AB928: Bill Text

2001 - 2002 LEGISLATURE

2001 Assembly BILL 928

March 14, 2002 - Introduced by Representatives Wieckert, Owens, Schooff, Colon, Turner, Shilling, Townsend and Kaufert, cosponsored by Senators Grobschmidt and Baumgart. Referred to Committee on Urban and Local Affairs.

AB928,1,3 An Act to create 15.157 (13), 20.143 (1) (df), 560.28 and 560.292 of the statutes; relating to: establishing a state waterfront development program and creating a council on that program.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the department of commerce (department) to establish and administer a state waterfront development program for the purpose of assisting cities, villages, and towns (municipalities) to coordinate, plan, manage, and implement programs for the revitalization of areas that are adjacent to lakes or streams. Revitalization of such areas includes constructing, renovating, and rehabilitating buildings or other improvements to increase economic activity and tourism. Under the program, the department must provide technical assistance, training, and information on revitalization of waterfront areas to municipalities, and must coordinate state grant programs that are available to municipalities for waterfront development. The authorized positions for the department are increased by one for administration of the program.

The bill also creates the council on waterfront development programs (council), which is made up of the secretaries of commerce, tourism, natural resources, and transportation, or their designees, and representatives of a local chamber of commerce, a local visitor and convention bureau, a city, village, or county, a town, the planning profession, the financial community, and the business community. The council is charged with helping the secretary of commerce to develop a plan to operate the state waterfront development program, reviewing the effectiveness of the program, and recommending procedures to improve the program.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB928, s. 1 Section 1. 15.157 (13) of the statutes is created to read:

AB928,2,7 15.157 (13) Council on waterfront development programs. (a) There is created in the department of commerce a council on waterfront development programs, consisting of the secretary of commerce or his or her designee, the secretary of tourism or his or her designee, the secretary of natural resources or his or her designee, the secretary of transportation or his or her designee, and the following members appointed for 3-year terms:

AB928,2,9 1. One member representing a local chamber of commerce or similar organization.

AB928,2,11 2. One member representing a local visitor and convention bureau or similar organization.

AB928,2,12 3. One member representing a city, village, or county.

AB928,2,13 4. One member representing a town.

AB928,2,14 5. One member representing the planning profession.

AB928,2,15 6. One member representing the financial community.

AB928,2,16 7. Two members representing the business community.

AB928,2,18 (b) The secretary of commerce shall designate an employee of the department of commerce to serve as nonvoting secretary for the council.

AB928, s. 2 Section 2. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

AB928, s. 3 Section 3. 20.143 (1) (df) of the statutes is created to read:

AB928,3,3 20.143 (1) (df) Waterfront development program. The amounts in the schedule to operate the state waterfront development program under s. 560.28.

AB928, s. 4 Section 4. 560.28 of the statutes is created to read:

AB928,3,5 560.28 State waterfront development program. (1) In this section:

AB928,3,6 (a) "Municipality" means a city, village, or town.

AB928,3,10 (b) "Revitalization" means the process of engaging in any work or undertaking by a municipality to construct, reconstruct, renovate, or rehabilitate buildings, structures, or other improvements at a site or facility to increase economic activity and tourism.

AB928,3,11 (c) "Waterfront area" means an area located adjacent to a lake or stream.

AB928,3,15 (2) The department shall establish and administer a state waterfront development program to assist municipalities in coordinating, planning, managing, and implementing programs for the revitalization of waterfront areas. The department shall do all of the following:

AB928,3,17 (a) Employ, in the state classified service, staff for the waterfront development program.

AB928,4,3 (b) Coordinate state programs for grants that are available to municipalities for waterfront development, including transportation enhancement activities program grants and grants from the department of tourism.

AB928,4,5 (c) Provide to municipalities technical assistance, training, and information on the revitalization of waterfront areas.

AB928,4,9 (d) With assistance from the council on waterfront development programs and from interested individuals and organizations, develop a plan describing the objectives of the state waterfront development program and the methods by which the department shall accomplish the duties under pars. (b) and (c).

AB928, s. 5 Section 5. 560.292 of the statutes is created to read:

AB928,4,12 560.292 Council on waterfront development programs. The council on waterfront development programs shall do all of the following:

AB928,4,14 (1) Help the secretary to develop a plan to operate the state waterfront development program.

AB928,4,16 (2) Review the effectiveness of, and recommend to the secretary procedures to improve, the state waterfront development program.

AB928, s. 6 Section 6. Nonstatutory provisions.

AB928,4,21 (1) Council on waterfront development programs. Notwithstanding the length of terms specified for the members of the council on waterfront development programs under section 15.157 (13) (a) (intro.) of the statutes, as created by this act, the initial members shall be appointed for the following terms:

AB928,4,23 (a) The members specified under section 15.157 (13) (a) 1. to 4. of the statutes, as created by this act, for terms expiring on July 1, 2004.

AB928,4,25 (b) The members specified under section 15.157 (13) (a) 5. to 7. of the statutes, as created by this act, for terms expiring on July 1, 2005.

AB928,5,4 (2) Position authorization. The authorized FTE positions for the department of commerce are increased by 1.0 GPR position, to be funded from the appropriation under section 20.143 (1) (df) of the statutes, as created by this act, for the purpose of administering the state waterfront development program.

AB928,5,5 (End)