Community Profile CHAPTER
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Community Profile CHAPTER This chapter summarizes the City’s McLean County, and generally 2 social, economic and environmental character- presents only moderate limitations for commu- istics and trends in order to form a basis for nity growth and development. Following is a developing goals, objectives, policies and brief summary of the local climate, topogra- plans. It begins with an overview of the phys- phy, soils and flood plains with references ical characteristics and constraints of the natu- made to implications for development. ral environment, followed by a review of the factors that shaped the City’s historical growth Climate and development. It then presents a general assessment of the local economic situation and the corresponding demographic and housing Bloomington lies within the humid implications. Land use, transportation and continental climatic zone with four distinct community facility development is also seasons that offer variety and generally do not addressed. pose serious limitations for development or adversely impact the local quality of life. The local climate is characterized by warm and NATURAL ENVIRONMENT humid summers with a July mean temperature of approximately 76 degrees and a January The natural environment contributes to mean temperature of 26 degrees. The growing a high quality of life in Bloomington and season is approximately 172 days. The last Illinois Wesleyan University Hanson Student Center City of Bloomington Comprehensive Plan 5 killing frosts normally occur in mid May and of buildings, streets, and roads. the first killing freeze in mid October. Rainfall amounts to approximately 37 inches Soils per year and peaks during the growing season. Snowfall in the winter months averages a total of 24 inches. In the spring and summer McLean County contains some of the months, both frontal and convectional thunder- world’s most productive farmland. The United storms produce occasional heavy downpours States Department of Agriculture, Natural that may cause some highly localized ponding Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has conditions in certain low-lying or depressional identified an abundance of prime farmland areas. throughout the County, including much of the area adjacent to the City. In order to minimize the loss of prime farmland, future develop- Topography ment should be contiguous to existing devel- opment and should be reasonably compact, Local topography is consistent with avoiding excessively low densities and unnec- that of the glacial till plain section of Central essarily wide streets. However, it is recog- Illinois. Most of the terrain is nearly level to nized that the high demand for urban land will gently rolling with some steeper slopes occur- require the use of some prime farmland adja- ring adjacent to stream valleys and drainage- cent to the City. ways, particularly along waterways such as According to the NRCS, Bloomington the Sugar Creek (see Map 2.1). The lowest and much of Illinois contain a predominance elevations within the City are primarily found of soil types that exhibit severe limitations for along the main branch of the Sugar Creek on a variety of urban uses. Soil properties or site the southwestern edge of the community. features that are unfavorable or difficult to Relatively low elevations can also be found overcome receive a severe rating by NRCS, along the many tributaries of the Sugar Creek indicating that special design, construction, that dissect the community. The City’s higher and maintenance practices are necessary to elevations generally occur on glacial avoid potential problems. Although soil condi- moraines. The highest elevation within the tions are important considerations, site loca- community is found on the Prairie Vista golf tion, land availability and cost often play a course near the southern edge of the City. greater role in making development related Higher elevations are also prevalent near the decisions, particularly if soil or other physical downtown area, in the vicinity of the Central limitations are not readily apparent. However, Illinois Regional Airport on the City’s east local subdivision ordinances provide a safe- side, and on the City’s northeastern edge. guard by requiring that special precautions be For the most part, the terrain presents taken to overcome the physical limitations of few constraints for most types of urban devel- the land in order to minimize potential devel- opment. Gravity flow sewers are possible in opment related problems. Additional informa- many undeveloped areas immediately adjacent tion on soil characteristics and limitations in to the City, although lift stations may be the Bloomington area is available from the required in some areas. Caution should be local office of the NRCS. exercised when considering the development of very flat or depressional areas, since these Flood Plains areas may exhibit ponding or flooding prob- lems and could require drainage improvements to alleviate such conditions. Although limited Flood plains represent an important in extent, localized areas of steep slopes can natural resource that should be preserved. produce erosion hazards during construction Flood plains, when left in their natural state, 6 City of Bloomington Comprehensive Plan uing2will2greek greek ugr2greek ugr2 DEFSSUR etern9s2rkwy2@fusiness2SSA imerson2t nion2t niversity2eve impire2t owndEfrnes2od sllinois2oute2W2ist lnut2t vee2t ghestnut2t oosevelt2eve ririe2t voust2t glinton2t hougls2t golton2eve wdison2t wrket2t qridley2t hvis2eve ist2t tefferson2t glyton2t shington2t qrove2t ivns2t we hs y x ylor2t tkson2t ugr2greek uikpoo2greek G@ISH vittle2uikpoo2greek UR SS DEF EF owndEfrnes2d vegend D x SI G@ PHHH2ist2d xturl2petures fuilt2invironment turisditionl2foundries wp2PFI trems treetsG rn2treet2hetil i vkes floomington2gity2vimits2@PHHSA ilrod ixtrterritoril2tursidition hysil2petures SHH2yer2floodplin fuildingsGtrutures IHH2yer2floodplin eirport gity2of2floomington2gomprehensive2ln hringe2fsin2hivides ower2rnsmission2vines ilevtion2@IH92ontour2intervlsA ower2usttions I H I P Q R wiles wven2gounty2egionl2lnning2gommission DEFUR can serve as greenways to provide wildlife flood plain management measures. The 100- habitat, trails and scenic natural areas within year flood has been adopted as the base flood the City. Because of this and the potential for for purposes of instituting such measures. wetness problems in flood plains, intensive Future development within flood hazard areas urban development should not be permitted must be insured in accordance with the there. Land use in flood plains should be National Flood Insurance Act of 1968. restricted to open space or similar non-inten- Designated Flood Hazard Areas in the sive use. When more intensive development is Bloomington area generally conform to the appropriate, special building precautions and floodplains of the small streams, branches and site improvements should be required. Such tributaries of Sugar Creek, which are primari- improvements may include improving existing ly in a large band along the north, west and ditches and constructing new ditches, culverts, southwest areas of the City and interspersed in bridges and pumping stations. Although these narrow bands in the north central area of the types of improvements can greatly reduce community (see Map 2.1). In addition, seg- potential flooding and ponding, such measures ments of the Kickapoo Creek have been iden- are quite costly. Thus, development demands tified as flood hazard areas, particularly to the must be great enough to warrant these southeast of the City. increased costs and to justify the potential loss of open space. Flood hazard areas have been identi- fied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist in developing sound Chart 2.1 Historical Population Growth and Significant Events City of Bloomington 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 Route 66 Bypass Population buses replace trolley 30,000 Lake Bloomington developed; first airport; Route 66 opened from Chicago to St. Louis first sewage treatment plant first sewer laid fire of 1900 20,000 land donated for Miller Park first brick street laid coal discovered 10,000 trolley system begun downtown fires railroads 0 1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 Source: U. S. Bureau of the Census City of Bloomington Comprehensive Plan 9 HISTORICAL GROWTH AND City. These historic features were identified DEVELOPMENT in the City of Bloomington Five-year Historic Preservation Plan completed in 1987. The In 1829, James Allin purchased land Plan also includes recommendations for addi- at the north edge of the Blooming Grove and tional historic designations. The City’s cur- opened the first store in what was to become rently designated historic districts are shown the City of Bloomington. Allin’s site won the on Map 2.3 of this report. Additional infor- honor of becoming the county seat because of mation on the City’s history and references his dedication of 22 acres of land both as a are provided in the 1998 City of Bloomington site for a courthouse and for sale by the Comprehensive Plan. County in order to fund the new government and construction of the courthouse. During ECONOMY this early period, growth of Bloomington was slow. In 1850, the year Bloomington was The City of Bloomington has a strong incorporated as a city, the population was and diversified local economy. The City is 1,611. host to numerous major employers, including Although the survival of the City of State Farm Insurance,