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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCH1-CommunityBackgroundPLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 1 : Community Background 1-1 Community Background IntroductionA Comprehensive Plan implements a community’s long- range vision. This includes multiple aspects of how the City evolves and supports its residents in areas such as development, transportation, water systems, housing, parks and trails, and the overall vitality of the City. The plan therefore serves as a guide for elected officials to use when making decisions. The Comprehensive Plan also functions as a legal foundation for rules and regulations adopted by the community such as the zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations. The Comprehensive Plan has the power to influence the zoning code and improve land uses to fit the community’s changing needs. Comprehensive Plan Requirements In Minnesota, authority for land use planning and regulation is vested primarily in local governments and comprehensive plans are one of the primary tools used by local governments to regulate the use of land. The Metropolitan Land Planning Act requires local governments in the Twin Cities area to prepare and adopt Comprehensive Plans. In accordance with the Act, communities must update their plans every ten years. This effort is overseen by the regional planning agency known as the Metropolitan Council. The City of Stillwater is classified by the Metropolitan Council as a “suburban” community (see Figure 1.1). Suburban communities experienced continued growth and expansion during the 1980s and early 1990s, and typically have automobile-oriented development patterns at significantly lower densities than in previous eras. Though this does not apply well to the historic eastern third of the city. It applies well to the western two-thirds. Suburban communities are expected to plan for forecasted population and household growth at average densities of at Chapter 1 Contents Introduction ........................1-1 Comprehensive Plan Requirements ....1-1 The Planning Process .................1-3 Community Engagement .............1-3 Regional Setting .....................1-4 Planning History ....................1-4 Community Characteristics ...........1-4 Population ..........................1-5 Age ................................1-6 Household ..........................1-7 Race & Ethnicity .....................1-7 Education ..........................1-8 Sustainability and Resiliency ..........1-8 Energy ............................1-11 Life-Cycle Housing .................1-11 1-2 PLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 1 : Community Background Figure 1.1: Community Designation Bayport Baytown Twp. Grant Lake Elmo Oak Park Heights Stillwater Stillwater Twp. Community Designations 0 1 2 30.5 Miles City of Stillwater, Washington County Community Designation s Outside Council planning authority Agricultural Rural Residential Diversified Rural Rural Center Emerging Suburban Edge Suburban Edge Suburban Urban Urban Center County Boundaries City and Township Boundaries Lakes and Major Rivers DAKOTA ANOKA HENNEPIN SCOTT CARVER WASHINGTON RAMSEY Extent of Main Map PLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 1 : Community Background 1-3 least 5 units per acre for new development and redevelopment. This is discussed in more detail in Chapter 2, Land Use. Socioeconomic forecasts (population, households and employment) have been generated by the Metropolitan Council for Stillwater (see Table 1.1) are based upon the community designation as “suburban.” Most, if not all of the forecasts will be met through new development over the next 20 years. These forecasts have set the foundation for the various plan elements discussed throughout this document. The Planning Process Every ten years each community in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area updates or re-writes its comprehensive plan. The 2040 Comprehensive Plan is an update of Stillwater’s 2030 Plan. Throughout the update project a Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) served as a sounding board, idea generator and a gauge of community sentiments. The CPAC was appointed by the City Council and was comprised of 25 residents with varying backgrounds. Each committee member also served as a “champion” of the process by promoting the public engagement activities and sharing ideas from their interest groups and circles of acquaintances. It should also be noted the Downtown, Historic Resources and Water Resources Chapters were developed through separate planning efforts. These chapters engaged special interest groups and commissions, while holding separate public engagement events to help update the plan. Community Engagement An initial step in the updating process was to conduct a community-wide survey. The survey was used as a starting point for understanding community issues and needs. The survey also provided insight into what makes Stillwater a great place to live, work and play. A sample of the survey findings are highlighted below. • 96 percent of respondents felt the quality of life in Stillwater was “very good” or “good.” The remaining 4 percent felt the quality of life was “acceptable.” • 91 percent of respondents felt the quality of life in the neighborhood in which they live or own a business is “very good” or “good.” • The community was split when asked if Stillwater is an environmentally progressive city. • 60 percent of respondents felt Stillwater’s historic character is “very important.” • 69 percent of respondents were “satisfied” with the mix of business in Market Place (Curve Crest and Highway 5) and the West Business Park (Highway 36 neighborhood). • 56 percent of respondents felt the quality of water in the streams, lakes and ponds within Stillwater were “good,” while 34 percent felt they were in “fair” or “poor” condition. Overall, the public outreach efforts included a series of pop-up events, open houses and online engagement tools. The pop-up events were held during Stillwater’s Summer Tuesdays in July and Harvest Fest in October to educate and inform residents. A series of open houses were held later on in the planning process. The events allowed staff to directly present ideas to residents and to allow the public to share their ideas and review draft components of the plan. Larger public engagement efforts also occurred during the Downtown Master Planning efforts, which serves as a chapter to this plan (see Chapter 6). These efforts occurred in 2017 and included walking tours, open houses, and charrettes. Table 1.1: Metropolitan Council Socioeconomic Forecasts 2010 2017 (est.)2020 2030 2040 Population 18,227 19,748 20,600 21,800 22,800 Households 7,076 7,342 8,400 9,000 9,600 Employment 9,628 9,618 10,700 11,300 11,700 1-4 PLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 1 : Community Background Regional Setting Stillwater is located in the eastern section of Washington County, the easternmost county in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Stillwater is comprised of 9 square miles and is approximately 23 miles east of the Saint Paul Central Business District (CBD) and 28 miles from the Minneapolis CBD. The City is bordered by Stillwater Township to the north, the City of Grant to the west and the City of Oak Park Heights to the south. Stillwater’s eastern border is the St. Croix River and the State of Wisconsin. Stillwater accommodates a wide variety of land uses that provide jobs, a diverse range of housing types, a variety of commercial opportunities and public amenities and parks. Stillwater is connected to the East Twin Cities Metropolitan Area primarily by Highway 36, Highway 5, and Highway 96. Highway 95 travels north and south along the St. Croix River connecting Stillwater Township on the north and Bayport on the south. Country Road 15 marks the western boundary of Stillwater. Planning History The City of Stillwater was officially incorporated on March 4, 1854, making it one of Minnesota’s oldest cities. Stillwater is often referred to as the “Birthplace of Minnesota.” In 1848, a territorial convention that began the process of establishing Minnesota as a state was held in Stillwater at the corner of Myrtle and Main streets. Lumbering was the predominant industry in the St. Croix River Valley in the second half of the 19th century, and for many years logs were sent down the St. Croix, collected at the St. Croix Boom Site two miles upstream of Stillwater, and processed in Stillwater’s many sawmills. In 1918, Stillwater was the first city in the State of Minnesota to create and adopt a comprehensive plan. This plan was adopted during the City Beautiful movement, which was occurring throughout the United States. The plan emphasized parks, landscaped streets and parkways, civic centers and walkways, particularly along natural areas such as ravines, lakes, and the St. Croix River. In some respect, this update marks the 100 year anniversary in Stillwater’s long-term commitment to comprehensive planning. Below is a list of the land use and master plans the city has undertaken over the years. • 1918 – First Comprehensive Plan Adopted • 1961 – Comprehensive Plan • 1979 – Comprehensive Plan • 1979 – West Stillwater Business Park Plan • Downtown Plans adopted in 1972 and 1988 • 1995 – Comprehensive Plan • 1996 – Comprehensive Plan Update; Annexation Area • 2000 – Comprehensive Trail Plan • 2008 Comprehensive Plan • 2014 Parks and Trail Master Plan • Several neighborhood plans throughout the years Community Characteristics This section provides a foundation for updating the City of Stillwater’s Comprehensive Plan elements. It is a snapshot of the population of Stillwater today and highlights the existing conditions from a demographic perspective. In studying the socioeconomic composition and history of Stillwater’s population, the needs of the community can be more specifically and directly addressed. However, one of the frustrations in interpreting how demographic, social and economic changes will influence Stillwater in the future is the age of the available data. The only comprehensive data available is information from the 2010 Census, data that is eight years old at the time of the updating of this plan. Although limited, the 2015 American Community Survey Five Year (2011 – 2015) Census estimates serve as an indicator of future influencing factors. These two data sources served as the primary inputs for this chapter unless otherwise noted. PLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 1 : Community Background 1-5 Table 1.2: Population Growth Year Population % Change Washington County % Change 1970 10,191 –83,003 - 1980 12,290 20.6%113,571 36.8% 1990 13,882 13.0%145,896 28.5% 2000 15,143 9.1%201,130 37.9% 2010 18,225 20.4%238,136 18.4% 2017 (est.)19,748 7.7%256,905 7.3% 2020 20,600 6.4%268,410 4.7% 2030 21,800 5.8%299,130 11.4% 2040 22,800 4.6%330,200 10.4% Table 1.3: Population Growth Population Table 1.2 and Table 1.3 show population data for the city. The tables also include Metropolitan Council population forecasts for 2020, 2030 and 2040. Stillwater grew from 15,143 persons to 19,368 during the 2000s. It is forecasted that the population of the city will grow by 3,052 people between 2017 and 2040. 1-6 PLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 1 : Community Background Table 1.5: Age Distribution (Total Population by Percent) Table 1.4: Age Cohorts Stillwater Washington County Age Range Number Percent Number Percent Total Population 18,677 0 246,670 Under 5 959 5.1%15,342 6.2% 5 to 9 1,314 7.0%17,763 7.2% 10 to 14 1,644 8.8%18,373 7.4% 15 to 19 1,422 7.6%17,339 7.0% 20 to 24 690 3.7%13,157 5.3% 25 to 29 959 5.1%13,950 5.7% 30 to 34 1,094 5.9%15,736 6.4% 35 to 39 1,122 6.0%14,733 6.0% 40 to 44 1,627 8.7%17,973 7.3% 45 to 49 1,686 9.0%19,267 7.8% 50 to 54 1,344 7.2%20,403 8.3% 55 to 59 1,185 6.3%17,633 7.1% 60 to 64 1,098 5.9%14,795 6.0% 65 to 69 837 4.5%10,521 4.3% 70 to 74 611 3.3%7,432 3.0% 75 to 79 433 2.3%4,915 2.0% 80 to 84 298 1.6%3,677 1.5% 85 +354 1.9%3,661 1.5% Age Table 1.4 shows the age breakdown of the city and county population. About 58 percent of Stillwater’s population in 2010 was between the ages of 20 and 64. Persons between 0 and 19 years of age were the second largest group making up about 28 percent of the total population. Not unlike many other communities, the population is aging. During the 2000’s there was a shift from an emphasis on younger and middle aged residents (under age 44) to an older age cohort. This population has continued to age and is now reflected in the subsequent age groups of 55 to 64, and 65 to 74 (see Table 1.5). It is assumed these age groups will increase over the next ten years as the previously stated age groups continue to age in place. PLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 1 : Community Background 1-7 Household Table 1.6 presents the historical household growth of the community and the county, and includes household forecasts determined by the Metropolitan Council. In the decade of the 1990’s, Stillwater had a dramatically lower growth rate than the county. But, in the subsequent decades through 2020, the City ‘s growth rate was slightly higher than the county’s. This is expected to revers in the decades to 2040, when the County will again grow faster then the city. The Metropolitan Council forecasts Stillwater to add 1,200 households between 2020 and 2040. Race & Ethnicity Stillwater has seen an increase in minority populations over the last two decades (see Table 1.7). In 2000, 97.5 percent of Stillwater identified themselves as “white only” (non-Hispanic/Latino). By 2015, 93.2 percent of Stillwater’s population identified as “white only.” In 2015, the Hispanic/ Latino population was the largest racial minority comprising 3 percent of the population (see Table 1.8). Table 1.6: Household Growth Stillwater Washington County Year Number Change Number Change 1990 5,105 49,246 2000 5,797 13.6%71,462 45.1% 2010 7,128 23.0%87,859 22.9% 2020 8,400 17.8%102,280 16.4% 2030 9,000 7.1%116,210 13.6% 2040 9,600 6.7%130,090 11.9% Table 1.7: Race 2015 2000 Race Number Percent Number Percent Total Population 18,677 -15,143 - White 17,411 93.22%14,767 97.52% Black or African American 423 2.26%48 0.32% American Indian and Alaska Native 60 0.32%43 0.28% Asian 273 1.46%86 0.57% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander 0 0.00%3 0.02% Other 510 2.73%196 1.29% Table 1.8: Hispanic Population 2015 2000 Race Number Percent Number Percent Total population 18,677 -15,143 - Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 635 3.40%148 0.98% Mexican 206 1.10%94 0.62% Puerto Rican 58 0.31%4 0.03% Cuban 126 0.67%1 0.01% Other Hispanic or Latino 245 1.31%49 0.32% Not Hispanic or Latino 18,042 96.60%14,995 99.02% White Alone 16,893 90.45%14,685 96.98% Black or African American Alone 423 2.26%-- American Indian and Alaska Native Alone 42 0.22%-- Asian Alone 273 1.46%-- Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Alone 0 0.00%-- Other 411 2.20%-- 1-8 PLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 1 : Community Background Table 1.9: Education Attainment Stillwater Washington County Education Attainment 2015 2015 Number Percent Number Percent Population 25 years and over 12,648 -164,696 - Less than 9th grade 93 0.7%2,253 1.4% 9th to 12th grade, no diploma 283 2.2%4,281 2.6% High school graduate 2,532 20.0%36,305 22.0% Some college, no degree 2,749 21.7%34,788 21.1% Associate's degree 1,301 10.3%18,522 11.2% Bachelor's degree 3,815 30.2%44,999 27.3% Graduate or professional degree 1,875 14.8%23,548 14.3% Did not graduate high school - 3.0%-4.0% Percent high school graduate or higher - 97.0%-96.0% Percent bachelor's degree or higher - 45.0%-41.6% Education In addition to the age of residents, the educational attainment level also influences the community. Table 1.9 shows education attainment levels, which directly impacts the local economy, influences economic development and also suggests potential demands and expectations of current residents. About 20 percent of the population only has a high school diploma. However, about 62 percent of the population attended some college or obtained a degree. Emerging Needs The community characteristics (e.g., housing stock and changing demographics) that define Stillwater today present challenges that can be interpreted as either assets or liabilities. The chapters in this Comprehensive Plan seek to ensure that Stillwater’s characteristics continue to be assets and that policies, plans and programs can further enhance the attractiveness of the City. The Comprehensive Plan also recognizes the opportunities to build a stronger community by being adaptive, aware and forward thinking. In that respect, this section of the plan highlights some of the emerging needs that were discovered throughout the public engagement activities and CPAC meetings. These emerging needs should be considered as part of Stillwater’s daily planning activities and long-range planning efforts. Sustainability and Resiliency The region has encouraged cities to integrate strategies into their comprehensive plans to be more resilient in the face of a changing climate. As communities adjust to increasingly extreme weather events, stress on public facilities, and higher costs of services, there is growing need to not only plan for these events, but also to reduce the impacts through conscious climate adaptation and mitigation. Other areas of encouragement include topics around sustainability, equity, and public health. These areas range greatly and can cover topics such as solar energy, food access, noise and air quality, stormwater, and walkability. The term resilient can also be linked to a community’s ability to adapt to changing markets and economies. General definitions for these terms include: • Resiliency: Resiliency is defined as the ability to adapt to or recover from change. • Sustainability: Sustainability is defined as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations. As part of the planning process, the CPAC worked together to better define what sustainability and PLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 1 : Community Background 1-9 resiliency means to the community and how these topics can be best integrated into the comprehensive plan. As a result, a ‘Stillwater Sustainability Framework’ was developed to promote strategies and best practices towards becoming a more sustainable and resilient community (see “Appendix A: Stillwater Sustainability Framework”). The strategies are based on a list of best practices provided by Minnesota GreenStep Cities, a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability and quality-of-life goals. The Metropolitan Council’s Local Planning Handbook was also used to develop the list of strategies. The ‘Stillwater Sustainability Framework’ is structured around six areas: aging, equity, land use, transportation, environmental management, and resilient economies and communities. Each area provides a list of potential strategies for the community as a whole to work towards. However, it is important to recognize that it may take time to build capacity and support for each strategy. Strategies will need to be further integrated into work plans and led by staff, policy makers and community members. In that respect, the framework starts to identify the existing councils, commissions and committees that could be responsible for overseeing and implementing a particular strategy (see Table 1.10). This approach is effective means of helping build capacity to support these initiatives. To help advance the implementation of the framework, the City has partnered with the GreenStep Cities program. This will allow the City to track and monitor its successes with community partners. Community groups, such as Sustainable Stillwater are encouraged to play a role in helping implement the program. Together, the City and its community partners can work towards short-term and long-term goals in becoming a more sustainable and resilient community. 1-10 PLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 1 : Community Background Aging Populations Strategy Councils, Commissions, & Committees A Accessory Dwelling Units CC, PC, HPC, HRC B Life-Cycle Housing CC, PC, HPC, HRC C Accessibility Standards CC, PC, HPC, HRC D Walkability Standards CC, PC, DPC, HPC, HRC, PRB, TRC Equity Strategy Councils, Commissions, & Committees E Housing for All CC, PC, HPC, HRC F Transportation Choices for All CC, PC, HRC G Health Equity CC, PC, HRC, PRB H Cultural Assets CC, PC, HRC, PRB I Resilient Neighborhoods CC, PC, HPC, HRC J Create Outcomes for Community Engagement CC, PC, HRC, PRB Land Use Strategy Councils, Commissions, & Committees K Higher Density CC, PC, HPC, HRC L Mixed Use CC, PC, HPC, HRC M Design for Natural Resource Conservation CC, PC, BWC, PRB N High and Auto-Oriented Development CC, PC O Efficient Buildings CC, PC, BWC Transportation Strategy Councils, Commissions, & Committees P Complete Streets CC, PC, DPC, PRB, TRC Q Mobility Options CC, PC, DPC, PRB, TRC R Efficient City Fleets CC, PC S Travel Demand Management CC, PC, DPC, PRB, TRC Infrastructure and Natural Resources Strategy Councils, Commissions, & Committees T Urban Forests & Soils CC, PC, PRB U Stormwater Management CC, PC, BWC, PRB V Parks & Trails CC, PC, PRB W Surface Water CC, PC, BWC, PRB, TRC X Efficient Water and Wastewater Systems CC, PC, BWC Y Solid Waste Reduction CC, PC Z Local Air Quality CC, PC, TRC Economies & Community Development Strategy Councils, Commissions, & Committees AA Green Business Development CC, PC BB Renewable Energy CC, PC CC Local Food CC, PC DD Business Synergies CC, PC EE Climate Adaptation and Community Resilience CC, PC FF Circular Economies CC, PC Table 1.10: Potential Roles for Implementing the Stillwater Sustainability Framework Strategies Acronyms • Board of Water Commissions (BWC) • City Council (CC) • Downtown Parking Commission (DPC) • Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) • Human Rights Commission (HRC) • Parks and Recreation Board (PRB) • Planning Commission (PC) • Traffic Review Committee (TRC) PLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 1 : Community Background 1-11 Energy The ‘Stillwater Sustainability Framework’ includes strategies and best practices pertaining to climate change and energy. In order to implement these strategies, the CPAC was interested in better understanding how energy is consumed in the community so it can implement strategies to reduce energy consumption, increase clean energy production, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from buildings, transportation, and waste. To help gain this understanding, the Great Plains Institute provided an overview of the city’s existing energy use and conditions. Information from this report can be found in Appendix B. This report should serve as a guiding document when considering the strategies in the ‘Stillwater Sustainability Framework.’ Life-Cycle Housing In developing the ‘Stillwater Sustainability Framework,’ the CPAC focused on strategies that would support housing for all. These housing options, commonly known as life-cycle housing include: • Affordable housing that meets the Metropolitan Council’s definition (see Chapter 4, Housing) • Rental housing for young adults and others without the interest in or financial capacity for ownership • Units for first-time home buyers • “Move-up” housing that allows growing families to move to a larger home • Maintenance free housing for empty-nesters • Housing with supporting services for seniors Providing a variety of housing types gives residents the ability to continue living in their community as they age because housing options that meet their changing lifestyles are available. To help achieve this goal, various housing programs could be established to provide residents with assistance in meeting their housing needs. Examples of these types of initiatives include: • Offer remodelling financial assistance programs that cover the spectrum of income levels. • Working with partners to ensure affordability, replace substandard and functionally obsolete housing with new, moderate-priced housing designed for families. • Work with partners to purchase and rehabilitate homes for low/moderate income households, with a priority for models that create successful homeownership and permanent affordability (e.g., land trusts). • Develop a monitoring program to track the number of rental units available in the community. • Provide grant and/or loan funds for apartment remodelling and property improvements and collaborate with other organizations to expand available resources. • Offer grants to remodel homes to be more “adaptable” for an aging demographic. An adaptable housing unit includes all of the accessible features described by national standards (such as wider doors, clear floor space, adjustable features and accessible routes). 1-12 PLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 1 : Community Background This page intentionally left blank.