Commission highlights DNR stormwater grant as step toward Green and Complete Streets
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Summary
Julia Nordyke told the Sustainability Commission about an East River report and a Wisconsin DNR stormwater planning opportunity, urging the city to consider a green/complete-streets planning application with Public Works support; members noted solicitation timing and requested consultant briefings before committing.
Julia Nordyke, chairing the Climate Resilience Work Group, briefed the Green Bay Sustainability Commission on a two-part East River Collaborative report and a potential Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) stormwater planning grant.
"There is a Wisconsin DNR stormwater planning grant that's due April 15," Nordyke said, explaining the grant is a biennial planning opportunity that is often underutilized and that, if awarded, a planning project would likely not start until 2027 with implementation possibly in 2028. She described the grant as appropriate for planning around nonpoint urban stormwater pollution and suggested the city’s public works department would lead any application while the commission could provide support and background research.
Commission members pressed for clarity on how a planning grant would fit with the city’s Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) plan and whether a consultant presentation on Complete Green Streets should precede an application. Melissa (city staff) and other commissioners noted the DNR’s solicitations may have shifted—members observed construction grants were being solicited for 2026 while planning grants may return in 2027—and recommended arranging a consultant or staff briefing to outline the likely scope, staffing implications, and benefits before the commission endorses applying.
Nordyke emphasized the report in the packet, based on resident interviews from the East River area, and said the work-group role would include preparing background research and coordinating with Public Works if the city chooses to pursue a related planning or construction grant.
The commission did not take formal action on grant pursuit during the meeting; members asked staff to return with more information and a potential consultant briefing to help the city evaluate commitment levels and match the project to the GSI plan.
