University of Wisconsin-Madison
On June 17 and 18, 2026, Sheboygan County hosted a Community Needs Forum focusing on the Community Development and Positive Youth Development Institutes with participation from representatives across local community organizations. The forum discussion focused on the challenges currently faced by the municipalities within land use, planning, public participation, zoning ordinances, state statutes, and other […]
Community Development Kirtis Orendorff Community Development Educatorkirtis.orendorff@wisc.edu Extension Community Development Educator Kirtis Orendorff responds to requests for assistance from local municipalities, communities and organizations who want to enhance local decision making and respond to new challenges and opportunities. Programs are designed and delivered to meet these locally identified needs Continuous Needs Assessment in Sheboygan County […]
65 students from Central, South, and Kohler High Schools visited county facilities and learned about local government in April & May. Students heard presentations and participated in simulations hosted by the county administrator, deputy county administrator, county board vice-chair, sheriff, youth justice workers, circuit court judge, district attorney, planning director, county clerk, county register of […]
Kirtis Orendorff has continued outreach efforts throughout Sheboygan County since starting his role in March 2026, including attending 10 commission and board meetings among various municipalities. Attendance of these meetings has allowed Kirtis to network with the local government officials he will be working with in the future, as well as be available for technical […]
Kirtis started his professional career in software development after graduating from the University of Missouri. After 3 years he decided it was not a great fit and pursued his master’s in urban planning at UW-Milwaukee. Following graduation, he accepted a position as a city planner with the city of Columbia, Missouri. In this position he […]
Barbara Alvarez started in her role, as the Community development Educator on September 3rd. Barbara has a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she studied community-based research practices. She has over 13 years of professional community engagement experience. In her first 30 days, Barbara reached out to, and met with, or scheduled to meet […]
Kevin Struck, Community Development Educator The Town of Sheboygan Falls recently asked Kevin for assistance in submitting an application to continue its farmland preservation zoning certification with WiDATCP, which expires at the end of 2024. The application consists of a written summary of the Town’s farmland preservation efforts, a checklist confirming the Town’s ordinance meets […]
Kevin was invited to a town plan commission meeting and asked to provide guidance on six agenda items. Topics included: • conditional uses in business districts • irregularly shaped properties (“flag lots”) • legality of outlots • difference between lot frontage and lot width • expansion options for a nonconforming structure • possible land division […]
Kevin conducted research to assist a local town in determining why the town’s Zoning Map was now showing an unexpected zoning designation for eight properties that would make some of them non-conforming. His research findings indicated that no official amendment of the Zoning Map for these properties had taken place during the 2009 to 2015 […]
