Posted: 3/28/06
Cityís comprehensive plan in progress
By Jane Palen
Managing Editor
The strengths and weaknesses of the community have been discussedóand even photographedó as part of an effort to create a comprehensive plan for Caledonia.
Since January, the city council and members of the community have met with Shannon Sweeney of David Drown Associates to help develop a comprehensive plan. The plan will help guide the city in determining the direction of development within the city.
In February, participants were asked to name the cityís greatest assets. The group came up with almost 50, which ranged from good schools, low taxes and a good variety of businesses, to proximity to La Crosse, good police protection, and available land for both housing and business development.
Community challenges identified at the meeting included poor condition of local highways, lack of mass transit, junk yards located within the city limits and a reluctance on the part of residents to speak out.
At the February meeting, participants were asked to rate the importance of ìdesired outcomesî for the city. The item that received the most votes was to connect the bike trail to Caledonia and other cities. Next was to attract new businesses, and third was to establish design standards for development. Receiving the next-highest number of votes was the desire to see 40-60 new homes constructed and more highway frontage.
At the January meeting, participants were asked to take three photographs of things they liked about Caledonia, and photos of three things they did not like.
A number of people took photos of the middle/high school, showing that there is a great deal of pride in the facility, said Sweeney. Photos were also displayed of downtown buildings that have been refurbished, the community center, and examples of businesses that are appropriate to their neighborhood.
On the negative side, slides were shown of homes and buildings in disrepair, trees that have been topped, and vehicles with ìfor saleî signs parked on front lawns. In response to a question from a participant, city clerk/administrator Robert Nelson said that in some cases ordinances already exist that prohibit unsightly conditions, but enforcement is a challenge.
The city is paying approximately $25,000 for the comprehensive plan, including expenses. The last comprehensive plan was drafted in 1981.
Although the city currently has zoning ordinances in place, the comprehensive plan takes a broad approach to land use. When completed, the plan will map future development and land use in the city based on factors such as public input and infrastructure available.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com