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CHAPTER
I INTRODUCTION,
PURPOSE, AND SCOPE The character of Morton County continues to change
as we enter the 21st Century. During the last 60 years, the
County’s rural population has declined by approximately 40 percent. The
County’s largest city and County Seat, Mandan, has nearly tripled in
population during the same period. This shift from rural to urban is due in part
to advancements in farm technology, decreasing profitability of farming, and the
increasing diversification of the industrial and service sectors. Many city
residents have chosen to make their homes in the countryside near Mandan
resulting in rapid residential growth and multiple new subdivisions around the
city. Morton was one of only eight counties in the state that realized a net
increase in population between 1990 and 1997. Realizing that these trends will continue for some
time to come, the Morton County Planning Commission has taken upon itself the
task of preparing for this growth, in order to insure that it occurs in a manner
harmonious with the environment as well as the existing lifestyles of the
residents within the county. This comprehensive land use plan for Morton County
endeavors to identify existing and future areas of need or conflict regarding
land use and provides guidelines for effective resolution or prevention of such
conflicts. The Morton County Comprehensive Land Use Plan has
been developed under the supervision and authority of the Morton County Planning
and Zoning Commission and has been developed in compliance with Section 11-33-03
of the North Dakota Century Code. Section 11-33-03 stipulates that all zoning
regulations shall be made or revised to be in accordance with the comprehensive
plan. A comprehensive land use plan is a document
composed of goals, objectives policies, and recommendations for existing and
future development. The comprehensive land use plan does not in itself
serve as a legal document but as a comprehensive, long-range policy guide
for the development of the county as a whole. For the plan to be effective in
promoting proper management and planning of future growth and development, two
requirements must first be met: 1)
The goals and policies within the plan must represent the public's attitude
toward the future use of resources within the county. The Morton County Planning
Commission has met this requirement by sponsoring several public meetings in the
county at which residents identified what they believed to be the major goals,
problems or conflicts concerning land use.
2) A comprehensive land use plan must be consistent in thought with the
county's zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations. A comprehensive plan is
no more than a statement by the public about how growth and development should
occur in the future. The zoning ordinance and the subdivision regulations on the
other hand are mechanisms available to the County Planning Commission to insure
that growth does, in fact, occur in a manner consistent with the land use goals
identified in the comprehensive plan. Utilization and enforcement of the
ordinances within the county must be consistent with the goals of the
comprehensive plan. Only in that manner will implementation of the plan actually
occur. Proper implementation of the comprehensive land use plan through the use
of zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations will result in growth and
development occurring in rate, location or style which will not threaten the
health, safety, or general welfare of the public. This plan is intended to serve as a general guide for growth and development in Morton County. Background data such as, history, geography, economics, etc., serves as a very brief and general introduction to the County. The goals and objectives are based on citizen input and serve as the framework of the plan and illustrates how citizens of the county feel existing as well as anticipated growth and development should be handled. Policies are presented as rather specific measures for insuring realization of the goals and policies, as well as means for achieving plan consistency. The appendix section contains data which supports the text of the plan. |