VISION STATEMENT........................................................................3 PLAN INTRODUCTION AND STRUCTURE .....................................4 Overview............................................................................................................4 PART I..............................................................................................6 BACKGROUND ................................................................................6 Authority and Purpose .......................................................................................6 Community Involvement and Input ....................................................................6 PART II............................................................................................10 PLAN ELEMENTS ..........................................................................10 A Bit of History.................................................................................................10 ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES.....................................................14 Population........................................................................................................14 HOUSING........................................................................................20 Housing Stock Assessment .............................................................................20 Occupancy Characteristics ..............................................................................22 Policies ............................................................................................................22 Federal and State Housing Programs..............................................................23 Summary .........................................................................................................23 TRANSPORTATION .......................................................................24 Road and Highway Classification ....................................................................24 Highways .........................................................................................................24 Maps................................................................................................................24 Modes of Transportation..................................................................................24 Existing Statewide Transportation Plans .........................................................25 Township Plans ...............................................................................................26 UTILITIES AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES....................................27 Inventory of Facilities and Services .................................................................27 Contaminated Sites .........................................................................................30 Future Needs...................................................................................................30 Policies ............................................................................................................31 AGRICULTURAL, NATURAL, AND CULTURAL RESOURCES....32 Agricultural Resources.....................................................................................32 Productive Agricultural Land............................................................................32 Natural Resources...........................................................................................32 Endangered Resources...................................................................................33 Environmentally Sensitive Areas .....................................................................35 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.........................................................37 Labor Analysis .................................................................................................37 Income.............................................................................................................39 Community Strengths and Weaknesses..........................................................39 Major Employers..............................................................................................40 Industrial Parks................................................................................................41 Environmentally Contaminated Sites...............................................................41 Economic Development Programs ..................................................................41 Selected State and County Economic Development Programs.......................41 Desirable Businesses and Industries...............................................................42 Summary .........................................................................................................42 INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION ....................................43 1 Existing Areas of Cooperation .........................................................................43 Conflicts...........................................................................................................44 Summary .........................................................................................................45 LAND USE ......................................................................................46 Existing Land Use............................................................................................46 Trends .............................................................................................................46 Redevelopment Opportunities .........................................................................47 Land Use Conflicts...........................................................................................47 Preferred Land Use .........................................................................................48 IMPLEMENTATION.........................................................................49 Goals and Objectives.......................................................................................49 Township Goals...............................................................................................49 Inventory of Existing Ordinances and Regulations ..........................................51 Implementation Process ..................................................................................51 Integration........................................................................................................53 Progress monitoring, Evaluation, and Update .................................................54 Appendix A.....................................................................................55 Public Participation ..........................................................................................55 Appendix B Demographics ...........................................................59 Appendix C.....................................................................................64 Maps................................................................................................................64 2 VISION STATEMENT To protect and maintain the rural character of the Town of Peru while guiding responsible growth for the benefit of current and future citizens. 3 PLAN INTRODUCTION AND STRUCTURE Overview Development, without which the Town of Peru would not exist, has been a fact since our beginning, but has been historically gradual. In the last 10-15 years, we have seen an increase in development pressure in surrounding townships. While it would be neither possible nor healthy to prevent development in our township, we do believe that if it is not controlled, we risk losing the rural character we value so highly. The purpose of this plan is to provide information about the town, its resources, its residents, and its existing character and to address resident concerns about what the community will be in the future. The plan will guide land-planning decisions in the Town of Peru over the next twenty years. Our intent is to provide goals and objectives that will give those making the decisions about future growth and development a mandate from the people that will make their jobs easier. As the recommendations included in this plan are long-range, it is important to remember that some of them may not be implemented for several years, while others may never be acted on. This plan will strive to incorporate the following general town policies: • Support agricultural land resources and farming as a viable occupation. • Support the preservation of, and enhancement of, the natural resources in the town. • Support the preservation of the town’s rural, scenic, “small town” character • Promote an efficient, sustainable, and high-quality land use pattern consistent with the town’s rural agricultural character. • Maintain a safe and efficient transportation system that meets the needs of multiple users and minimizes impacts on landowners and farming. • Support the efficient delivery of community utilities, facilities, and services corresponding with the expectations of town residents and a rural atmosphere. • Encourage and support safe, affordable housing and neighborhood environments for all town residents. • Encourage and support high-quality economic development opportunities appropriate to the town’s resources, character, and service levels. • Encourage participation in mutually beneficial intergovernmental relations with surrounding and overlapping governments. This plan will document public participation as well as