County Land Use Devel Plan & MaPlanning Services Department
City ~
(563) 589~210 office
(563) 589-4221 fax
plm~ffng~tyoffiubuque.o~g
August 27, 2002
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
City of Dubuque
50 W. 13th Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
Re: Proposed Land Use Development Plan and Map for Dubuque County
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
Introduction
The Long Range Planning Advisory Commission would like to provide the City Council with our
recommendations regarding the Proposed Land Use Development Plan and Map for Dubuque
County. Copies of the County's Proposed Land Use Development Plan and Map are attached
for your review and comment.
Discussion
The Commission has coordinated our land use planning efforts for the City with Dubuque
County's land use planning process. The Commission supports the Key Issues; Community
Vision and Goals; and Planning Elements, Objectives and Policies of the Proposed Land Use
Development Plan. The County's Plan is consistent with the City's Comprehensive Plan.
The County's Proposed Land Use Development Map shows potential development alternatives
for Dubuque's long-range growth in fringe areas around the city. There are some differences,
however, between the City's Proposed Land Use Map that has been transmitted to the City
Council under a separate cover memo, and the Proposed Land Use Development Map for
Dubuque County.
These differences are displayed graphically on the attached Future Land Use Development
Overlay Map. The Futura Land Use Development Overlay Map depicts the land uses from the
City's Proposed Land Use Map as vibrant solid colors, with the exception of "Mixed Residential"
being a pattern. The Future Land Use Development Overlay Map depicts the land uses from
the Dubuque County Land Development Map as lighter, shaded or patterned attributes.
The differences in the City and County maps occur in the primary growth areas immediately
adjacent to the Dubuque city limits. The Future Land Use Development Overlay Map depicts
these differences through an oveday of the lighter County land use categories on top of the
vibrant land uses designations from the City's map.
Proposed Land Use Map
Page 2
There are no additional land uses identified in the two-mile extra territorial jurisdiction limits
outside the primary growth areas on the City map. The County map identifies land uses for
these secondary growth areas, and beyond the two-mile jurisdiction limits. These secondary
growth areas are shown on the City's map as white.
Recommendation
The Commission recommends that the City Council transmit the following comments by
September 17, 2002 to the Dubuque County Zoning Commission and Board of Supervisors
regarding the Proposed Land Use Development Plan and Map for Dubuque County:
1)
Support the Key Issues; Community Vision and Goals; and Planning Elements, Objectives
and Policies of the County's Proposed Land Use Development Plan as consistent with the
City's Comprehensive Plan.
2) Recommend that Dubuque County incorporate the City of Dubuque's completed and
adopted Proposed Land Use Map into the County Plan and Map, including:
a) Add a "Mixed Residential" land use designation to provide flexibility in developing a
variety of housing types, consistent with the City's map;
b) Add a commercial node at North Cascade Road and the planned Southwest Arterial,
subject to development of this intersection;
c) Change the residential area west of Seippel Road and adjacent to the Dubuque
Industrial Center West, to industrial;
d) Change the residential area south of Middle Road and adjacent to the Dubuque
Industrial Center West on the east, to industrial; and
e) Add residential areas to reflect existing land use of Brittany Woods and Herod Lane.
3) Recommend that Dubuque County consider the City's recommended Fringe Area Planning
Agreement when completed.
4) Recommend that Dubuque County rezone the surrounding residential areas to agricultural,
and waive the application fees for these rezoning requests.
The Commission respectfully requests City Council approval of these recommendations for the
County's Proposed Land Use Development Plan and Map.
Sincerely,
David Wm. Rusk, Chairperson
Long Range Planning Advisory Commission
Attachments
icarsten/Council/Proposed County map - Irpac Itr. doc
MEMORANDUM
August 14, 2002
To:
Long Range Planning Advisory Commission
From: Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
Subject: Proposed Land Development Plan and Map for Dubuque County
Introduction
Dubuque County officials would like to provide the Long Range Planning Advisory
Commission with the Proposed Land Development Plan and Map for Dubuque County
for your review and comment.
Dubuque County Zoning Administrator Anna O'Shea and Urban/Regional Planner Jim
Gonyier from ECIA (East Central Intergovernmental Association) will be present at the
August 21 Commission meeting to review and discuss the attached information.
Discussion
Dubuque County has been updating the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Map for
the unincorporated areas of the County over the last 12 months. County officials are
now in the review process where they are seeking public comments on the attached
written portion of the plan, which includes: · Key Issues
· Community Vision and Goals
· Planning Elements, Objectives and Policies
County officials also are seeking public comments on the Proposed Future Land Use
Development Map, which is attached. A comment sheet provided by Dubuque County
is attached as well.
Proposed County Land Use Map
Page 2
For comparison and for your review and comment, the City of Dubuque's Proposed
Land Use Map is enclosed under a separate cover memo.
As requested at your July 17 meeting, ECIA has prepared an inventory of the land use
differences between the City and County maps. This inventory is displayed graphically
on the Future Land Use Development Overlay Map, enclosed under a separate cover
memo.
In anticipation of this inventory of differences, the Long Range Planning Advisory
Commission developed preliminary recommendations regarding the County's Proposed
Future Land Use Development Map based on the City's Proposed Land Use Map. The
preliminary recommendations were:
1)
Recommend that Dubuque County incorporate the City of Dubuque's completed
and adopted Proposed Land Use Map into the County Plan;
2)
Recommend that Dubuque County consider the City's recommended Fringe
Area Planning Agreement when completed; and
3)
Recommend that Dubuque County rezone the surrounding residential areas to
agricultural.-
Recommendation
The Long Range Planning Advisory Commission should review the enclosed County
and City maps and related information, and then be prepared to provide comments and
recommendations at your August 21 meeting.
Attachments
cc Anna O'Shea, Dubuque County Zoning Administrator
Jim Gonyier, ECIA Urban/Regional Planner
ECIA 07115]02
DUBUQUE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
(PROPOSED)
KEY ISSUES, COMMUNITY VISION AND GOALS
A. OVERVIEW:
The planning process used to revise the Dubuque County Comprehensive Land
Use Development Plan included three public community workshops. Dubuque
County's planning consultant, with the assistance of the Planning and Zoning
Department, conducted the workshops on September 5, 2001 in Dyersville,
September 13 in Peosta, and September 25 in Dubuque. Over 75 community
leaders and concerned citizens were in attendance. At each workshop, the
planning process was explained, various County maps were displayed and
development trends were discussed. The participants were asked to describe:
· Issues facing the Dubuque County;
· Assets the County should protect;
· Needed improvements within the County;
· Appropriate locations for urban and suburban residential growth;
· Appropriate locations for commercial and industrial growth;
· Factors contributing to the quality of life in participant's neighborhoods;
· The effectiveness of current agricultural preservation efforts; and
· A vision for the County's future.
Based on the responses from workshop participants, the following list of major key
issues has been compiled. The order of the issues does not necessarily reflect the
groups' priorities.
B. KEY ISSUES:
Controlling Urban Sprawl-Residents are concerned that urban and suburban
development, particularly residential development, has been occurring
haphazardly across the rural areas of the County. Key concerns about sprawl
are:
· Potential rural service implications from allowing leapfrog development;
· Loss of productive agricultural land;
· Increased conflicts between farm operations and residential development;
· Slowed traffic flow because of an increase in rural residents traveling to and
from employment and commercial centers in the cities;
· Dangerous situations resulting from the placement of too many individual
ddveway accesses; and
· Increased groundwater contamination resulting from failing individual septic
systems
Update and Follow Land Use Plan - Many residents feel a revision of the County
Land Use Plan is long over due, that it is important to keep the Plan updated, and
that it is crucial to implement and follow the Plan to guide development.
Encourage Growth In or Near Cities - Growth should be encouraged to locate
within cities where facilities and services are available in order to reduce urban
sprawl across the County. Some cities indicate they are being negatively
impacted by growth located just outside their boundaries in the urban fringe
areas. The County should allow such urban fringe development only after joint
city/county planning has taken place in order to coordinate development
regulations, the expansion of municipal services and facilities, and to reduce the
occurrence of leapfrog development.
Allow a Level of Rural Growth But Not at Tax Payers' Expense - It is understood
that not all residents wish to live in or near a city. The County should provide
areas where limited rural non-farm residential growth may occur without
negatively impacting existing uses, infrastructure or safety, and only when there
are no additional tax revenues required. Such rural developments should be
limited in size:
· To the carrying capacity of the existing County road design without
jeopardizing safety or the expectation of design upgrades at County expense;
· To the existing capacity of local emergency responders; and
· To the existing capacity of the school district's facilities and student busing
system.
Agricultural Exemption and Lack of Farm Definition - The State mandated
agricultural exemption and lack of a clear farm definition, greatly reduces the
County's ability to keep non-agricultural uses separated from legitimate
agricultural uses, and results in negative impacts to existing uses.
Preserving Family Farms - It is unclear whether the increasing size of farms is
related to the loss of family farms, the increased capacity of farming equipment,
or a combination of factors. However, many residents feel that the family owned
and operated farm is an important element of the County's character and
economy that the County Plan and Policies should support. While the County is
not involved in the operation or ownership, it should ensure that land use policies
and regulations do not hamper family farm operations.
Preserving Rural Farm Character - Outside of the City of Dubuque, the County
has a rural farm atmosphere. Even the other municipalities in the County have a
small town character that reflects the predominately rural farm character of the
unincorporated area. This character is considered important to the area's
economic base and quality of life, and is perceived to be threatened by suburban
development in the County.
Maintaining Natural Character - Much of the County contains unique and
sensitive natural and scenic areas, especially near the Mississippi River Valley,
that are considered important to the area's quality of life and economy.
Development encroachment of these areas has already begun, particularly along
scenic stretches of roadways. It is perceived that the rate of this roadway strip
development will significantly increase in the near future, and effectively ruin the
remaining scenic vistas enjoyed by residents and tourists. The County should
establish methods to allow appropriate development while preserving the natural
and scenic landscape.
Expanding Park System - Residents expressed two concerns related to parks in
the County. The existing County Parks and Recreational Areas are crowded
throughout much of the spring, summer and fall. The County's park and
recreation facilities should be expanded or new areas created. The second
concern is related to the lack of small neighborhood parks and play areas within
larger rural subdivisions for use by children and families. Such neighborhood
parks should be created and maintained as part of the County's requirements to
allow subdivision development.
Enhancing Major Transportation Linkages - Through the improvement of major
4-lane and 2-lane highway systems in the area, and construction of the already
planned highway segments, the County can capture a greater share of regional
commerce. The completion of these facilities will also improve local traffic flow
and reduce accident rates.
Providing More Job Opportunities - There was significant concern about the lack
of stable, good paying jobs with benefits that are needed to retain young adults in
Dubuque County. The type of jobs suggested for the area ranged from
tourist/service sector to traditional industrial/manufacturing, from agricultural
related industries and value-added products to a film production company and
high-tech, industries. An overall consensus would be, to attract as many different
types of employers as possible to create many different types of jobs. An area-
wide strategy should be applied to attract jobs to all communities and rural areas
along designated transportation routes.
Affordable Housing - There has been considerable new housing constructed
throughout the County in the last several years, though little of this housing would
be considered affordable for young adults wanting starter homes, or eldedy
adults looking to downsize their homes. The availability of more affordable
housing may help retain young adults in the area, and bolster the available
workforce.
Maintaining Quality Education Facilities - Dubuque County School Districts
provide high quality educational opportunities for local youth, and area colleges
provide young adults and non-traditional students similar high quality educational
opportunities. As area growth occurs, maintaining adequate capacity will
challenge local districts. The County's plan should promote quality educational
systems by coordinating development decisions with local school districts'
abilities to transport students and provide adequate classroom capacity.
C. COMMUNITY VISION AND GOALS
When a community has a vision of what it aspires to be, the success of long-range
planning is greatly improved. The following vision statement was developed from
public statements recorded at a series of community workshops during September
2001, and reflects residents overall desires for Dubuque County's future. This brief
statement summarizes the County's collective vision of an ideal future, a future that
relies on cooperative efforts to retain valued assets and enhance the quality of life
for all residents.
Dubuque CountT_'s Vision
Dubuque County Residents will work together to maintain a sound, safe
environment with a prosperous farming sector and thriving communities which
contribute to a diverse economic base where families and young adults will remain
and earn a living wage while enjoying modern educational facilities, and a variety of
cultural and recreational opportunities. Dubuque County will enjoy moderate,
planned growth that preserves the rural life style and scenic character of the area
while supporting renovation of older urban areas, affordable housing and improved
transportation systems.
Throughout the County's Land Use Development Plan, the vision statement is
translated into more specific goals, objectives and policies. The vision serves as
the common thread that ties the Plan's elements into one consistent document.
4
Goals of the
Dubuque County Comprehensive Land Use Development Plan
The Goals are broad statements of purpose that express the desired end results of the
adoption, implementation and enfomement of land use ordinances in support the
Comprehensive Land Use Development Plan for the unincorporated area of Dubuque
County, Iowa. The following Goals were developed from public statements recorded at
a sedes of community workshops during September 2001.
To ensure orderly, efficient, and planned growth that is based upon a
Comprehensive Land Use Plan for agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial,
public, semi-public, and recreational land uses, while maintaining the general health,
safety and welfare of present and future generations living in Dubuque County.
To protect and conserve productive agricultural land and other natural, human and
economic resources that are the basis of the agricultural economy and community,
while maintaining the farmland character and quality of life in the unincorporated
area of the County.
=
To protect and conserve the natural landscape, scenic roadway corridors and
environmentally sensitive areas that provides the unique scenery and topography
which creates the foundation for the tourism economy and quality of life for County
residents.
To encourage the use of new technologies and modern practices, and promote
coordinated long term strategies between the County and other governmental
entities for protecting the public health and safety related to solid waste and sewage
disposal, air and water quality, road and highway access, fire protection, and
ambulance service.
=
To encourage cooperation and communication between the County, other
governmental entities, public and private businesses and organizations, and the
general public to improve the physical development, economic development, and to
preserve the natural resources and ecology of the County.
II. PLANNING ELEMENTS, OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
This chapter is categorized by general Planning Elements, each of which contains
Objectives that provide a course of action to attain the established Goals of the
Dubuque County Comprehensive Land Use Development Plan. Each Objective is
followed by specific Policies that provide guidance for County zoning officials,
developers, landowners, and residents to help implement the Planning Goals.
A. LAND USE PLANNING:
Objective A-1:
To keep the County's Land Use Plan and Future Land Use
Map current with changing growth conditions in the
County.
Policy A-1.1:
Review the County's Land Use Plan and Future Land Use Map
at five year intervals to ensure these planning documents
remain as useful guides for growth and development.
Policy A-1.2:
Consider prompt review and possible amendment of the Land
Use Plan and Future Land Use Map between five year intervals
should development conditions significantly change.
Policy A-1.3:
Integrate pertinent development data from County offices with
the County's Geographic Information System to expand and
keep current on-going development trend analysis for planning
purposes.
Policy A-1.4:
Adopt or amend County zoning, subdivision, flood plain and
health regulations necessary to fully implement the Goals,
Objectives, and Policies of the adopted Dubuque County
Comprehensive Land Use Development Plan.
Ob_iective A-2
Policy A-2.1:
Policy A-2.2:
To encourage the County and local governments establish
mutual agreements to plan, facilitate, coordinate, and
resolve possible conflicts of proposed development within
rural municipal fringe areas.
The County should initiate a process with local governments to
establish mutual fringe area planning and development
agreements.
Support changes in state law that would provide a usable
definition of a farm, and allow local siting control of livestock
confinement facilities, in order to help protect productive
agricultural soils, existing farming operations, and local
residents.
B. GENERAL LAND USE DEVELOPMENT:
Ob_iective B-1:
To encourage the majority of future development to locate
within existing cities, or adjacent to existing cities in urban
fringe areas planned for annexation, where adequate public
services are planned or can be provided.
Policy B-1.1:
Where the County and local governments have agreed to
establish mutual urban fringe area planning agreements, also
establish cooperative fdnge area development standards to
reduce unplanned impacts on City services, infrastructure, and
neighborhoods.
Policy B-1.2:
Support and encourage smaller cities to develop or expand
sewer and water systems to reduce the reliance on, and
potential contamination from, individual wells and septic
systems.
Policy B-1.3:
Continue to improve cooperation and coordination between
township and city fire departments, and the County to maintain
adequate fire protection and water supplies for fire suppression.
Policy B-1.4:
Support and encourage renovation of older urban areas that
promotes infill development and brownfield site restoration, in
order to reduce the demand for developing new rural land.
Policy B-1.5:
Support and encourage the protection and adaptive reuse of
urban histodc structures in order to help preserve the historic
character of the area.
7
Ob_iectJve B-2:
Policy B-2.1:
To discourage non-farm rural uses, those uses which
propose to locate outside of cities and established urban
fringe areas, from locating in active agricultural areas, or
on productive agricultural soils or sensitive environmental
land.
In order to preserve productive agricultural soils and active
agricultural areas of the County, non-farm rural uses should be
limited to areas of marginal or poor agricultural soils, where it is
least disruptive of existing agricultural activities, if it can be
developed in an efficient and compact manner, and where it can
be shown that there is a recognized need for such development
Policy B-2.2:
Policy B-2.3:
Policy B-2.4:
In order to protect and maintain the environmentally sensitive
lands located throughout the County, such as flood plains,
heavily forested areas, steep slopes, karst areas, and bluff
lands, non-farm rural uses may be required to set aside such
land for protection purposes.
In order to protect and maintain the existing natural character of
the land, such as topography, scenic views, existing vegetation
cover, and waterways of the County, non-farm rural uses should
be limited to areas that are appropriate for such development,
and designed to blend with the natural character as much as
possible through the use of screening, building placement, and
size.
In order to protect and maintain the existing rural farming
character located throughout the County, such as fence rows,
cropland and pastureland, and farm structures, non-farm rural
uses should preserve and incorporate such existing features
into the design.
8
C. AGRICULTURE AND FARMING:
Ob_iective C-1:
To recognize agricultural land as a principal natural
resource of the County, and to preserve those agricultural
soils that have historically exhibited high crop yields and
considered most suitable for agricultural production,
Policy C-1.1:
Discourage development of productive agricultural soils by non-
farm uses.
Policy C-1.2:
Reseamh the possibility of using the Land Evaluation and Site
Assessment (LESA) system and a Corn Suitability Rating of 45
to be applied by the County for the preservation of agricultural
land areas designated on the Future Land Use Development
Map on sites proposed for non-farm development.
Policy C-1.3:
Other factom besides Corn Suitability Rating may be considered
to determine whether agricultural land preservation is
appropriate; such as, the physical characteristics and
topography of the property, the location of the property and the
compatibility of surrounding land uses, the Land Capability
Classification, and historic yields per acre of the property.
Policy C-1.4:
Encourage farming techniques and soil conversation practices
which will protect and conserve the precious top soil, and
prevent the degradation of the water resoumes of the County.
Ob.iective C-2:
Policy C-2.1:
Policy C-2.2:
Policy C-2.3:
Policy C-2.4:
To recognize that agricultural and environmental nuisances
come with rural living, and to minimize the impact of non-
farm rural development on agricultural operations and
efficient farming practices.
Discourage non-farm development in agricultural areas that may
hinder efficient farming practices, agricultural operations, and
the ability of the agricultural community to maintain and expand
agriculture activity.
Limit non-farm development that may hinder agriculture, to
areas where such development will be least disruptive and
sufficiently buffered from agriculture and other less intensive
uses.
Agricultural services, businesses, and industries that serve the
local agricultural community may be permitted in rural areas if
compatible with adjacent uses, and located along a road that is
adequate to support projected traffic demand.
Continue support of economic development efforts countywide
to diversify the farm economy through "value added" products,
organic farming, and alternative crops and livestock.
D. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, RESOURCES AND HAZARDS:
Ob_iective D-I:
To recognize the natural environmental character of the
land as a unique and significant asset to the quality of life,
and a principal natural resource of the County, and to
presetYe this natural character as a whole by protecting its
individual components which includes among others, the
topography, bluff lands, waterways, scenic views, natural
vegetation and tree cover.
Policy D-1.1:
In order to preserve the natural character of the land,
discourage non-farm uses from locating outside of urban areas,
or limit such uses to areas that are appropriate for the
development and least disruptive of the natural character, and
designed to blend with the natural character as much as
possible.
Policy D-1.2:
Identify areas which contribute to the natural character of the
County, and establish land use and development regulations
that will preserve this character and limit disruption from non-
farm rural development.
Policy D-1.3:
Encourage owners of land which contribute to the natural
character of the County, to preserve these areas by
conservation easement, lease, deed restriction, or other formal
methods.
Policy D-1.4:
Investigate methods to place private and public lands which
contribute to the area's natural character, into connecting green
belts as wildlife refuges and passive recreational areas, or to
protect scenic vistas.
Ob_iective D-2:
Policy D-2.1:
Policy D-2.2:
To prevent the degradation of environmentally sensitive
natural resources, such as stream banks and flood plains,
steep slopes and slide prone areas, natural forests and
wildlife habitat, areas containing shallow soils, karst areas,
and endangered plants and animals.
Identify environmentally sensitive natural resource areas of the
County, and establish land use and development regulations
that will protect, or set aside these areas from development.
Encourage owners of land which contain environmentally
sensitive natural resources, to protect these areas by
conservation easement, lease, deed restriction, or other formal
methods.
lO
Policy D-2.3:
Investigate methods to place private and public lands which
contain environmentally sensitive natural resources, into
connecting green belts as wildlife refuges and passive
recreational areas.
Ob_iective D-3:
Policy D-3.1:
Policy D-3.2:
Policy D-3.3:
Policy D-3.4:
To reduce flood damages by promoting basin wide
programs stressing non-structural measures, such as flood
plain regulations, floodproofing, flood forecasting, and
watershed treatment, in conjunction with other structural
measures, where necessary, to protect the lives and
property of residents.
Locate future development outside of flood hazard areas where
feasible. Where development is allowed in the flood plain,
require it to be elevated, floodproofed and located outside the
floodway.
Ensure that local flood management programs meet or exceed
regulatory requirements of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, and applicable state regulations.
Design local flood management programs to allow public and
private options, while protecting life and property from storm
water runoff generated by one-hundred year storm events.
Stress retention of natural drainage patterns and construction of
detention systems to help ensure development activity will not
add substantially to the flood problem.
Ob_iective D-4:
Policy D-4.1:
Policy D-4.2:
To prevent the degradation of the air and water quality
throughout the County.
Encourage the use of centralized water and/or sewer systems in
developments, or expanding developments, to reduce the
reliance on, and potential contamination from, individual wells
and septic systems.
Encourage existing developments that have expanded beyond
the original subdivision, to install centralized water and septic
systems in the new development and the original development,
if there has been a history of contamination problems in or
adjacent to the original subdivision.
Policy D-4.3:
Policy D-4-4:
Policy D-4.5:
Require new developments in the unincorporated area of the
County to provide for the long-term maintenance and operation
of internal infrastructure.
Require new development in the unincorporated area of the
County to reduce site runoff, both during and after construction,
through the use of storm water management, detention basins,
and buffer strips, in order to protect the water quality of streams
and dvers.
Identify past and ongoing environmentally contaminated areas
of the County to protect air and water quality from any negative
impacts, and to encourage mitigation and cleanup of those
areas.
Ob_iective D-5:
Policy D-5.1:
To encourage the use of new energy technologies, such as
wind generation, anaerobic digesters, geothermal and solar
power, as community electrical systems.
Facilitate the incorporation of new energy technologies into the
County's development regulations to provide more locally
produced energy.
E. HISTORICAL AND
Ob_iective E-1:
Policy E-1.1:
Policy E-1.2:
Policy E-1.3:
CULTURAL RESOURCES:
To recognize the historical and cultural character of the
area as a unique and significant asset to the quality of life,
and a principal resource of the County, and to preserve
these resources which includes among others, historic
structures and sites, and archaeologically significant areas.
Support and encourage the protection of historic and
archaeological sites, and/or the adaptive reuse of histodc
structure by individuals or groups throughout the County.
Identify the location of existing historical and archeological sites
in the unincorporated area in order to buffer nearby future
development if necessary, to preserve the character of a site.
Investigate the necessity to establish development regulations
that will protect significant undiscovered archaeological site,
such as ancient budal mounds, from disruption.
12
F. RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT:
Ob_iective F-1:
To provide a variety of housing opportunities within the
County in appropriate locations.
Policy F-1.1:
Ensure that the Future Land Use Development Map provides
adequate development potential for a variety of housing types to
meet the housing needs of present and future residents. When
evaluating need, the County should consider the availability of
housing within incorporated communities.
Policy F-1.2:
Initiate a Housing Needs Assessment Study of the County to
determine current housing condition and need, and to estimate
future housing requirements.
Policy F-1.3:
Locate residential development in platted subdivisions with
adequate public services.
Policy F-1.4:
Encourage residential development to locate within existing
cities and establish urban fringe areas where adequate public
services are planned or can be provided.
Policy F-1.5:
Allow for the creation of urban density residential districts within
established urban fringe areas that follow the planned
development process, and where urban services can be
provided.
Policy F-1.6:
Limit proposed non-farm residential development on lots smaller
than one acre to cluster developments that follow the planned
development process, and provide centralized water and
wastewater systems, and limited access.
Policy F-1.7:
Investigate the necessity to establish simplified development
regulations to allow the division of "old" farmsteads from current
agricultural operations, which does not create non-conformities,
based upon the potential number of such divisions.
G. COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT:
Ob_iective G-1:
To ensure that appropriate commercial development
occurs in unincorporated areas.
Policy G-1.1:
Rural commemial development should be limited primarily to
those businesses providing local retail, service and agricultural
needs of rural neighborhoods, and located along roads
adequate to support projected traffic demand.
Policy G-1.2:
Rural commercial development oriented to the general traveling
public should be limited to locations along highways or paved
County roads.
Policy G-1.3:
Direct commercial development serving regional needs to cities
able to provide needed infrastructure.
Policy G-1.4:
Require adequate customer parking areas which do not create
traffic hazards, to be created by proposed new or expanding
commercial developments.
Policy G-1.5: Continue support of economic development efforts county-wide.
14
H. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT:
Ob_iective H-1:
To ensure that appropriate industrial development occurs
in unincorporated areas.
Policy H-1.1:
Support and encourage renovation of older urban areas,
particularly for industrial growth, that promotes infill
development and brownfield site restoration.
Policy H-1.2:
Dubuque County is favorable to industrial development in the
unincorporated area, provided a Iocational hierarchy is
established that encourages industries to first investigate
locating in or near urban industrial parks if appropriate for the
particular use.
Policy H-1.3:
Ensure that the Future Land Use Development Map provides
adequate development potential for industries which require
large tracts of land located along paved highways and/or artedal
roads in unincorporated areas.
Policy H-1.4:
Allow new industries to be sited and existing industrial uses to
be maintained, expanded and/or redeveloped in unincorporated
areas when there is access to paved roads, adequate water and
wastewater facilities (including provision of water for fire
suppression), adequately buffered or removed from existing
residential development.
Policy H-1.5:
Protect extractive mineral and aggregate areas, whether
developed or undeveloped, from encroachment of incompatible
urban development, and reserve such areas for extractive
purposes.
Policy H-1.6:
Agricultural service related industries may be permitted in rural
areas if compatible with adjacent uses, and located along a road
that is adequate to support projected traffic demands.
Policy H-1.7: Continue support of economic development efforts county-wide.
I. TRANSPORTATION:
Objective I-1:
To maintain a transportation system that safely and
efficiently meets the needs of residents and business.
Policy I-1.1:
Continue to promote and support the completion of the modem
four-lane highway system in the County, which includes the
Julien Dubuque Bridge, Northwest and Southwest Arterials, and
Highway 151, and also the completion of Highway 52 North as a
Super-Two Lane.
Policy I-1.2:
Continue to promote and support affordable jet airline service at
the Dubuque Regional Airport.
Policy I-1.3:
Maintain current road design and construction standards based
on the Federal Functional Classification map. The map should
be reviewed as needed to reflect changing traffic conditions.
Policy 1-1.4:
Design and construct all existing and proposed roads in
accordance with the current Design Characteristics for the
Federal Functional Classification System, the policies of this
Plan, and adopted improvement standards.
Policy 1-1.5:
Maintain a rural road system that minimizes long-term capital
and operations costs, while providing safe and convenient
access for rural residents and farmers.
Policy I-1.6:
Require new developments in the unincorporated area of the
County to provide for the long-term maintenance of internal
street systems, including driveways and frontage roads.
Policy I-1.7:
Investigate methods and standards to limit the number of new
direct driveway accesses to County roads generated by
residential development, including shared driveways and private
frontage roads.
Policy I-1.8:
Prohibit subdivisions that eliminate or inhibit the development of
access to adjacent parcels of land.
Objective I-2:
Policy 1-2.1:
Policy I-2.2:
To secure adequate right-of-way and facility improvements
to serve development and maintain acceptable levels of
service.
Ensure that safe and adequate roadway facilities are provided
concurrently with new development.
Require roadway improvements to be constructed to current
County standards as defined for each street classification.
t6
J. PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES:
Ob_iective J-1:
To provide public facilities and services at levels which
support a desirable "quality of life" for current and future
residents.
Policy J-1.1:
In order to not burden other tax payers, require new
development to provide or contribute to funding necessary
increases of public facilities and services resulting from the new
development.
Policy J-1.2:
Establish a system for planning purposes, which will evaluate
the costs and benefits of necessary rural services when
provided to new rural growth.
Policy J-1.3:
Provide facilities and services in locations compatible with
planned uses, populations, and needs.
Policy J-1.4:
Policy J-1.5:
Policy J-1.6:
Policy J-1.7:
Policy J-1.8:
Policy J-1.9:
Policy J-1.10:
Establish a system to continuously monitor individual well and
septic systems for detection of potential off-site environmental
contamination before it occurs.
Encourage the creation of rural water districts in developed
areas experiencing water quality problems. Encourage non-
farm residents to join rural water districts as soon as possible
after district creation.
Encourage the creation of rural sanitary sewer districts in
developed areas experiencing septic system problems. The
boundaries of such districts should be based, whenever
possible, on existing watershed areas.
Require new development to fund water and wastewater
systems required to meet the needs of the proposed
development.
Encourage new development to over-size facilities to serve
adjacent development when the adjacent development is
expected to require service. Developers will be reimbursed for
constructing oversized facilities through appropriate fees or
assessments on subsequent users.
Facilitate the incorporation of new septic system technologies
into the County's health regulations.
Continue to implement the State's solid waste disposal
hierarchy while developing new methods to reduce the amount
of material buried at the landfill.
t7
Ob_iective J-2:
Policy J-2.1:
To recognize that the County recreation facilities and open
spaces contribute to the quality of life and to provide
adequate open space and recreation facilities throughout
the County.
Support the short-term recreation development plans of the
Dubuque County Conservation Board, and encourage the
update of the Long Range Recreation Plan.
Ob_iective J-3:
Policy J-3.1:
Policy J-3.2:
Policy J-3.3:
To foster cost-effective emergency services and facilities
that enhance and protect the lives of County residents.
Promote coordination and cooperation among all law
enforcement agencies.
Coordinate the design, location and construction of stand-pipes
and fire hydrants with fire districts as needed to protect new
development.
Support the provision of responsive, high-quality emergency
medical services.
O b_iective J-4:
Policy J-4.1:
Policy J-4,2:
To maintain high quality school systems,
Coordinate with appropriate school districts to ensure that
proposed developments can be adequately served by existing
schools and student transportation systems.
Encourage providers of education services to provide adequate
educational facilities and improve educational opportunities for
all age groups.
COMMENT S ET
1. What do you l~e about the Comprehem~,e Plan and Map?
2. What don't you 16re about tl~ Comprehensive Plan and Map?
3. Is thero all~hlng you wollld add to the goals and objectives?
4. Is there anything YOu would remove from the goals and objectives?
5. Is there any*hlng you WOttld Cln~n~m~ on th~ la:lap?
6. ~ Comments
.
. ;' I I I I I I
I
.... BUBUQUE
GREATER DUBUQUE AREA UNINCORPO~TED ZONING MAP
Ci~ Bounda~ Areas I
GENE~LIZED DUBUQUE COUN~ ZONING DISTRICTS' LEGEND
N
C-1 Coherency ~ M-1 Industrial
~ R-2 Single F~ily ~ide~al ~ B-1 Busine~
A-I
Agr
R-3 Single Family R~idential
~ R-1RU~I R.idenfial ~ R4 Multi-Family Residential ~ B-2 High.y Busi--s ~ I-2 Hoaw Indus~ial
~ R-S Multi-Family R~idenfial ECIA
ASBURY
CENTRALIA
HERRILL
DURANGO
SAGEVILLE
'f
NORTH
0 1 2 3 4 5 miles
i 1 1 1 1 1
SCALE
DUBUQUE
2.70
GREATER DUBUQUE AREA UNINCORPORATED ZONING MAP
City Boundary Areas NM
-411
GENERALIZED DUBUQUE COUNTY ZONING DISTRICTS' LEGEND
C-1 Conservancy
A-1 Agricultural
n R-1 Rural Residential
fl
R-2 Single Family Residential
R-3 Single Family Residential
C
R-4 Multi -Family Residential
R-5 Multi -Family Residential
44-4+i
13-1 Business
M-1 Industrial
B-2 Highway Businessri
M-2 Heavy Industrial
ECIA
Genera Map Legend
---- City Boundary
Class "B" Roads
Unpaved Roads
...E,===. Paved Roads
ClitilmiggE= Highways
) Freeways
Proposed Freeways
Railroad
Heritage Trail
NEW V'ENNA,
SCAD Fa:
BANKSTON
CASCADE
(..1(1,0.11 ROAD
DURANGO
AGR.VILLF
, DUBUQUE
(PROPOSED)
Dubuque Courity low
Future Land Use
Development Map
Future Land Use Map Legend
Agricultural / Conservancy Area
Rural Residential Area
Single Family Residential Area
Multi -Family Residential Area
Commercial Area
Commercial / Industrial Area
Industrial Area
Park Area
Bluff Land Protection Area
NORTH
SCALE
ALLTOVVN
171
R S 0
gCKARDSV LE J
GRAF 1
BERNARD
111.111SPORT