Comprehensive Plan of the County of Vernon Wisconsin Phase I Inventory and Trends Report for Vision 2030 Recommended Draft September 2009 Prepared by the Vernon County Comprehensive Plan Commission Lynn Chakoian - Commission Chair, Economic Development Work Group Jim Servais - Commission Vice-Chair, Land Use and Ag, Natural and Historic Resource Work Groups Karen Ehle-Traastad and Armand Bringe - Housing Work Group Cliff Peterson – Transportation Work Group Dennis Brault – Utilities Work Group Brad Steinmetz – Intergovernmental Cooperation Work Group Phil Hooker – Land Use Maynard Cox and Tom Spenner –Implementation Staff Support Doug Avoles - Planner/GIS Coordinator Lori Polhamus – Clerks Office, Deputy II Greg Lunde – County Corporation Counsel 2 | Vernon County Comprehensive Plan Phase I Table of Contents List of Tables .................................................................................................................................... iii Figures ............................................................................................................................................. iv Maps ................................................................................................................................................ iv Appendices ....................................................................................................................................... v 1. Issues and Opportunities ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Regional Perspective ................................................................................................................ 1 1.3 Planning Process ...................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Planning Framework and Reporting Process. ........................................................................... 2 1.5 Public Participation Efforts. ...................................................................................................... 3 1.6 Trends and Opportunities ........................................................................................................ 5 2. Population and Housing................................................................................................................. 7 2.1 Population Characteristics and Trends ..................................................................................... 7 2.2 Housing Characteristics ............................................................................................................ 8 2.3 Housing Unit Forecast ............................................................................................................ 20 2.4 Household Forecast ............................................................................................................... 22 2.5 Housing Agencies and Programs ............................................................................................ 23 2.6 Population and Housing Trends and Outlook ......................................................................... 26 3. Transportation ............................................................................................................................ 27 3.1 Existing Road System ............................................................................................................. 28 3.2 Road Functional/Jurisdictional Classification .......................................................................... 30 3.3 Traffic Volume Trends ............................................................................................................ 33 3.4 Crash Trends .......................................................................................................................... 35 3.5 Additional Modes of Transport .............................................................................................. 39 3.6 Existing Transportation Plans ................................................................................................. 45 3.7 Planned Transportation Improvements .................................................................................. 47 3.8 Transportation Programs ....................................................................................................... 48 3.9 Transportation Trends and Outlook ....................................................................................... 51 4. Utilities and Community Facilities ................................................................................................ 53 4.1 County Administrative Facilities and Services ......................................................................... 53 4.2 Local Administration .............................................................................................................. 55 4.3 Protective Services................................................................................................................. 55 4.4 School Facilities ..................................................................................................................... 59 4.5 Quasi Public Facilities ............................................................................................................. 61 4.6 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space ........................................................................................ 62 4.7 Spatial Distribution of Parks, Recreation, and Open Space ..................................................... 69 4.8 Trails...................................................................................................................................... 70 4.9 Private Park and Recreational Facilities .................................................................................. 70 4.10 Solid Waste Management and Recycling .............................................................................. 71 4.11 Communication and Power Facilities.................................................................................... 72 4.12 Sanitary Sewer Service ......................................................................................................... 75 4.13 Private On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems (POWTS).................................................... 76 4.14 Drinking Water Supply ......................................................................................................... 76 4.15 Stormwater Management .................................................................................................... 76 4.16 Health Care Facilities ........................................................................................................... 77 4.17 Day Care Facilities ................................................................................................................ 78 Vernon County Comprehensive Plan Phase I | i 4.18 Utilities and Community Facilities Programs......................................................................... 78 4.19 Utilities, Community Facilities, and Services Trends and Outlook ......................................... 79 5. Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources ............................................................................... 81 5.1 Watersheds ........................................................................................................................... 81 5.2 Geology ................................................................................................................................. 82 5.3 Soils ....................................................................................................................................... 83 5.4 Farmland and Agricultural Production.................................................................................... 84 5.5 Forests and Woodlands......................................................................................................... 91 5.6 Metallic and Non-Metallic Mineral Resources ........................................................................ 92 5.7 Wetlands and Floodplains ...................................................................................................... 93 5.8 Groundwater ....................................................................................................................... 108 5.9 Water Quality ...................................................................................................................... 108 5.10 Air Quality ......................................................................................................................... 110 5.11 Environmentally Sensitive Areas ........................................................................................ 110 5.12 Wildlife Habitat.................................................................................................................. 111 5.13 Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................................................. 113 5.14 Historic and Cultural Resources.......................................................................................... 117 5.15 Community Design............................................................................................................. 136 5.16 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Programs