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Examples of Letters to the County and Quotes
Examples of Letters to the County and Quotes
Examples of Letters to the County and Quotes
Examples of letters written by concerned citizens may be viewed on the CompPlan.org website.
Rice County Commissioners
Examples of Letters to the County and Quotes
Examples of Letters to the County and Quotes
Learn more about your County Commissioners on the Rice County website's commissioners' page. This handy reference provides contact information for the Commissioners.
The Proposed Plan
Examples of Letters to the County and Quotes
The Proposed Plan
The actual proposed Comprehensive Plan, showing a large industrial zone in Forest Township, is available on the Rice County website.
In case the Rice County link is not working, a PDF of the plan is available below.
About FEDA
FEDA Official Input and Talking Points
FEDA Official Input and Talking Points
FEDA Official Input and Talking Points
See the letter that FEDA sent to the Commissioners, the County Administrator, and the designated input address.
See the talking points below that you may want to include in comment letters to the County.
FEDA Board and Bylaws
FEDA Official Input and Talking Points
FEDA Official Input and Talking Points
Temporarily, four people sit on the FEDA Board until the annual meeting at which time an election of Board members will be held. Current Board members are Flavia Berg, Teng Lee, Rosalyn Pautzke, and Sam Sunderlin.
A copy of the Bylaws for Forest Economic Development Association may be found below.
Maps
FEDA Official Input and Talking Points
Maps
See the map that was included in the proposed Comprehensive Plan. The massive blue Industrial zone is included without any explanation or rationale. The map also inaccurately includes Elko-New Market.
A concerned citizen has enlarged the map to zoom in on the Industrial zone. This is an attempt to show more detail, but has not been verified by the County.
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Talking Points for comprehensive plan input
Talking Points for Citizen Input requesting removal of Industrial Zone
Points from the body of the comprehensive plan that support our requests
If you would like to see the following comments in their full context, go to http://www.co.rice.mn.us/197/Comprehensive-Plan. I have provided the page numbers where you can locate them.
Page 5
The 2040 Vision is a long-range, big picture portrayal of our desired future. The vision was developed during multiple work sessions with the Steering Committee. Below is our 2040 Vision:
“As Rice County grows and evolves into the future, we will support and encourage orderly growth and a diverse economy that will continue to create jobs and a high quality of life for our citizens. We will aspire to maintain the small town feel of our cities and preserve our agricultural heritage.”
High quality of life, maintaining the rural atmosphere and preserving our agricultural heritage are themes that are repeatedly mentioned throughout the proposed Comprehensive Plan. How was it decided, and who decided that placing a huge Industrial Zone in the heart of rural Rice County met the above Vision statement? How can orderly growth occur when no study has been done to determine what is feasible in a rural area currently without the infrastructure necessary for minimal development, never mind Industrial development? To achieve orderly, sustainable development, the county needs to engage an environmental design and engineering firm to determine what type of development would contribute to the tax base,be sustainable, pay living wages,and maintain the rural atmosphere of Rice County. Having a plan from such a firm would help the county determine what they need to do to attract high quality development.
Page 10
Important amenities. Rice County is rich in cultural history and natural landscapes. Lastly, the County maintains its rural character and agricultural heritage which sets it apart from the nearby metropolitan areas. Rice County currently is known as a beautiful rural county. Placing an industrial zone along both sides of I#35 on all three exits that are the gateways to our community would forever destroy that image. We would become just another unattractive, forgettable stretch along the interstate.
Page 12/13
Strategy 3. Support downtown revitalization and neighborhood business development in the cities.
Action Item 1: Develop strategies to increase employment growth through more intense and efficient use of existing infrastructure.
Action Item 2: Support local innovative businesses and economic activities.
Action Item 3: Promote downtowns as a place for innovative and emerging business to
expand or relocate.
Planning experts recommend expanding outward from cities where there is existing sewer,water, and emergency services. Leapfrogging out to the middle of nowhere where there is no infrastructure is considered poor planning.
Page 13
Goal 4. Attract new businesses to Rice County.
Strategy 1. Make available vacant, development-ready land for commercial and industrial use.
Action Item 1: Promote well-designed and efficient development and redevelopment of vacant and underutilized industrial and commercial lands.
Action Item 2: Support redevelopment of existing vacant and underutilized industrial and commercial lands rather than designing additional lands for these purposes. These two action items seem to say pretty much the same thing. Take underutilized, out of date, inefficient, existing industrial/commercial lands and renovate them, don't just vacate them and leave them to become eyesores. Nothing devalues a community more than dilapidated buildings. Keep industry and heavy commercial where it belongs, close in to cities where there is existing infrastructure and housing for employees.
Page 15
3.0 Land Use
The Land Use section of The Plan is intended to provide the framework that will guide County policies, priorities and investments. This section will help guide the County’s actions in the areas of sustainable growth, economic development, active lifestyles, transportation, and agricultural and natural resource protection.
Page16
3.2.1 Growth and Development
Goal 1. Support and encourage orderly growth and development.
Strategy 1. Support land use planning, which encourages orderly growth and sustainable development and redevelopment.
Without the assistance of an environmental design and engineering firm, Rice County has no plan for commercial/ industrial zones. A study from such a firm would ensure orderly growth and development. Wishful thinking will not be enough to achieve an expanded tax base.
Page 17
3.2.2 Agriculture and Natural Resources
“86% of citizen survey respondents either agree or strongly agree that preserving existing agricultural land should be a planning priority for Rice County.”
Goal 2: Preserve Agricultural Land and Natural Resources.
Strategy 1. Minimize conflicts between agricultural, residential, and other uses.
Action Item 1: Adopt land use
regulations that control density and
development in agricultural and open
spaces, to protect and preserve
agricultural land and environmentally
sensitive areas.
How does putting a huge industrial zone on top of land that is currently being used as family farms protect and preserve agricultural land and environmentally sensitive areas? There are numerous impaired streams in the proposed Industrial zone, and several lakes in close proximity to the area. Putting in industrial projects with hundreds of acres of impervious surfaces will cause huge increases in runoff into these already impaired streams resulting in even more degradation of water quality.
As pointed out in an AUAR study done around 15 years ago, and in the study done for the Wolf Creek Autobahn EAW, improving the roads and bridges to handle the predicted traffic would cost millions. Even if the improvements are done,it was predicted that all of the roads leading to our towns and villages would suffer from severe traffic congestion.This would impact everyone who uses I#35. The hundreds of acres covered by the improved roads,buildings and parking lots would also destroy contiguous greenspace for animals to move when conditions dictate that it is necessary.
Action Item 4: Protect and promote agriculture by preservingts of land by encouraging clustering of rural residential development through use of transfer of development rights.
Action Item 5: Promote higher density housing development in cities and unincorporated villages that can provide municipal or municipal type water and sewer services rather than in the agricultural districts. It is interesting that the county sees the benefit of sewer and water for higher density housing, but not the need for it in a Commercial /Industrial zone. Many industries have the need for massive amounts of water and sewer and have the potential for grave environmental issues. Rice county does not have the manpower, or the will to enforce the regulations that would protect the surrounding communities.
Page 18
Strategy 2. Preserve, protect, and improve the surface and underground waters including, but not limited to, rivers, streams, lakes, groundwater,
“Citizen Survey respondents felt that river/stream (85%) and lakes (82%) are natural resources that need the most attention in order to improve or maintain the quality of life in Rice County.”
and aquifer recharge areas.
Strategy 3. In working through land development, the potential for air, water, and land contamination will be considered and minimized throughout the entire process.
Action Item 1: Encourage conservation design to preserve natural and scenic values.
Action Item 2: Support and implement state and federal regulations that pertain to environmental review.
It bears repeating that Rice County, by its own admission does not have the manpower to enforce their own regulations, never mind those of the state and federal government.
Action Item 3: Define, by GIS overlay, and
preserve environmentally sensitive areas
and other open space by allowing only
compatible land uses and development.
It is unclear what type of Industrial development Rice County feels would be compatible with family farms, single family homes, and recreational lakeshore developments.
Page33
7.0 Sustainability
7.1 Introduction
Sustainability focuses on meeting the current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The concept of sustainability is composed of three pillars: economic, environmental and social. Sustainability encourages decisions be framed in terms of environmental, social and human impact for the long-term, rather than on short-term gains.
While an increased tax base is attractive, we believe that the county needs to look at the long term impact of some of their proposals in the draft Comprehensive Plan. Putting an Industrial zone out in the middle of rural Rice County could have severe long term environmental,social and human impacts on the residents of Rice County who have made it abundantly clear that they want to keep Rice County Rural.
Rice County’s abundant natural resources contribute to the overall quality of life for all of its residents and visitors. These resources provide many benefits to the County such as economic opportunities, recreational activity options and biological diversity. Sustaining and enhancing these resources will contribute to not only the County’s vibrant economy but will also provide enjoyment for generations to come. While there are areas within Rice County that are attractive for future development it is important that it does not intrude on prosperous agricultural land, protected and preserved natural land and in areas that could cause potential environmental concerns.
In this paragraph in the Sustainabliitly section. Rice County seems to have gained an understanding of how its residents feel. We still do not understand why the proposed Industrial zone along I#35 is in the plan, and who decided that it should be there. We could find no explanation for this anywhere in the document.
Page 34
RICE COUNTY SURVEY Comments
“Protecting surface and groundwater is the most important issue for the future of Rice County. Beyond that, the historic preservation and rural nature of the county attracted us to move here in retirement.”
“”Protecting and enhancing our natural environment, and developing jobs/businesses that are environmentally sustainable are my priorities.”
“Carefully planned sustainable development that protects natural resources is most important to me.
Rice County residents have repeatedly made these comments. Factories in the country do not contribute to the rural quality of life.
Page 38/39
Strategy 2 Encourage existing neighborhood employers to grow “in place,”keeping jobs close to where people live
There are very few rentals available in the proposed Industrial zone. There is no public transportation available between Faribaut and the proposed Industrial zone, and none between Northfield and the proposed Industrial zone. It is often difficult for companies to find employees when there is no place for them to reside or shop.
Action Item 2: Encourage Cities to work with property owners and interested developers to address unique development challenges including the maintenance, revitalization redevelopment of existing buildings.
Strategy 3. Support downtown revitalization and neighborhood business development in the cities.
Action Item 1: Develop strategies to increase employment growth through more intense and efficient use of existing infrastructure.
Action Item 3: Promote downtowns as a place for innovative and emerging business to expand or relocate.
All three of these action items follow the same line of thinking as found in Goal 4 on page 13. It is important to enhance existing neighborhoods by preserving and improving existing structures and businesses. Nothing says "dying town" like dilapidated buildings. New businesses will look at the area as a safe place to locate, and existing businesses will feel comfortable investing money in expansions. Existing water, sewer and emergency services make this option especially attractive.
Goal 4: Attract new businesses to Rice County.
Strategy 1. Make available vacant, development-ready land for commercial and industrial use.
As mentioned on Page 13, Action item#2 "Support redevelopment of existing vacant and underutilized industrial and commercial lands rather than designing additional lands for these purposes.
Proposing a large Industrial zone along I#35 is not in keeping with this action item.
Strategy 3. Maximize efforts to attract and recruit industries that are best suited for Rice County’s assets and opportunities.
Action Item 2: The County shall assure economic development that promotes other community qualities, such as livability and environmental quality that are necessary for a sustainable economic future.
Action item 2 is one of the most critical for our members. It is important that the county assure that any development being proposed in Rice County does promote community qualities such as livability and environmental quality. We would like to know what type of screening they will do on prospective developments to make sure only sustainable companies that are compatible with existing uses are allowed to locate here.
Page 40
Action Item 7: Promote economic development along the Interstate 35 corridor
There is a big difference between promoting "economic development"along I#35 and and actually including an "Industrial Zone". There doesn't appear to be any documentation supporting the need for a new Industrial Zone in the middle of the county where there is no infrastructure or nearby emergency services. Who proposed this, and why?
Land Use
Growth and Development:
Strategy 1 Support land use planning which encourages orderly growth and sustainable development and redevelopment.
Once again, for orderly growth and development, it would be very helpful to have the assistance of an environmental design and engineering firm.
Action Item 1: Coordinate infrastructure expansion with development; and encourage development where the infrastructure is adequate to sever (serve) that growth.
There is no infrastructure along I#35 to serve industrial growth.
Action Item 2: Support the provision of joint services among jurisdictions.
Action Item 3: Remain apprised of expected future urban growth areas.
We also would like to see the county remain apprised of expected future rural growth. An environmental design and engineering firm would provide accurate information on this.
Survey Results
The survey in its entirety is available for viewing at http://www.co.rice.mn.us/197/Comprehensive-Plan.
Survey respondents would be in least favor of the following developments:
Large corporate farms
Heavy industry
Large retail
This is a roundabout way of saying the respondents do NOT want large corporate farms,heavy industry(used by Rice County in the survey,but not clearly defined) or large retail.
Survey respondents would like growth in rural areas to focus on the following:
Agricultural production
Parks, open space and natural land
Recreation
Employment
Nowhere did citizens state that a huge industrial zone should be a priority.
Respondents feel that the following natural resources need the most attention in order to improve or maintain the quality of life in the County:
Rivers/streams
Lakes
Woods
Wetlands
Industry is not included as a way to improve the quality of life in Rice County.
Staff Summary of Survey
Overall, survey respondents strongly favored preserving existing agricultural land, local food production and maintaining Rice County’s rural character and small town feel. In addition, survey participants would like to see growth concentrated in urban areas to include growth and preservation of parks, open space, natural land and recreation. As noted numerous times in the survey responses, maintaining the rural character of Rice County is the top priority of its citizens. Converting over 5,000 acres which are currently in agricultural production to an industrial zone clearly does not meet the wishes of Rice County's citizens.
Learn More
A website dedicated to the Rice County Comprehensive Plan has been created to help residents track and engage in the process.