3 - Comprehensive Plan Discussion

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I ❑ Regulate boat canopies, boat lifts,and docks for the purpose of maintaining the natural appearance of the 2 shoreline. 3 ❑ Encourage design standards to ensure that new buildings fit in with and do not detract from the character 4 of the natural landscape and existing neighborhoods. 5 ❑ Establish shoreline preservation standards to limit clearing of vegetation along shorelines. Make the 6 issuance of permits contingent on meeting these standards. Start an education program to make people 7 aware that permits are needed for construction and landscaping along shorelines. 8 ❑ Enact a "night sky' ordinance to limit the amount and character of signs and lighting for rural and urban 9 areas within Pequot Lakes. 10 MID-TERM ACTIONS (1-5 YEARS : 11 ❑ Develop an integrated forest management plan for privately and publicly owned forests in Pequot Lakes 12 to ensure their long-term ecological and economic viability. Such a plan should address forest health 13 protection,and the management of timber,wildlife, hazard trees,street trees,resource preservation,and 14 forest recreation opportunities. 15 ❑ Establish 1000-foot natural buffers around rare plant and animal species, wildlife habitat, core or old 16 growth forest patches, lakes, wetlands, and streams. Within the buffers, maintain and improve native 17 vegetation and regulate future development. 18 ❑ Continue and improve the City recycling and litter management program. 19 ❑ Regulate and monitor landfills and buried storage tanks, especially in areas with high risk of groundwater 20 contamination. 21 ❑ Consider mandatory compliance inspections for all existing systems over a set period of time and establish 22 a record-keeping system for monitoring compliance. 23 ❑ Support the installation of a storm sewer system in the downtown area and other high density urban 24 areas. 25 ❑ Identify and protect wildlife corridors linking forest patches, using riparian systems when possible. 26 ❑ Decrease the amount of waste running directly into streams and lakes by supporting county officials and 27 other agencies in identifying and mitigating failing or substandard on-site septic systems, polluted wells, 28 livestock feed lots,and other agricultural operations. 29 ❑ In areas without municipal sewer, encourage new plats to seek alternative septic systems such as 30 waterless systems, grinder/pump systems and joint sewer treatment cooperatives. Provide information 31 on these alternatives to landowners/developers. 32 ❑ Pursue ecologically responsible alternatives to snow removal such as a salt-free winter road maintenance 33 policy. 34 ❑ Work with ATV and snowmobile clubs to consolidate and map trail systems that don't disrupt residential 35 or environmentally sensitive areas. 36 ❑ Encourage currently developed properties to reestablish natural buffers on lakes,wetlands, rivers, roads 37 and forests. 38 LONG-TERM ACTIONS (5 YEARS AND BEYOND): 39 ❑ Consider establishing a Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) and/or Transfer of Development Rights 40 (TDR) program to preserve natural areas and encourage higher-density, traditional resort and 41 neighborhood development in suitable building areas. Provide incentives to developers such as density 42 bonuses. 151 Page