WEXFORD COUNTY RECREATION PLAN 2013-2017 Prepared By the Wexford County Planning Commission ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................... 5 Wexford County Planning Commission ........................................................................................... 5 Wexford County Board of Commissioners ....................................................................................... 5 Wexford County Staff ....................................................................................................................... 5 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 6 COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................................. 7 POPULATION ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Population Totals ............................................................................................................................ 10 Population Density and Housing .................................................................................................... 12 Impact of Growth ............................................................................................................................ 12 INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT ...................................................................................................... 16 HEALTH INDICATORS .................................................................................................................... 17 PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS ....................................................................................................... 18 CLIMATE ........................................................................................................................................... 18 TOPOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................................. 19 SOILS ................................................................................................................................................. 19 VEGETATIVE COVER ..................................................................................................................... 23 WATER & RECREATION RESOURCES ......................................................................................... 23 LAND USE ......................................................................................................................................... 25 ZONING ............................................................................................................................................. 26 TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS ....................................................................................................... 27 ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE ...................................................................................................... 30 CIVIC CENTER STAFF .................................................................................................................... 30 ADMINISTRATOR ............................................................................................................................ 30 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ...................................................................................................... 30 RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER AGENCIES .................................................................................. 31 RECREATION INVENTORY ............................................................................................................... 32 LIST OF OUTDOOR RECREATION FACILITIES ......................................................................... 32 LIST OF INDOOR RECREATION FACILITIES ............................................................................. 36 SPECIAL AND UNIQUE AREAS ..................................................................................................... 38 HISTORIC SITES .............................................................................................................................. 39 BARRIER FREE COMPLIANCE OF RECREATION FACILITIES ............................................... 41 DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANNING PROCESS ................................................................................ 42 PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS .......................................................................................................... 42 WEXFORD COUNTY RECREATION PLAN 2013-2017 2013 Recreation Survey .................................................................................................................. 42 2000 Phone Survey ......................................................................................................................... 42 Opinion Survey on the Quality of Life ........................................................................................... 43 Public Opinion Survey Results ....................................................................................................... 47 2004 MASTER PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................................. 47 PUBLIC INPUT MEETINGS ............................................................................................................ 48 RECREATION ISSUES, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES ....................................................................... 49 ACTION PROGRAM AND SCHEDULE ............................................................................................. 52 PROPOSED RECREATION PROJECTS .......................................................................................... 52 ACTION PLAN MAP ........................................................................................................................ 54 FUNDING INFORMATION .................................................................................................................. 55 STATE AND FEDERAL SOURCES: ................................................................................................ 55 Michigan Quality of Life Recreation Bond Program ..................................................................... 55 Land and Water Conservation Fund: .............................................................................................. 55 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund: ....................................................................................... 55 Non-Motorized Transportation Fund: ............................................................................................. 56 Non-game Wildlife Fund and Living Resources Small Grant: ....................................................... 56 Michigan Council for the Arts: ....................................................................................................... 56 LOCAL FUNDING SOURCES: ........................................................................................................ 57 Special Assessment Districts .......................................................................................................... 57 Private Donations ............................................................................................................................ 57 COMPREHENSIVE FUNDING SOURCES INDEX: ...................................................................... 57 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE .......................................................................................... 59 INFORMATION SOURCES INDEX: ............................................................................................... 59 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SOURCES: ................................................................................... 61 APPENDIX A – REGIONAL LOCATION ............................................................................................ 62 APPENDIX B – SCHOOL DISTRICT MAP ........................................................................................ 64 APPENDIX C – GENERAL SOILS MAP ............................................................................................. 65 APPENDIX D – WATERSHED MAP ................................................................................................... 66 APPENDIX E – MAJOR RIVERS MAP ............................................................................................... 67 APPENDIX F – WETLANDS MAP ...................................................................................................... 68 APPENDIX G – EXISTING LAND USE .............................................................................................. 69 APPENDIX H – WEXFORD COUNTY ZONING ............................................................................... 70 APPENDIX I - GENERAL HIGHWAY MAP ....................................................................................... 71 APPENDIX J – OUTDOOR RECREATION MAP ............................................................................... 72 3 WEXFORD COUNTY RECREATION PLAN 2013-2017 APPENDIX K – INDOOR RECREATION MAP.................................................................................. 73 APPENDIX L – SPECIAL/UNIQUE AREAS .......................................................................................... 74 APPENDIX M – TOPOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................