Town of Farmington Visioning Workshop
Turner Hall
6:30 – 9:30 P.M
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Welcome, Overview, Introductions
Ground Rules
Format
We will be asking questions; you will be answering them
Working individually, in small groups, and in large groups
Interested in the views of those who live here and those who own property here
Our expectations are that everyone here is interested in sharing their thoughts on land use in the Town of Farmington and, more importantly, in listening to what others think about land use, and in discussing those thoughts in a way that is respectful of one another.
We expect there will be disagreement. If you disagree with something someone says, your response will be to state why you disagree. Disagreement on the issues is expected. If the disagreement becomes personal, we will warn you. If the disagreement continues to be personal, we may ask you to leave. We expect politeness and respect.
No scheduled breaks. When you need to take a break, please do so.
Welcoming Exercise
Pair up with someone else at your table. If you are with your spouse, find someone else. Each pair interviews each other asking the following:
Refer to Chart
What is your name?
What is, or was, your occupation?
Describe land use in the Town of Farmington in five words or less. It can be a sentence or a group of words.
Beginning with the 1960’s, what was the decade in which you first lived in the Town of Farmington, or if you own property in the town but don’t live here, what was the decade in which you first bought property in the Town of Farmington?
You will have 45 seconds to introduce the person you interviewed to the rest of the group.
Review of Agenda
What is the existing land use pattern in the Town of Farmington?
What will the future land use pattern be in the Town of Farmington?
What process should be used to discuss and determine future land use in the Town of Farmington?
Develop draft vision sentences for the Town of Farmington that describe where we have been, where we are, where we would like to go, and how we are going to get there.
What Is The Existing Land Use Pattern?
Definitions
Define each of the following terms.
First work on your own for five minutes. Then work with your group for ten minutes to come up with a group definition. We will put the group definitions on the note pad and share them with the other groups.
Rural character
Agriculture
Rural residential
Land that should be preserved
Small-town feel
Quiet country living
Land Use through the Decades
Do this with your group for fifteen minutes.
Imagine that you are looking at an air photo of the Town of Farmington from the 1960’s. Describe the land uses you see on the air photo (agricultural, residential, woodlands, wetlands, commercial, institutional) and the pattern they create. For example, are there lots of small farms or a few large farms? Are the homes that are not part of a farm located on large lots or small lots? Are they near a natural resource like a lake or river or woodlands? Repeat the process for the 70’s, the 80’s, and the 90’s, noting the changes that occurred over the last forty years.
Please, no discussion of whether or not the changes are good or bad.
We will share the descriptions of, and changes in, Land Use through the Decades with the other groups and record them on the note pad.
Description of Existing Land Use
Write a few sentences or a paragraph or two that describes the existing land uses. Do this on your own for five minutes and then work with your group for ten minutes to come up with a group description of the existing land uses in the Town of Farmington. We will share the Descriptions of Existing Land Use with the other groups and record them on the note pad.
What Will The Future Land Use Pattern Be In The Town Of Farmington?
It’s 2025. Once again you’re looking at an air photo of the Town of Farmington. Based on what you think the future land use pattern will be, describe the characteristics for each of the following land use categories.
Agricultural
Size
Number
Type (dairy, beef, hog, chicken, crop)
Location
Residential
Lot size
Conventional Subdivision
Cluster subdivision
Type
Location
Commercial
Type
Location
Industrial
Type
Location
Environmentally Sensitive Areas
Type
Location
First work on your own for five minutes. Then work with your group for thirty minutes to come up with a group description for each land use category. We will put the group definitions on the note pad and share them with the other group.
What Process Should Be Used To Discuss And Determine Future Land Use?
Ordinances
Plan Commission
Town Board
From your perspective:
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the process?
How can you build on the strengths?
How can you address the weaknesses?
Discuss the answers to these questions in your group for ten minutes. We’ll then ask each group to share the answers with the other groups.
Develop Vision Sentences
Using what you see on the sheets on the wall, draft sentences or paragraphs that:
Describe the existing land use pattern in the Town of Farmington
Describes the future land use pattern in the Town of Farmington
Describes the process that is used to discuss and determine future land use in the Town of Farmington.
We will collect your vision sentences and paragraphs and develop a draft of a vision statement that reflects your vision sentences and paragraphs.
The draft of the Vision Statement will be presented to and reviewed by the Land Use Plan Committee, the Plan Commission, and the Town Board.
Final Comments
Purpose of the Questionnaire
Land Use Mapping Workshop (Wednesday, April 6 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Turner Hall)
Review existing land use maps
Create individual future land use maps
Create group future land use maps