Program) grant application for a citywide bike-and-pedestrian plan and the Southpointe Powerline Trail.
Director Gosselin described the TAP application as competitive and said the project cost for the Southpointe Powerline Trail is projected at $934,000. "The city if they do get the the grant would have to pay 20% of that," Gosselin said, and staff emphasized the application does not obligate city funds at this time: "This is not obligating anybody at this time to to, obligate money or towards that, we would first have to get the grant, determine the new budget, and then, you know, figure out if it's a project we still wanna pursue."
Alder Hartzheim said that during the finance committee review he had concerns about a resolution clause stating the City of Appleton "has budgeted a sum sufficient to complete the project." He said Director Ullman clarified during finance committee that no funds are presently allocated and that language in the resolution refers to a potential future match amount should the grant be awarded. Committee members stressed the informational nature of the item and that any allocation of local funds would require subsequent council-level budget action.
Members also raised site-specific construction concerns. A member noted prior drainage problems on a section of the powerline trail and asked whether those issues had been resolved. Staff said the section discussed previously was a separate portion of the powerline corridor located in a wetland area and that the segment in the current application is further south; staff acknowledged some challenges remain in particular areas. One member urged moving ahead if the grant is awarded, noting large grants can be rare.
Staff warned the TAP program itself may face future reductions or elimination, which could affect future grant opportunities. The item was informational; no vote to obligate funds or to accept the grant was taken at the Sept. 22 meeting.
