4. Land Use. Current Pattern of Land Use. Prominent Land Use Patterns

Transcription

1 4. Land Use Marathon County is located in north central Wisconsin, where glaciers left behind rolling hills and valleys carved by abundant rivers and streams. The largest county in Wisconsin, encompassing 1,584 square miles, Marathon County was settled in the mid-nineteenth century to take advantage of its abundant pine forests. The Wisconsin River, which bisects the County, provided the waterpower necessary to haul and process the lumber. As the forests declined, Marathon County became a center for agriculture, specifically dairy production, and remains the number one ranking dairy producing county in Wisconsin. Today, land use patterns in the County still reflect the original economic base, with farmland, woodland, and water-related resources covering much of the area. While most urban type development continues to concentrate in the Wisconsin River valley, changes in the agricultural economy and growing pressure for widespread residential development is slowly altering the land use pattern in rural areas across the County. Current Pattern of Land Use Although it is a large county, there are some general characteristics that differentiate various areas of Marathon County. These characteristics reflect the impact of the glaciers on landforms and the resulting soils, depth of bedrock, marshland and woodland. These natural factors have had a direct impact on the type and pattern of development throughout the County. Prominent Land Use Patterns Following is a description of the major types of land cover that dominate the overall County landscape. Woodland - Marathon County was once covered in woodlands. Today, the remaining larger segments of woodland are concentrated in the eastern half and along the northern border of the County. An estimated one-third of County land area is forested; some is in public ownership and some is owned by private land owners and/or companies such as paper mills. Marathon County owns 28,662 acres of forestland, the majority of which is located in several forest units on the eastern side of the County. Other woodland areas tend to be along rivers and creeks. Much of the woodland throughout the County is in acre tracts adjacent to individual farms. Some private woodlands have been set aside under the Forest Crop Land (FCL) or Managed Forest Land (MFL) programs administered by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). These programs are described in more detail later in this section and in the Natural Resources chapter. Approximately 77,300 acres of woodland are currently set aside in these programs, held by individual private owners and forest products industry companies. Cropland - The majority of cropland area is located in the western half of the County and generally coincides with the soils most suitable for sustaining agriculture. To encourage preservation of prime farmland for active farming, eight towns west of the Wisconsin River have adopted Exclusive Agriculture Zoning, including the Towns of Hull, Brighton,

2 Eau Pleine, McMillan Day, Mosinee, Marathon and Stettin. The intent of this zoning classification is to minimize fragmentation of farmland by imposing a minimum lot size of 35 acres. There are also scattered parcels throughout the County enrolled in the Farmland Preservation Program, a State tax credit program discussed later in this section. While most large tracts of farmland are located in the west half of the County, the eastern half, specifically the east central areas in the Towns of Wausau, Easton, Plover and Norrie have historically had high levels of dairy farms. In recent years, changes in the farm economy have resulted in a decrease in the number of farms, and farming in general, throughout the County. Marshland - Another significant land cover characteristic in the County is the amount of marshland (sometimes identified as wetlands and vacant/barren land). These areas generally flank the numerous rivers and streams and broaden out in flat, low areas. Because these areas pose development constraints, they sometimes function as large natural areas essentially protected from development. Major marshland areas runs along the Little Eau Pleine River (George W. Mead Wildlife Area), the McMillan Marsh, Nine-mile Creek and along the glacial moraine that separates the southeast from the rest of Marathon County in the vicinity of the Eau Claire and Plover Rivers. Public Open Space - Marathon County is rich in land set aside in both county and state-owned park and wildlife land. Marathon County has 17 County parks that encompass 3,370 acres, of which Big Eau Pleine Park is the largest at 1,450 acres. As noted above, County forestlands also provide as significant amount of public open space. The 27,139-acre George W. Mead Wildlife Area, south of the Big Eau Pleine Reservoir along the County s southern border, is a major public open space in the towns of Green Valley and Bergen. The McMillan Marsh Wildlife Area, in the towns of Spencer and McMillan, carves out 4,172 acres along the Little Eau Pleine River. Both wildlife areas are administered by the State of Wisconsin. In short, state-owned wildlife properties, as well as Rib Mountain State Park (1,182 acres) contribute large amounts of public open space in the County. Urbanization - Marathon County is crossed by two major road corridors, including: I-39/USH 51, a major north-south route, and STH 29, a major east-west route. USH 51 has long been a major transportation corridor following the Wisconsin River, connecting communities to the south with the north woods. The presence of this road corridor also fostered the growth of the various urban centers along its route. The City of Wausau began at Big Bull Falls on the Wisconsin River in 1848 and was one of several sawmill settlements. The City of Mosinee grew in the 1850s at Little Bull Falls farther south, while Schofield was the site of another mill in 1851 at the point where the Eau Claire River entered the Wisconsin River south of Wausau. The villages of Brokaw (1899) and Rothschild (1909), both developed as paper mill towns, and along with the other communities that lined the Wisconsin River, formed the commercial and industrial heart of Marathon County. Several outlying communities in the County began as saw milling sites, or as station stops as the railroads were built through the area. Most communities became more focused on agriculture by the beginning of the twentieth century as lumbering declined.

3 Metropolitan Expansion - Increasingly the communities along USH 51 have grown toward each other, and today function as a contiguous metropolitan area. Through the years, Wausau has expanded, mostly to the west into Stettin, along STH 29, in part to establish the Wausau West Industrial Park. Formerly rural communities on the edge of Wausau, such as Rib Mountain and the Village of Weston, have rapidly urbanized during the last decade. Both communities have followed standard suburban development patterns, with major commercial and/or industrial growth as well as burgeoning residential development. Recent improvements to the STH 29 corridor have also spurred development in communities south of the City of Wausau; effectively shifting the center of the metropolitan area to the south and east. The Village of Weston in particular, with ample frontage and access on STH 29, is currently experiencing substantial development pressures. Rural Development - STH 29 has had a major impact on outlying communities as well. Road improvements have made it easier for residents to live in rural areas by providing an easy commute to job centers in the Wausau metro area. Thus, convenient access to the urban area has increased demand in many historically rural towns for scattered low-density residential development. Smaller villages in the County continue to function primarily as agricultural service centers, and many have retained viable commercial Main Street districts. A few, including Stratford, Spencer and Athens, have developed industrial parks, and others retain traditional industries such as cheese factories or creameries often integrated into the village commercial center. However, most major industrial and commercial activities remain concentrated in communities along the USH 51 and STH 29 corridors around the Wausau metro area. Existing Land Use For purposes of this report, existing land cover was used as a proxy for existing land use. This was done to achieve consistency in describing existing land uses throughout the County, since some local communities have adopted land use plans that use slightly different categories to describe land uses. Table 4-1 describes the various land use cover categories and Figure 4-1 illustrates the existing land cover pattern. As shown on Table 4-1, cropland and other agricultural related land uses are the predominant land use type in Marathon County, together accounting for over 42 percent of the total land area. This is followed by land uses classified as Woodlands and Water and Wetlands. Overall, the amount of land developed with residential, commercial or industrial land uses is relatively small. Of the developed land use types, residential land uses account for the vast majority of acreage, but still only represent about 4 percent of the land area in the entire County. It should be noted that the data in Table 4-1 was derived from aerial photography, which results in generalized information about the actual land use. Thus, some of the areas that appear as woodland may, in fact, consist of rural residential development. Still, while the Wausau metropolitan area continues to expand, it appears that Marathon County remains predominantly rural in character.

4 Table 4-1: Land Use Cover Classification, 2000 Land Cover Category Description Acres % of Total Land Area Single Family One family structures, farm residences, mobile homes 41, Residential Multi-Family Multiple family structures with three or more households, condos, duplexes, Residential apartments Commercial Retail stores, taverns, restaurants, truck stops, gas stations, farm coops, farm 4, Services implement dealerships, automobile dealerships, business offices, motels/hotels, offices, telephone/gas company Industrial Saw/paper/lumber mills, dairies, industrial parks, trucking operations, distribution 2, centers Quarries/Gravel Mining operations 2, Pits Cropland Tilled agriculture, prime farmland 352, Specialty Crops Ginseng, orchards, vineyards, nurseries, groves, cranberries, etc. 5, Other Agriculture Fallow, pasture and undetermined agriculture, power lines and towers, water towers, 99, municipal wells Public/Quasi- Schools, churches, cemeteries, town halls, fire departments, National Guard 1, Public Recreation Ball fields, golf courses, playgrounds, parks, trails, camp grounds, shooting ranges 2, Woodlands Forested land 384, Water and Open waters, such as lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, creeks, reservoirs, and wetland 28, Wetlands areas etc. Transportation Airports, highways, road right-of-ways, railroads, logging roads 32, Barren Land Unused open land in wooded areas, along streams, along roadsides 49, Total Land Area 1,009, Source: Marathon County Land Use Cover Database

5 Current Land Use Plans and Regulations The County does not have an adopted comprehensive plan or land use plan, per se, but has adopted numerous plans that have a bearing on land use and development. These are described in more detail under other sections of this comprehensive plan, but the major plans include: Land and Water Resource Management Plan (LWRMP) (2001, updated 2005) Farmland Preservation Plan (1982) Marathon County Forest 10-year Comprehensive Land Use Plan (1995) Marathon County Forest 15-Year Comprehensive Plan, (2006) Marathon County Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (1999) Wausau Urban Area Sewer Service Plan for the Year 2000 (1981) Major Amendment to the Wausau Sewer Service Area Boundary (1992,1998, 2006) Land Use Plan(s) While the County does not have a land use plan a few communities in the County have adopted land use plans or land use maps, as noted below in Table 4-2. All communities participating in this comprehensive planning process are in the process of developing or updating plans and the list of communities with land use plans shown in Table 4-2 reflects the status as of The County land use plan essentially consists of a patchwork quilt of local land use plans. Each local jurisdiction must make local land use decisions that are consistent with their own comprehensive plan. However, it is important to note that cities and villages may include areas in adjacent towns in their plans under extraterritorial jurisdiction. Therefore, planning for land uses along jurisdictional borders will require coordination and intergovernmental cooperation. Table 4-2: Land Use Plan Status Adopted Land Use Plan (date indicates most recent update) Village of Athens (1995) Berlin (2002) Frankfort (1998) Johnson (1997) Village of Kronenwetter (2000) Maine (1995) McMillan (1986) Rib Falls (2000) Rib Mountain (1998) Village of Rothschild (2000) Stettin (1998) City of Wausau (1983) Town of Wausau (2000) Adopted Land Use Plan Map Knowlton City of Mosinee Town of Mosinee Stratford Town of Weston Zoning Chapter 17 of the Marathon County Code is the zoning code, which also includes shoreland regulations. Local communities in Marathon County may adopt their own zoning code, adopt the County zoning code, or choose to have no zoning. Figure 4-2 and Table 4-3 identifies the status of zoning by municipality. Incorporated municipalities adopt and enforce their own zoning regulations. The County Board has authority to review and approve or deny zoning requests in those unincorporated towns that adopt County zoning. The County Board takes the local town s recommendations into account

6 when they take final action. While the County Board generally follows the recommendations of the local Town Board, they are not required to concur with the town s recommendations. However, towns have veto authority if the County Board approves a zoning amendment over the town s recommendation to deny. On the other hand, the County Board can deny a request that a town recommends for approval, in which case, the town has no recourse and the County Board decision is final. In towns with local zoning, the local officials adopt, administer, oversee, and ultimately enforce the town zoning code. However, as in towns with County zoning, the County Board has review authority over zoning ordinance amendments (map and text), however the County Board cannot approve an amendment if the town recommended denial. But, the County Board can deny an amendment that the town recommended for approval. In towns with County zoning, decisions regarding variances, conditional use permits, and the like are made by the County Board of Adjustments. In towns with local zoning, a local board of adjustment has authority over such requests. In unincorporated towns without any zoning, the County does not have any zoning review authority but is involved in land development through its role in land division/plat review, issuance of permits (e.g., septic systems) and shoreland regulations. While the County has jurisdiction over land division and shoreland regulations in all unincorporated areas, incorporated municipalities are responsible for adopting and enforcing subdivision and shoreland regulations within their jurisdiction. Land division and shoreland regulations are described in more detail below. Table 4-3: Zoning by Community County Zoning Town Zoning No Zoning Cities/Villages with own Zoning Brighton* Bevent Bern Abbotsford Day* Bergen Cleveland Athens Eau Pleine* Berlin Franzen Birnamwood Elderon Cassel Hamburg Brokaw Frankfort Easton Harrison Colby Green Valley Emmet Johnson Edgar Guenther Maine Norrie Elderon Halsey Mosinee* Fenwood Hewitt Plover Hatley Holton Rietbrock Kronenwetter Hull* Rib Mountain Marathon City Knowlton Ringle Marshfield Marathon* Stettin* Mosinee McMillan* Texas Rothschild Reid Wausau Schofield Rib Falls Weston Spencer Spencer Stratford Wien Unity Wausau Weston * Towns with Exclusive Agriculture Zoning The County zoning code identifies 16 zoning classifications and four overlay zoning districts. For each zoning classification the code identifies permitted uses, special exceptions, and height, yard, and area requirements. The zoning classifications include: RS-1/20 Single Family Residence RS-1/40 Single Family Residence

7 RS-2 Single Family Residence RM Multiple Family Residence RP Planned Development residence CV Conservancy RC Recreation A-1 and A-2 Agricultural A-3 and A-3M Exclusive Agriculture A-4 and A-4-M Agricultural Transition AR and AR/M Agricultural/Residential AE and AE/M Agricultural/Estate C-1 Commercial M-1 Light Industrial and Office M-2 Heavy Industrial UV Unincorporated Village HI Highway Corridor and Interchange Overlay FW, FF and GFP Floodplain Overlay SW Shoreland-Wetland Overlay WP Wellhead Protection Overlay Shoreland Zoning - Shoreland, shoreland wetlands, and floodplain regulations are applicable in all geographic areas of the County. Wisconsin law mandates counties to adopt and administer a zoning ordinance that regulates land use in shoreland/wetland and floodplain areas for the entire area of the county outside of villages and cities. This ordinance supersedes any town ordinance, unless a town ordinance is more restrictive. The shoreland/wetland and floodplain area covered under this zoning is the area that lies within 1,000 feet of a lake and within 300 feet of a navigable stream or to the land ward side of a floodplain, whichever distance is greater. Most of the development regulations are aimed at establishing buffers and minimizing runoff to protect water quality. While the County adopted and enforces shoreland regulations within Marathon County, the WDNR maintains oversight responsibilities to ensure compliance with State Statutes. Incorporated villages and cities are required to adopt and enforce their own shoreland zoning covering the same defined shoreland/wetland and floodplain areas described above. Land Division Regulations The County regulates the division of land in accordance with Chapter 18 of the Marathon County Code. The County s land division regulations apply in all unincorporated areas of the County. However, where a town has land division regulations that are more restrictive than the County s, the local regulations apply. Chapter 18 includes regulations for minimum lot sizes, street design and access requirements, land dedication, surface drainage and erosion control. The County also has permitting authority over private septic systems, which are addressed in Chapter 15 of the County Code. As with shoreland zoning, incorporated villages and cities adopt and enforce their own land division regulations. In addition to the development related regulations described above, Marathon County administers several programs aimed at preserving certain types of land use or resource. These include: Farmland Preservation Program The State of Wisconsin has a Farmland Preservation Tax Credit Program. The goals of the program are twofold: to preserve Wisconsin farmland by means of local land use planning and soil conservation practices and to provide property tax relief to farmland owners.

8 Landowners keeping land in agricultural use can claim a credit on their state income tax by obtaining a zoning certificate (if the land is zoned exclusive agriculture ) or by signing a contract with the State. The program requires that a landowner be a Wisconsin resident, own a minimum of 35 acres of contiguous land, and produce gross farm receipts of $6,000 or more in the last year, or $18,000 in the last three years. The income requirement can be satisfied with having 35 acres or more enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Landowners must also comply with County soil and water conservation standards. Contracts can range from 10 to 25 years, and remain in effect regardless of change in ownership. Figure 4-3 illustrates the eight towns in the County with Exclusive Agriculture zoning and parcels that are currently under farmland preservation contracts. Forest Crop Law (FCL) and Managed Forest Law (MFL) - In Wisconsin, over 2.6 million acres are enrolled under the FCL and the MFL programs. Because high taxes had encouraged the cutting of timber for revenue, the laws were developed to encourage better forest management and provide tax relief to woodland owners. Land set aside under the FCL (which was combined into the MFL in 1986) required at least 40 acres in one quarter-quarter section, set aside under a 25- or 50-year contract, and public access for hunting and fishing activities. Current contracts will continue until their expiration dates. This land is typically shown in plat books to identify locations. Land set aside under the FCL in Marathon County is often owned by forest products companies, although many individuals also own large enough parcels to participate. The MFL was enacted in 1985 and requires at least 10 acres of contiguous forest land. Because of the smaller acreage requirement, many individual landowners take advantage of the MFL. Landowners may close to the public up to 80 acres of their forest lands set aside under MFL. The remaining program acres must be open to public access for hunting, fishing, hiking, sight-seeing and cross-country skiing. Landowners must choose a 25- or 50-year contract. The landowner pays an Acreage Share Amount as part of their tax bill in lieu of taxes. Current rates through 2007 are $0.83 per acre for land open to the public and $1.95 per acre for closed land. Table 4-4 shows current estimates of land set aside under the FCL and MFL programs in the County, which in 2002 was over 77,300 acres. It is noted that information on MFL land is not readily available since landowners select various acreage amounts and may have both closed or open land. These acreage amounts do not correspond with parcel boundaries, and thus are not mapped. Since 1998, there has been a significant decrease (31%) in the amount of acreage enrolled in the FCL program. During the same period, acreage in MFL programs increased by 36.5 percent (open) and 47.6 percent (closed). Table 4-4: Land in Forest Preservation Programs (in acres), Marathon County, Forest Crop Law (FCL) Managed Forest Law (MFL) open Managed Forest Law (MFL) closed Year , , , , , ,847.6 Change -7,876 +5, ,169.1 % Change Source: Data compiled by local assessors with Municipal Board of Review

9 Development Trends Land Supply Land potentially available for future development (residential and non-residential) between 2000 and 2030 was estimated by the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (NCWRPC) based on the land cover categories shown in Table 4-1. Land categorized as barren, cropland, forestland, other agriculture, and specialty crop was considered available for future development. On the other hand, land categorized as already developed, such as industrial, or areas that cannot easily be developed, such as wetlands or waterways, were considered unavailable for future development. In Marathon County, 732,587 acres are identified as available for future development and 276,293 are considered unavailable. Some of this available land may be in public ownership, as shown in Table 4-5, thus making it unavailable. As shown below, most of the land in public ownership is under State jurisdiction. Much of the State-owned land is in the George W. Mead Wildlife Area, which covers about 20,000-acres. While the amount of State-owned land increased between 1998 and 2002, the amount of County-owned land has decreased slightly and Federal land ownership remained the same. Tax incentive programs such as Farmland Preservation and the FCL/MFL programs can also have a major effect on land uses. Because the tax laws require contracts ranging from 10-years to 50 years, these tax credit programs are another good indicator of land that is effectively kept from development for the near future. Table 4-5: Public Owned Land (in acres), Marathon County, County Owned State Owned Federal Owned Year , , , , Change % Change Source: Data compiled by local assessors with Municipal Board of Review As shown above, approximately 34,857 acres are currently in public ownership. In addition, there are over 77,300 acres currently enrolled in FCL/MFL programs. Enrollment in Farmland Preservation has not been quantified, but parcels are shown on Figure 4-3. Combined, it appears that at least 112,200 acres that are essentially unavailable for development, thus reducing the estimated amount of available acreage to about 640,400 acres. Land Demand An estimate of land needed for future residential development was based on projected acres needed for residential development in all individual municipalities in the County between 2000 and Municipal residential land needs were derived from WDOA household projections and the average density of dwelling units in each municipality. It is estimated that 14,035 acres of land will be needed to accommodate new residential development in the County through This reflects an average of 468 acres consumed per year for new residential development. It is noted that between 1990 and 2002, 7,491 residential sanitary permits were approved in Marathon County, which represents an average of 624 permits per year. While it appears the acreage estimate may be low relative to historical permit trends, it should be noted that a substantial share of new residential

10 development will likely occur in areas with public sewer and water at an average density of 2.5 to 3 units per acre. Land demand for future non-residential development (i.e., commercial, industrial) was based on projected changes in local employment estimated by the NCWRPC and the MPO (projections used in the Wausau Area LRTP Update). Future acreage needs were calculated by dividing the projected increase in employment by the current average density of 4.78 employees per acre in the County. It is noted that the average density of employees per acre varies widely throughout the County, with the urbanized Highway 51 sub-area having an average of 8.20 employees per acre and the rural areas having average densities as low as 2.94 employees per acre. It is estimated that 3,190 acres will be needed to accommodate new non-residential development in the County through This reflects an average of 106 acres consumed each year for commercial and industrial development. Land Values - Table 4-6 indicates the change in assessed land values between 1998 and 2002 for various types of land uses in Marathon County. Between 1998 and 2002 the value of Residential land increased slightly (5.6 %), land classified as Commercial decreased in value (-4%) and land classified as Manufacturing experienced a 34.4 percent increase in value. The categories with the highest value increases were Swamp &Waste Land and Forest, which increased 134 percent and almost 92 percent, respectively. Land classified as Agricultural experienced the greatest decrease in value per acre, decreasing an average of $170 per acre (47.6%). The Swamp and Waste classification also experienced the greatest increase in amount of land area, gaining almost 34,000 acres between 1998 and 2002, an increase of almost 75 percent. This is likely due to reclassification of land from other categories to Swamp and Waste. In particular, given the amount of land classified as Agriculture decreased by over 11 percent, it is likely that much of the decline was due to reclassification of unproductive agricultural lands to Swamp and Waste to better reflect its market value. It is also interesting to note that while the value of Commercial land decreased between 1998 and 2002, the amount of land in this classification increased by almost 39 percent. During this period, there was also a 21 percent increase in the amount of land classified as Residential. However, it should be noted that assessed values do not necessary fully reflect fair market values. While assessed values are based on assessment rates fair market value is based on comparable land sales in an area. As a result, while the assessed value of Agricultural land has declined over the past few years, the fair market value, particularly on the fringe of the Wausau metro area, has likely increased due to development of higher value scattered rural residential housing.

11 Table 4-6: Change in Per Acre Assessed Land Values (in dollars), Marathon County, Residential Commercial Manufacturing Agriculture Swamp & Waste Land Forest Acres Land Acres Land Acres Land Acres Land Acres Land Acres Land Year Only Only Only Only Only Only ,724 12,126 8,137 24,330 4,609 4, , , , ,767 12,801 11,262 23,363 4,587 5, , , , Change 9, , ,514-53, , , % Change Source: Data compiled by local assessors with Municipal Board of Review

12 Major Opportunities and Constraints Limited Development Authority Marathon County has limited authority over development since most land use decisions are made by local jurisdictions. This is particularly true in incorporated villages and cities. In towns that adopted County zoning, while the County has final decision authroity regarding zoning amendments, other development review decisions are generally left to the local municipality. In other areas, the County s primary role relative to development relates to issuance of various permits (e.g., private septic systems, driveway permits on County roads), enforcement of shoreland zoning and land division regulations, and administration of the various tax credit programs (e.g., farmland preservation, FCL/MFL). County Zoning About a third of the municipalities in the County adopted County zoning. As such, the regulations contained in the County zoning ordinance have a fairly broad impact on development throughout the County. While this provides for some consistency in development standards throughout the County, coordination with the zoning regulations in municipalities with their own zoning can be a challenge. Further, making revisions to the County zoning code requires a significant amount of intergovernmental cooperation, since a majority of municipalities with County zoning (currently 10) must concur with proposed revisions. Land Division Regulations The County s land division regulations and standards outlined in Chapter 18 of the County Code apply in all unincorporated areas. The County s land division regulations are considered the minimum standards and local municipalities can apply more restrictive regulations. Incorporated municipalities must adopt their own land division regulations and standards. As with zoning, the broad extent of the County s land division authority provides for some consistency in land division standards and procedures throughout the County. Issues Scattered Rural Development County residents place a high value on the rural character of the County. However, increasing residential development in rural areas and around the fringe of the Wausau metro area is altering the character of the County. In addition, as the number of residences in rural areas increases, the potential for conflicts with farm operations increases. Likewise, demand for services increases, which can strain limited local government budgets. To begin to address some of the impacts of rural development, the County may want to explore approaches such as conservation or cluster subdivision standards. Likewise some of the existing development standards may need to be reexamined to determine if they are effective at controlling scattered rural development. For example, the question of appropriate minimum lot size to protect against fragmentation of prime farmland is a concern of many local towns. Preserve Active Farming Changes in the agricultural economy are creating challenges for rural reas seeking to adapt to the changing economic environment and preserve their rural agricultural character and livelihood. The County s agricultural economy is in a depressed state due

13 to a downturn in prices for goods such as milk and ginseng. At the same time that prices for farm commodities are low, cash rents for farmland have increased, and the percentage of farm equity associated with real estate values have increased significantly. When farms are not profitable, and the value of land rises, farmers have a harder time competing for the land base and conversion to non-farm, primarily residential land uses is compelling. Existing tools intended to help preserve active farming, such as Exclusive Agriculture zoning may not provide sufficient incentives to guard against the fragmentation of farmland that occurs when farmland is converted to non-farm uses. As noted above, the County may want to reconsider minimum lot sizes in zoning districts intended primarily for agricultural uses. Land Use Coordination Not all municipalities in Marathon County use the same regulations for zoning and land division. While there may be many similarities between the various local regulations, coordination of land uses and development activities can be a challenge if adjacent municipalities have different regulations. Coordination of development along municipal borders is ultimately up to the affected municipalities, and tools, such as extra-territorial zoning and joint boundary agreements are intended to facilitate such coordination. Generally, the County does not play an active role in this coordination. However, it may be beneficial for the County to take a more active role, at least as a facilitator, in certain situations, particularly if the outcome of decisions could potentially impact County facilities (e.g., roads, parks) services or resources.

14 BERN HALSEY HAMBURG BERLIN HEWITT HARRISON EASTON PLOVER RINGLE NORRIE REID ELDERON BEVENT FRANZEN TEXAS MAINE HOLTON JOHNSON RIETBROCK RIB FALLS WAUSAU STETTIN WESTON FRANKFORT WIEN CASSEL BRIGHTON EAU PLEINE CLEVELAND EMMET SPENCER MC MILLAN DAY GREEN VALLEY MARATHON RIB MOUNTAIN HULL MOSINEE BERGEN KNOWLTON Single Family Residential Industrial Specialty Crops Recreation Transportation Multi-Family Residential Quarries/Gravel Pits Other Agriculture Woodlands Vacant/Barren Land Commercial Services Crop Land Public/Quasi-Public Water GUENTHER Map Developed by Marathon County CPZ & GIS 2005 Figure Landuse/Landcover MARATHON COUNTY

15 HOLTON ABBOTSFORD HULL COLBY UNITY BERN ATHENS JOHNSON FRANKFORT HALSEY RIETBROCK EDGAR WIEN FENWOOD HAMBURG BERLIN RIB FALLS STETTIN MARATHON CITY MARATHON CASSEL MAINE BROKAW RIB MOUNTAIN WAUSAU SCHOFIELD ROTHSCHILD TEXAS WAUSAU WESTON WESTON RINGLE HEWITT EASTON HARRISON PLOVER NORRIE HATLEY BRIGHTON SPENCER EAU PLEINE STRATFORD CLEVELAND EMMET MOSINEE MOSINEE KRONENWETTER REID ELDERON ELDERON SPENCER MARSHFIELD MC MILLAN DAY GREEN VALLEY BERGEN KNOWLTON GUENTHER BEVENT FRANZEN State & Us Highways County Roads Municipal Boundary Exclusive Ag Zoning Zoning Types County Town Municipal None N Map Developed by Marthon County CPZ & GIS 2005 Figure 4-2 Zoning Status MARATHON COUNY

16 BERN HALSEY HAMBURG BERLIN MAINE TEXAS HEWITT HARRISON HOLTON JOHNSON RIETBROCK RIB FALLS STETTIN WAUSAU EASTON PLOVER WESTON FRANKFORT WIEN CASSEL MARATHON RIB MOUNTAIN RINGLE NORRIE HULL BRIGHTON EAU PLEINE CLEVELAND EMMET MOSINEE REID ELDERON SPENCER MC MILLAN DAY GREEN VALLEY BERGEN KNOWLTON GUENTHER BEVENT FRANZEN Exclusive ag zoning Farmland pres contracts Figure 4-3 Exclusive Ag & Farmland Preservation MARATHON COUNTY Map Developed by Marathon County CPZ & GIS 2005