(A) Residential. One- and two-family residential may be the dominant land use in the future only because it has a head start on other development. It appears there will have to be changes in methods of financing homes, reduced construction costs, and new construction methods if people are to afford new detached housing in the future. As a result, there will have to be more multi-family unit development. Much of this development should be placed with easy access to S.R. 37 or the other major arterial routes. One- and two-family development should be provided space for construction within subdivisions adjacent and abutting older developments. Individual lot divisions should be discouraged in an attempt to promote efficient development. Mobile homes should be required to be constructed in a mobile home subdivision. Manufactured homes should be permitted in conventional subdivisions where the scale of the homes is consistent and materials compatible.
(B) Commercial.
(1) Efforts to upgrade the Central Business District (CBD) should continue, with more effort toward coordination of the structural rehabilitation and development of the CBD with its own identity to make it unique and different from shopping centers that may be developed in the area.
(2) The regional commercial strip centered along 16th Street by S.R. 37 should continue to be encouraged as a regional center not in conflict with the downtown shopping area. A third major commercial area should be allowed to develop along 29th Street. This area shall provide for commercial development which for various reasons cannot occur in the downtown or regional commercial areas. A buffer commercial zoning classification shall be developed. The intent of commercial zones shall be to provide for various office and professional uses which are more compatible as a buffer between residential and more intensive land uses. Professional office uses should be encouraged around certain segments of the CBD and also adjacent to the hospital.
(3) It must be noted that the indiscriminate location of commercial establishments is not in the city’s interest. Instead, an attitude must be recognized that the size of a community’s population correlates most closely with how much commercial space is needed and that in many instances the allowance of retail establishments anywhere only takes away from commercial uses already located and operating in the city.
(C) Industrial. Currently, a significantly high amount of land in the city Planning Area is zoned for industrial. Upon review of these areas, one can quickly note that many of these areas are within floodplains, are on steep slopes, have poor soils, or are not adjacent to major rail or automotive roadways. In view of these conditions, land use zoned for industrial purposes should be sited where development can be sustained. Specifically, industrial concentrations should occur near S.R. 37, the newly developed industrial park, and existing industrial areas which are located along railways.
(D) Recreational. Currently, land utilized for recreational purposes appears adequate to meet the needs of area residents. In view of this and current economic conditions, emphasis should be placed on maintenance versus expansion of recreational land.
(E) Vacant, agricultural, and water areas. As noted previously, large areas of the Planning Area have environmental limitations such as poor soils, a flood plain, steep slopes, and the like. To assure that these areas are not inappropriately developed, they should be limited through zoning. Specifically, flood hazard areas should be zoned as such. This classification does not preclude development, but rather forewarns developers of the hazards of building in these areas. Any development in flood hazard areas must first be reviewed by the State Department of Natural Resources to assure that the structure is floodproof or built- up at an elevation above the flood elevation. Other areas having environmental limitations should be identified as allowing only low-density residential development.
(F) Public and semi-public. Governmental uses should be located in the CBD in an attempt to centralize like activities. Other uses should be developed in areas that will relate to the service provided. Schools should be located in accordance with adopted school standards.
(G) Site plan review. Finally, to assure compatibility of land uses, a site planning review process should be instituted. The site plan review should consider factors as drainage, landscaping, internal circulation, and lighting. The intent of a site plan review process is to systematically review how new land uses will impact on adjacent uses and to assure compatibility. The map in App. § 3. depicts this proposed land use plan.
(Res. 17-1984, passed 8-14-84)