AG 2004 10 18 - Laserfiche WebLink

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1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION INTRODUCTION A land use plan is intended to work in conjunction with other documents to serve as a tool to guide growth in an orderly and desirable fashion. The plan should address the needs and concerns of the current residents of the Midland area while striving to maintain and improve the quality of life for future residents. The Midland Area has historically been a rural area with sparse residential subdivisions, large lot single-family homes and light commercial and industrial uses sprinkled throughout the plan area. Recent developments such as the 1-485 interchange are serving as catalyst for growth and placing increasing pressure on the Midland area to accommodate new people, ideas, and land uses. These pressures are intensified by the availability of affordable land, large vacant acreage, great schools, low taxes and a rural sense of community that the Midland area offers its' residents. Growth is inevitable in the Midland area! It is now necessary for its' residents to reassess their position and reaffirm their goals for the future. As predicted, changes are beginning to occur in the plan area. These changes are challenging long held opinions and causing conflict between lifetime residents and new arrivals and pitting neighbor against neighbor. Disagreement exists between those desperate to retain the rural, pastoral feel of their surroundings and those who desire amenities including full service restaurants and shops. Many residents fall somewhere in between in their desire to have a grocery chain and one or two restaurants. There is also great debate surrounding the possibility of liquor by the drink and its' role in stimulating the types of services that many of the area residents crave. Liquor by the drink will not be discussed in detail in this plan but - c~LJld be- considered as an incentive for economic development. Most residents agree that the plan area lacks adequate public facilities such as a library, recreational opportunities and facilities for the elderly. So where do we go from here? Although no planning document can dictate what is best for a community and how it should grow; this document can provide some insight into prior development trends and serve as a means of promoting growth in an orderly and rational manner. The primary purpose of this document will be to address the following three questions: Where are we now? Where do we want to go? What will it take to get there? It is important to understand that the plan itself cannot dictate what an area will become. It is merely a tool in the toolbox. Implementation of the plan and adherence to its recommendations is necessary to achieve the desired goals. It is also important to understand that the plan is a living document. Traditionally a land use plan is updated every five (5) to seven (7) years, however, this is not written in stone. As opinions change, opportunities arise and infrastructure improves the plan should be amended to better reflect the needs and goals of the community it represents. G-4