4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Merrick County, Nebraska Comprehensive Plan 2016 1 Merrick County, Nebraska Comprehensive Development Plan 2016 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents 1 Merrick County, Nebraska Comprehensive Development Plan 2016 Plan Participants PLAN PARTICIPANTS Board of Supervisors JIM HELGOTH KENT CARLSON CAROLYN KUCERA RUSSELL KREACHBAUM JIMMIE GRAVES ROGER WIEGERT (CHAIRMAN) TOM WELLER County Personnel JEN MYERS ZONING ADMINISTRATOR MARCIA WICHMANN CLERK/ELECTION COMMISSIONER/REGISTER OF DEEDS JAN PLACKE ASSESSOR PATRICIA BOLTE TREASURER LYNELLE HOMOLKA COUNTY ATTORNEY MIKE MEYER HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT/SURVEYOR Planning Commission LYNN WIEGERT KELLY WICHMANN DON HANNAPPEL KEVIN OHLMAN RICHARD OGDEN BRIAN FRIEDRICHSEN CHRIS STAROSTKA GREGG FERRIS PAT ROBINSON Board of Adjustment CHRIS STAROSTKA-CHAIR RICHARD SPIEHS BOB KELLY LARRY MEYER-SECRETARY MATT KING MARVIN FISHLER-ALTERNATE Merrick County, Nebraska Comprehensive Development Plan 2016 2 Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1 Location ..................................................................................................................................... 2 History of Merrick County ....................................................................................................... 2 Comprehensive Development Planning ............................................................................ 7 The Planning Process ............................................................................................................... 8 Plan Preparation ...................................................................................................................... 8 Comprehensive Plan Components ...................................................................................... 8 Jurisdiction Organization ........................................................................................................ 8 Chapter 2: Merrick County Community Engagement .......................................................... 9 Community Engagement ...................................................................................................... 10 Goals and Policies ................................................................................................................... 11 Merrick County Vision and the Plan ..................................................................................... 12 Merrick County Goals and Policies ...................................................................................... 12 Chapter 3: Merrick County Population Profile ........................................................................ 13 Demographic Profile ............................................................................................................... 14 Population Trends and Analysis ............................................................................................. 14 Migration Analysis .................................................................................................................... 14 Age Structure Analysis ............................................................................................................ 14 Ethnicity ...................................................................................................................................... 16 Population Projections ............................................................................................................ 17 Summary of Population Projections ..................................................................................... 17 Chapter 4: Merrick County Housing Profile ............................................................................ 19 Housing Profile .......................................................................................................................... 20 Age of Existing Housing Stock ................................................................................................ 20 Housing Trends .......................................................................................................................... 20 Housing Goals, Objectives and Policies .............................................................................. 23 Chapter 5: Merrick County Economic Profile ......................................................................... 25 Economic and Employment Profile ...................................................................................... 26 Income Statistics ...................................................................................................................... 26 Income Source and Public Assistance ................................................................................ 27 Industry Employment ............................................................................................................... 28 Regional Basic/Non-Basic Analysis ....................................................................................... 28 Commuter Trends .................................................................................................................... 30 Agricultural Profile .................................................................................................................... 30 Agricultural Trends……………………………………………………………………………… 30 Economic Development Goals, Objectives and Policies ................................................ 33 Chapter 6: Merrick County Facilities ....................................................................................... 35 County Facilities ....................................................................................................................... 36 County Facilities Plan ............................................................................................................. 36 Community Parks and Facilities ............................................................................................ 36 Regional Recreation ............................................................................................................... 38 Golf Courses .............................................................................................................................. 38 Museums .................................................................................................................................... 38 Historical Sites ............................................................................................................................ 39 Education .................................................................................................................................. 40 Fire and Rescue Protection .................................................................................................... 42 Law Enforcement ..................................................................................................................... 42 Communication ....................................................................................................................... 43 3 Merrick County, Nebraska Comprehensive Development Plan 2016 Table of Contents Public Utilities............................................................................................................................. 43 Health Care .............................................................................................................................. 43 Facilities Goals, Objectives and Policies ............................................................................. 43 Chapter 7: Natural Resources and the Environment ............................................................. 45 Natural Resources and the Environment ........................................................................... 46 Natural Environmental Conditions ....................................................................................... 46 Natural Conditions ................................................................................................................... 46 Wildlife and Habitat ................................................................................................................ 47 Wetlands .................................................................................................................................... 48 Soil Formation and Classification .......................................................................................... 53 Soil Associations ....................................................................................................................... 53 Soil Suitability ............................................................................................................................. 66 Soil Limitations ........................................................................................................................... 66 Other Factors Impacting Land Use ...................................................................................... 76 Water and the Impact on Polk County ............................................................................... 87 Hydric Soils ................................................................................................................................. 87 Groundwater/Water Table Elevations ................................................................................. 87 Floodways and Floodplains 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