http://iowabackroads.com/tag/wright-county/ 2012 WRIGHT COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Developed by the Wright County Planning and Zoning Commission Planning Assistance Provided by MIDAS Council of Governmentsi | P a g e Table of Contents Figures & Tables ........................................................................................................................................... iv Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1. Introduction and Planning Process ........................................................................................................... 3 2. History of Wright County .......................................................................................................................... 4 Places of Historical Significance in Wright County .................................................................................... 5 3. Physical Description .................................................................................................................................. 7 Topography and Landforms ...................................................................................................................... 7 Water Features ......................................................................................................................................... 7 Drainage and Watersheds ......................................................................................................................... 8 Soils ........................................................................................................................................................... 9 4. Demographics ........................................................................................................................................... 9 5. Planning Elements ................................................................................................................................... 12 5.1 Economic Development .................................................................................................................... 12 Existing Conditions .............................................................................................................................. 13 Goals and Implementation Actions (Economic Development) ........................................................... 17 5.2 Agriculture......................................................................................................................................... 18 Existing Conditions .............................................................................................................................. 18 Goals and Implementation Actions (Agriculture) ............................................................................... 21 5.3 Housing ............................................................................................................................................. 23 Existing Conditions .............................................................................................................................. 23 Goals and Implementation Actions (Housing) .................................................................................... 26 5.4 Transportation .................................................................................................................................. 26 Existing Conditions .............................................................................................................................. 26 Goals and Implementation Actions (Transportation) ......................................................................... 28 5.5 Public Services and Infrastructure .................................................................................................... 29 Existing Services .................................................................................................................................. 30 Existing Infrastructure ......................................................................................................................... 30 Goals and Implementation Actions (Public Services & Infrastructure) .............................................. 31 5.6 Recreation & Conservation ............................................................................................................... 32 Existing Conditions .............................................................................................................................. 32 Goals and Implementation Actions (Recreation and Conservation) .................................................. 37 5.7 Land Use ............................................................................................................................................ 38 Existing Conditions .............................................................................................................................. 39 Wright County Existing Zoning Map ................................................................................................... 41 Wright County Existing Land Use Map ................................................................................................ 42 Goals and Implementation Actions (Overall) ...................................................................................... 43 Wright County Future Land Use Map ................................................................................................. 47 6. Implementation ...................................................................................................................................... 48 Plan Updates ........................................................................................................................................... 48 Appendix A: Works Cited ........................................................................................................................... 49 Appendix B: Community Survey Results (2/2011) ...................................................................................... 52 Appendix C: Focus Meeting Results (6/14/2011 & 6/15/2011) ................................................................ 113 Figures & Tables Figure 2.1 First County Courthouse – Eagleville, IA ...................................................................................... 4 Figure 2.2 Wright County Courthouse - Clarion, IA ...................................................................................... 4 Figure 2.3: Northwestern Depot - Eagle Grove, IA ...................................................................................... 5 Figure 3.1: Map of the Des Moines Lobe ...................................................................................................... 7 Figure 3.2: Map of Wright County Waterways & Watersheds ..................................................................... 8 Figure 4.1: Population of Wright County 1870-2010 .................................................................................. 10 Figure 4.2: Population of Iowa 1870-2010.................................................................................................. 10 Table 4.1: Projected Population .................................................................................................................. 11 Figure 4.3: Wright County Age Cohorts ...................................................................................................... 11 Table 4.2: Wright County Demographics .................................................................................................... 12 Figure 5.1: Unemployment Rates for Wright County and Iowa, 2000-2011 .............................................. 13 Table 5.1: 2012 Wright County Unemployment Rate by Month ................................................................ 13 Figure 5.2: Employment Status – Wright County – 2011 ............................................................................ 14 Figure 5.3: Where the Employed Are Working – Wright County – 2011 .................................................... 14 Table 5.2: Employment trends by Industrial Sector – Wright County – 2000-2010 ................................... 15 Figure 5.5: Commuter Patterns for Wright County .................................................................................... 16 Figure 5.6: Wright County Farm Employment – 1980-2010 ....................................................................... 18 Table 5.3: Agriculture Data 1900-2007 – Wright County ............................................................................ 19 Table 5.4: Average Farm Land Value – 1980-2011 ..................................................................................... 19 Figure 5.7: Average Farm Land Value - 2011 .............................................................................................. 20 Figure 5.8: Wright County CSR .................................................................................................................... 21 Table 5.5: Occupancy Status ....................................................................................................................... 23 Table 5.6: Tenure ........................................................................................................................................ 24 Figure 5.9: Age of Structures – Unincorporated and Incorporated area of Wright County, State