Posted: 3/6/07
Council approves comprehensive plan
By Jane Palen
Managing Editor
The Caledonia City Council has approved the final draft of its comprehensive plan, a document that took about one year to develop. The final plan was presented at the councilís regular meeting of February 26.
Shannon Sweeney of David Drown Associates, who assisted the city in the development of the plan, urged the council to review the plan on a yearly basis.
"If small changes are made yearly, it will be a long time before you need another one of this scale," he told the council.
The last time a comprehensive plan was developed for the city was 1982.
The city will have 10 copies of the plan, as well as a CD-ROM.
City clerk Robert Nelson noted that concerns that were brought to the city by Caledonia and Mayville Township residents have been addressed to the satisfaction of those residents.
Goals identified
The 14 goals identified in the plan are listed at left. For each goal, there are policies and initiatives identified to achieve the goals.
With 58 percent of the property within the corporate limits of the city vacant, future land use is addressed in detail. Most of the vacant land is west of the highway.
There are about 1,825 acres in the city, and 1,059 acres are either vacant or have an agricultural use. Residential land accounts for 346 acres (19 percent) and commercial/industrial land covers 201 acres, or 11 percent. There are 91 acres (five percent) of public land and street and railroad right-of-way takes up 128 acres, or seven percent.
Several features of the land use plan include preservation of the existing Highway 76/44 corridor which extends south from the southern border of the city.
According to the plan, the city also intends to promote commercial activity along the highway, including the north side of County 12 and the south side of West Main street. The city also intends to directnew downtown commercial investment on rehabilitation and reuse of existing buildings. Industrial development will be encouraged on the west side of the 76/44 corridor, with commercial business on the periphery of the industrial areas.
Council member Paul Fisch emphasized that he would like to see the comprehensive plan reviewed early enough in the year to allow for budgeting of items to be implemented.
The council voted unanimously to accept the final draft of the plan.
Truck request tabled
The council heard from electrician Matt Blocker, who said that the electrical department is in need of a new pick-up truck. He explained that the bearings are going out of the present truck, a 1994 model.
Blocker estimated that the price of a new 4 x 4 pick up with a crew cab would be about $33,000. Because of the time the truck spends idling, he also recommended a diesel engine, which adds about $7,000 to the cost.
Blocker said the present truck could be fixed and used as a back-up.
Mayor Michael Morey asked if the truck purchase could wait one year.
"It would be nice to plan instead of getting requests," he said. "If youíre going to fix the truck anyway, why not fix it and use it until it can be budgeted."
The request was tabled.
Crews work long hours
Administrative coordinator Mike Gerardy updated the council on the efforts to keep the city streets cleared during the winter storm that hit February 22-24.
The crews first went out at about 2 a.m. Saturday and plowed and blew snow, and then started again on Sunday at about 1 a.m.
About 12 cars were ticketed for parking on the wrong side of the street.
About 200 hours of overtime were logged due to the storm.
The council commended the city workers on their efforts.
Mayor Morey commented that "We all need to get behind alternate parking. It needs to be enforced."
This is the second year that the city has had alternate side parking to assist in snow removal efforts.
Caledoniaís goals
To follow are the goals identified for the city in the comprehensive plan:
1. Promote the implementation of a city/regional trail system
2. Maximize the cityís potential to pursue high-quality economic development opportunities.
3. Promote a variety of housing types in Caledonia
4. Actively pursue the expansion of recreational activities for residents of all ages
5. Lend support to the local schools
6. Address nuisance issues
7. Plan for future infrastructure improvements so that adequate property can be reserved for future facilities
8. Work cooperatively with adjacent townships to strengthen the distinction between urban city and rural countrysides with well-planned and carefully coordinated services
9. Create a high quality living environment for the citizens of the community in all residential neighborhoods
10. Work to achieve an equitable distribution of the cost of providing city services
11. Provide a safe and adequate transportation system
12. Maintain a safe and efficient local street system
13. Protect, conserve, and enhance the natural resources and environmentally sensitive areas adjacent to the city for the greater communityís long-term environmental benefit.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com