VILLAGE VILLAGOF E LA FARGE ECONOMIC AND RECREATION DEVELOPMENT PLAN Prepared by the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission MRRPC under the direction of the La Farge Village Board and Plan Commission – June 2012. Funding was provided by the Kickapoo Valley Reforestation Fund administered by UW-Madison. ABSTRACT Title: Village of La Farge Economic and Recreation Development Plan Summary: In 2011 the Village of La Farge was awarded funding through the Kickapoo Valley Reforestation Fund administered through the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A portion of that grant was allocated for the preparation of an Economic and Recreation Development Plan responding to the continued economic struggles of the Kickapoo Valley caused by flooding of historic proportions in 2007 and 2008. The plan’s purpose is to enhance the ecological, economic and social well being of the Kickapoo Valley and its residents. Village President: Larry Gabrielson Village Trustees: Greg Lawton Delores Sandmire Randy Heisel Brandon Hysel Sara Hamilton Terry Jensen Plan Commission: Lyle Dorschied, Chairman Steve Lisney Sharon Walker Kent Steinmetz Tim Hill Brandon Hysel Mike Donovan Zach Biermann Village Clerk: Kim Walker Planning Staff: Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission Greg Flogstad, Director Peter Fletcher, Transportation Planner Barb Buros, Administrative Assistant UW-Madison: Janet Silbernagel, Department of Landscape Architecture, Principal Investigator Kristin Nixon, UW-Madison Student prepared all maps in the plan LA FARGE ECONOMIC AND RECREATION DEVELOPMENT PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 1 History and Setting ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Economic Realities ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Map 1 – Village of La Farge Public Properties .......................................................................................................... 2 Building Blocks in Place ............................................................................................................................................ 3 SECTION 2. PUBLIC PLANNING PROCESS ................................................................................................................ 4 SECTION 3. PUBLIC INPUT .......................................................................................................................................... 5 Village of La Farge Economic and Recreation Development Community Survey .................................................... 5 Public Informational Meeting ..................................................................................................................................... 10 SECTION 4. DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC INFORMATION ................................................................................. 12 Population ................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Table 1: Population Trends (1960-2010) - La Farge, Surrounding Municipalities, County, State and Nation ...................... 12 Population Projections .............................................................................................................................................. 12 Table 2: Population Projections - La Farge, Surrounding Municipalities, County, State and Nation ...................................... 12 Age ........................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Table 3: Population by Age - La Farge, Surrounding Municipalities, County, State and Nation ............................................. 13 Gender ...................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Table 4: Population by Gender - La Farge, Surrounding Municipalities, County, State and Nation ....................................... 13 Labor Force and Employment ................................................................................................................................... 13 Table 5: Employment - La Farge, County, State and Nation .................................................................................................. 14 Labor Force Unemployment Rates ........................................................................................................................... 14 Table 6: Unemployment Rate Trends - County, State and Nation .......................................................................................... 14 Labor Force Occupations .......................................................................................................................................... 14 Table 7: La Farge, County, State and Nation Occupation Groups ......................................................................................... 14 Labor Force Class of Worker .................................................................................................................................... 15 Table 8: La Farge, County, State and Nation Class of Worker ............................................................................................... 15 Economic Base Analysis ........................................................................................................................................... 15 Table 9: La Farge, County, State and Nation Employment by Industry .................................................................................. 15 Major Employers ....................................................................................................................................................... 15 Table 10: La Farge Major Employers ...................................................................................................................................... 16 Employment by Industry and Occupation Projections ............................................................................................... 16 Table 11: Western Wis. Workforce Development Area Industry Employment Projections 2008-2018 ................................... 16 Table 12: Western Wis. Workforce Development Area Occupational Projections 2008-2018................................................ 17 Housing Data ............................................................................................................................................................ 18 Table 13: Housing Unit Occupancy Characteristics 2010 ....................................................................................................... 18 Table 14: Vacant Housing Units Occupancy Characteristics .................................................................................................. 19 Table 15: Vacancy Rates ........................................................................................................................................................ 19 Table 16: Average Household Size ........................................................................................................................................ 19 Table 17: Housing Units by Type ............................................................................................................................................ 20 Table 18: Year Structure Built ................................................................................................................................................. 20 Table 19: Year Householder Moved In ................................................................................................................................... 21 Table 20: Value Owner Occupied Units .................................................................................................................................. 21 Table 21: Selected Monthly Owner Costs as Percentage of Household Income ................................................................... 22 Table 22: Gross Rent as Percentage of Household Income (GRAPI) .................................................................................... 22 Organic Valley........................................................................................................................................................... 22 Economic Impact ................................................................................................................................................ 22 Additional Village of La Farge Information ................................................................................................................ 23 Map 2 – Village of La Farge Transportation .............................................................................................................. 24 Map 3 – Village of La Farge Floodplain .................................................................................................................... 25 Map 4 – Village of La Farge Existing Zoning ............................................................................................................ 26 SECTION 5. RECREATION