Food for Thought Webinar Series: September 2026
-
You must log in to register
- Non-member - $49
- Member-League - Free!
- Member-League Insured - Free!
For a small business owner, navigating the municipal approval process can be intimidating. Understanding what to submit, where to submit it, what information is required, and what to expect when appearing before a plan commission, design review committee, or historic preservation commission can make the difference between a successful project and a project that never moves forward.
This webinar will explore how municipalities can make development processes more predictable, understandable, and accessible—particularly for small businesses and smaller-scale investments. Presenters will examine common points of confusion in the approval process and share practical approaches municipalities can use to provide businesses with clearer expectations and better guidance before they submit a project.
Errin Welty
Senior Director of Downtown Development
WEDC
Errin Welty is the Senior Director of Downtown Development at WEDC, working more than 140 Wisconsin communities on revitalization projects. Errin has an undergraduate degree in community development from St. Cloud State and a Masters in Planning and Real Estate from the University of Colorado in Denver. Previous experience includes work in downtown organizations in three states and commercial real estate, market analysis and economic development consulting work.
Jaime Trudeau
Downtown Development Intern
WEDC
Jaime is a graduate student in the Urban Planning Program at UW- Milwaukee. Program and work experience has included experience in grants and project management, and work with SE Wisconsin communities on business support and engagement.
Jeff Fortin, AICP
Economic Development Project Manager
Waukesha
Jeff leads a wide range of economic development initiatives in the city including downtown redevelopment projects, placemaking and streetscape improvements, business outreach, housing development and administration of downtown grant and loan programs. He also supports the city’s long range planning programs and Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) districts.
Scott Heacock
Associate Planner
Middleton
Scott Heacock, AICP, is an Associate Planner for the City of Middleton and serves on the executive board for the Downtown Middleton Business Association. As a planner in a mid-sized community, his day to day consists of a little bit of everything. His workload ranges from drafting long-range plans, reviewing plan commission applications, building relationships with downtown business owners, and a plethora of “other duties as assigned.” He holds a B.S. in Political Science and an M.S. in Urban & Regional Planning from UW-Madison.
Key:
Complete
Next
Failed
Available
Locked