Menu
Community analysis shows McCook's industrial, public lands to be 'excessive'
McCOOK, Nebraska -- A community analysis recently completed indicates McCook has an excessive amount of land within city limits, yet falls short of acreage devoted to residential neighborhoods.
The land use analysis states McCook has more than 820 acres of additional land than the typical city its size, when compared to national planning standards.
"By comparison, McCook would need an additional 107 acres of multifamily acreas to meet the recommended national standards," according to the proposed City of McCook Comprehensive Plan drafted by community planning firm Hanna:Keelan Associates.
The comp plan was compiled with direction from the McCook Planning Commission and a committee appointed by Mayor Dennis Berry. City staff has scheduled a public hearing Monday evening, 5:15 p.m. at the McCook Municipal Center, to review the proposed plan and seek approval from the planning commission.
According to the comp plan, the total area included within corporate limits of McCook in 2013 is approximately 3,500 acres, or 45.7 acres per 100 persons.
Of that only 660 acres of land is occupied for residential uses.
Land use categories with excess acreage include parks, public/quasi-public, industrial and vacant properties.
Parks comprise 295 acres and public/quasi-public land totals 436 acres. A large percentage of public land uses are a result of the county fairgrounds and airport being located within corporate city limits, according to the comprehensive plan.
The amount of land occupied by industrial uses totals 247 acres and exceeds planning standards significantly. Commercial land use is listed as slightly higher than national planning standards.
Industrial property is calculated to be in excess by 40 percent of the national standards without including vacant land planned and zoned for industrial uses.
"The city is particularly underdeveloped in terms of multifamily housing, but also is in need of additional single family dwellings to expand its population base and meed the needs of the local workforce. McCook should strive to double the amount of acres devoted to multifamily housing."
The plan finds ample land areas designated for future industrial and commercial use, recommending future automotive-oriented commercial uses be focused along U.S. Highway 6/34 and 83, and personal services and retail outlets recommended to remain downtown.
"The community currently has a sufficient amount of park and recreation land, based on modern community planning standards," according to the comprehensive plan, which recommends future park development to focus on maintenance and extension of hiking and biking trail systems from the Kelley Creek corridor into other residential growth areas.
The land use portion of the comp plan also calls for correcting development barriers in McCook that prohibit intensive agricultural uses, such as feedlot operations, from developing or expanding within the two-mile planning jurisdiction.
The land use portion is only one of several areas covered by the comp plan, which features an extensive analysis of the current state of the community and goes as far as recapping soil conditions, while recommending strategies to be implemented over the next 10 years. Among the areas covered are land use, public facilities and transportation, economic and community development and other supportive components.
The planning jurisdiction for the comp plan is land within city limits and the two extraterritorial jurisdiction.
According to city staff the plan will be the foundation for new zoning and subdivision regulation ordinances that will be proposed in October by the Planning Commission.
Goals of the plan are long-term in nature and will be active throughout the planning period 2013-2023.
According to the comp plan more than 1000 acres of vacant land exist within city limits with 40 percent of it estimated to be developable. Maximizing development of those vacant parcels is listed as the first action step needed to reverse McCook's shrinking population trend. The second step is designating 149 acres for future residential development by 2023.
Three targeted areas for residential development are listed by the comp plan. The first area is located west of McCook, north of Heritage Hills Golf Course. The second area is located north to northwest of McCook, generally located east of U.S. Highway 83 and from Q Street, between west 10th to West 16th to the Prairie View and Park View subdivisions. Third targeted area for future residential development is north of Community Hospital, between East 11th and the airport.
The areas are identified as being chosen primarily due to their proximity to existing water and sewer mains.
The plan calls for implementing a housing development initiative that would include 279 new housing units by 2023, 147 of which would be owner housing units and 132 would be new rental units. Such development is estimated to add $51 million to the McCook property tax base.
The housing initiative would be accomplished through support of MEDC; implementing an Employer's Housing Assistance Program and initiating a residential care program to assist with elderly housing needs; promoting new housing developments; and rehabilitating existing owner and rental housing stock.
The comprehensive plan lists goals and action steps related to improvements to the local school and street systems, as well as public facilities and several other areas.
To enhance the image of a "Regional Hub," the Community of McCook will need to esablish a plan of action for improving, modernizing and enhancing shopping and employment opportunities, according to the comp plan.
The comp plan identifies nine McCook residential neighborhoods, each unique for their eras of construction, geographic features and established borders. Each neighborhood has a portion located within a designated redevelopment area to provide access to Tax Increment Financing as an incentive to make improvements and provides development priorities.
If the plan receives commission approval Monday evening it will be scheduled for another public hearing during a Sept. 16 McCook City Council meeting.