Contents INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................ ............... 1 PART 1, INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS........................................................................................................................... 3 REGIONAL LOCATION AND GENERAL SETTING............................................................................................... 4 SETTLEMENT HISTORY............................................................................................................................................. 5 TOPOGRAPHY AND SLOPE....................................................................................................................................... 6 SOILS............................................................................................................................................................... ................ 7 GEOLOGY....................................................................................................................................................... ................ 9 WATER FEATURES................................................................................................................................................... 10 WETLANDS…….………………………………………………………………………………………...12 FLOOD HAZARD AREAS........................................................................................................................................ 13 GROUNDWATER........................................................................................................................................... ............ 13 WILDLIFE HABITAT................................................................................................................................................. 14 NATURAL FEATURES.............................................................................................................................................. 16 VISUAL RESOURCES................................................................................................................................................. 16 HISTORIC RESOURCES............................................................................................................................................. 18 POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS....................................................................................................................... 22 SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS.................................................................................................................................. 24 HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS............................................................................................................................... 24 POPULATION GROWTH TRENDS......................................................................................................................... 27 HOUSING GROWTH TRENDS................................................................................................................................. 27 POPULATION AND HOUSING PROJECTIONS.................................................................................................... 33 ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS........................................................................................................................... 37 TAX BASE................................................................................................................................................................ ... 37 LOTTING PATTERN.................................................................................................................................................. 39 RESIDENTIAL LAND USE........................................................................................................................................ 40 COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL USE............................................................................................................... 40 PUBLIC AND SEMI-PUBLIC USES.......................................................................................................................... 40 PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE.......................................................................................................... 41 STATE LAND UNIT MANAGEMENT AREAS.................................................................................................... 42 HIGHWAY SYSTEM.................................................................................................................................................. 43 SUITABILITY OF ROADS TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT................................................................................ 44 WATER SUPPLY......................................................................................................................................................... 45 SEWERAGE DISPOSAL............................................................................................................................................. 45 ELECTRIC SERVICE.................................................................................................................................................... 46 PUBLIC SERVICES...................................................................................................................................................... 46 HAMLETS....................................................................................................................................................... ............. 46 ANALYSIS OF POTENTIALS FOR DEVELOPMENT........................................................................................... 47 LOCAL LAND USE REGULATIONS....................................................................................................................... 49 ADIRONDACK PARK AGENCY REGULATIONS................................................................................................ 50 1995 PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY.............................................................................................................................. 51 2003 PROPERTY OWNER SURVEY......................................................................................................................... 52 PART 2. EVALUATION OF APA LAND USE AREA CLASSIFICATIONS............................................................. 57 PURPOSE........................................................................................................................................................ .............. 58 METHODOLOGY........................................................................................................................................... ............. 59 PROPOSED APA MAP AMENDMENTS............................................................................................................... 61 PART 3: THE PLAN............................................................................................................................................................ 64 GOALS AND PLANNING POLICIES....................................................................................................................... 65 FUTURE VISION......................................................................................................................................................... 70 TOWN LAND USE PLAN.......................................................................................................................................... 70 ZONING PLAN............................................................................................................................................................ 72 ACTION PLAN............................................................................................................................................................ 74 List of Maps Town of Minerva…..................................................................................... …..1 Town of Minerva, Southeast Section.................................................................. 1 Regional Location............................................................................................. 4 Minerva-Olmstedville Area, circa 1876.............................................................. 6 Olmstedville Hamlet, circa 1876........................................................................ 6 Early Roads, circa 1915-1930............................................................................ 6 Topography...................................................................................................... 6 Slope Suitability for Development...................................................................... 7 Soil Limitations for Septic Systems.................................................................... 7 Soil Limitations for Dwellings without Basements............................................... 8 Soil Limitations for Development....................................................................... 9 Surficial Geology.............................................................................................. 10 Watersheds...................................................................................................... 10 Water Features................................................................................................ 11 Wetlands......................................................................................................... 12 Flood Hazard Areas........................................................................................