11-26-1979 Planning Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

!b1 u ST"'m I* % i 1 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REVIEW City of Independence PREPARED BY: Tom Loucks and Associates RECEIVED:October 28, 1979 REVIEWED BY: Alan P. Olson, November 13, 1979 Independence is 35 miles square with approximately 2,500 residents. The City has effectively no commercial, industrial or institutional land use, relying on neighboring communities for services and facilities. The predominant land use is agriculture although this use is stated as being in transition, with loss of some agricultural land to housing and decline in certain agricultural activities such as dairy farming. Lake Rebecca Park Reserve is a major land use with supporting roles played by The Luce Line Trail and Morris T. Baker Park Reserve (although Baker is not in Independence). Major environmental assets include Lakes Sarah, Rebecca, Robina, Haughey, Fox, Tom and Independence, Pioneer Creek and Painter Creek, and many marshlands and wetlands. The City has no public water or sewer and plans none. Transportation planning is all auto-oriented using the existing network with minor statements about County plans for straightening 110 and 19. There is no detailed discussion, but the tone of the plan suggests that they expect highway 12 to become a freeway "after 2000." The Land Use Plan is to retain very limited commercial and industrial areas along highway 12 west of Maple Plain, perhaps near County Road 92. The remainder of the City is to be split about 1/3 "non-urban" residential at 5 acres per unit, and 2/3 agricultural at 40 acres per unit. The area adjacent to Orono would be some of each. The whole tone is one of "staged growrh' with most new development to be in the "non-urban" area around Maple Plain. Attached is a suggested draft of the review letter to be sent to Independence. c^ J