COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN UPDATE 2006 to 2026 Prepared For LINN COUNTY, KANSAS Prepared By LINN COUNTY, KANSAS Comprehensive Development Plan 2006 Project Participants County Commissioners Chairman – District 2 Larry Hall Vice Chairman – District 3 Jim Ferrante Member – District 1 Herb Pemberton County Personnel County Planner Andy Mayhugh Clerk David Lamb Appraiser Steve Thompson Attorney John Sutherland Economic Development Director Dennis Arnold Noxious Weed Director John Maloney Treasurer Carmen Self Sheriff Marvin Stites Planning Commission District #1 David Berglund Dave Jackson Myron Stroup District #2 Cherry Buckley Patsy Stogsdill Harvey Taylor District #3 Eldon Lanham Judy Houtman Charlene Sims PLANNING CONSULTANT LINN COUNTY, KANSAS ♦ COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN ♦ 2006 i TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................... 2 Location......................................................................................................................................................... 2 History of Linn County .................................................................................................................................. 2 Coal Mining of Linn County.......................................................................................................................... 2 THE PURPOSE OF COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING................................................................................................... 3 THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS........................................................................................................ 3 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMPONENTS ............................................................................................................... 4 GOVERNMENTAL AND JURISDICTIONAL ORGANIZATION .................................................................................... 5 PROFILE LINN COUNTY ................................................................................................................................ 6 DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Population Trends and Analysis.................................................................................................................... 7 Migration Analysis ........................................................................................................................................ 8 Age Structure Analysis................................................................................................................................... 9 Population Projections ................................................................................................................................ 12 HOUSING PROFILE ............................................................................................................................................ 15 Age of Existing Housing Stock..................................................................................................................... 15 ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT PROFILE .......................................................................................................... 21 Income Statistics.......................................................................................................................................... 21 Income Source and Public Assistance ......................................................................................................... 24 Industry Employment................................................................................................................................... 27 Commuter Trends ........................................................................................................................................ 28 Regional Basic/Non-Basic Analysis............................................................................................................. 32 Agricultural Profile ..................................................................................................................................... 35 COUNTY FACILITIES ......................................................................................................................................... 38 Linn County Facilities Inventory ................................................................................................................. 38 RECREATIONAL FACILITIES .............................................................................................................................. 39 EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES................................................................................................................................42 Public Schools ............................................................................................................................................. 42 Postsecondary Education ............................................................................................................................ 42 Fire Protection and Law Enforcement ........................................................................................................ 44 Fire and Rescue........................................................................................................................................... 44 LAW ENFORCEMENT......................................................................................................................................... 49 COUNTY BUILDINGS......................................................................................................................................... 49 REGISTERED HISTORIC SITES ........................................................................................................................... 50 Other Historic Places .................................................................................................................................. 50 COMMUNICATION FACILITIES........................................................................................................................... 50 Telephone Services ...................................................................................................................................... 50 Internet/World Wide Web Service Providers (ISP)...................................................................................... 51 LINN COUNTY, KANSAS ♦ COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN ♦ 2006 ii Newspapers.................................................................................................................................................. 51 PUBLIC UTILITIES............................................................................................................................................. 51 Electricity .................................................................................................................................................... 51 Natural Gas ................................................................................................................................................. 51 HEALTH FACILITIES.......................................................................................................................................... 52 Hospitals...................................................................................................................................................... 52 Medical Clinics............................................................................................................................................ 52 Nursing Home Facilities.............................................................................................................................. 52 ENVIRONMENT, NATURAL, AND MAN-MADE RESOURCES............................................................. 54 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................. 55 NATURAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS........................................................................................................ 55 NATURAL CONDITIONS..................................................................................................................................... 55 Relief/Topography ....................................................................................................................................... 56 Wildlife and Recreation ............................................................................................................................... 56 Plant and Animal Life.................................................................................................................................. 57 Wetlands ...................................................................................................................................................... 57 Soil Formation and Classification............................................................................................................... 63 Factors of Soil Formation ........................................................................................................................... 63 Soil