This blog post is the second part in identifying why density is important in land use matters. This post will further explain the situation and particularly how it can assist in water quality. The first post may be found here.
Accommodating population growth requires housing. Population and housing are intertwined and each affected by three key factors. First is native population (births, and deaths); second, is in and out migration; and third is the how the population is housed. For example, the state average in persons per household (number of persons living in a house, or apartment) is 2.39, but Vilas County has a persons per household of about 1.97. As persons per household decreases, more housing units are needed to accommodate the same population. With more in-migration even more housing is required to accommodate that increase in population. Vilas County has significant second and even third home options, which also significantly affects land use and development. The county population swells to over 105,000 (2007 figure) persons in the summer months, putting additional pressure on resources beyond the year-round county population. Vilas County has a population older than the state population, as its growth has been driven by retirees who have chosen to make their primary residence among the trees, lakes and wildlife that create the Northwoods landscape. Combined with the cultural features that have been influenced by the natural features, the natural and cultural are intertwined forming a unique Northwoods experience. Many of the older lake developments have homes that are as close or closer than homes in suburban subdivisions, and hence an increase in density would not negatively affect the character of the community set by the original lakefront home construction.
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| Shannon Lake, Undeveloped lake shore |
Additionally, by using a more compact development pattern forest fragmentation becomes less noticeable, and the forests, water features, and wildlife are less affected. A reduction in forest fragmentation leads to healthier forest, and a healthy forest helps with maintaining water quality. Much has been written about the effects of forest fragmentation on the natural ecosystem of the Northwoods, so I will not repeat it here, but compact development, properly accomplished, can assist in limiting forest fragmentation and in that sense help retain that Northwoods experience.
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| Nudist Lake, four homes on this lake. Along with Shannon Lake gives and idea of what is valued in the Northwoods |
In an ironic twist, we often develop that which we prize most. In that way, the land and water, which are the focus of that Northwoods experience, and so highly valued, are slowly taken away not to be recognized by future generations, except by place names borrowing from that which was destroyed. With proper resource-based planning, using compact development, and development that is at a higher density than the norm, we can achieve the three main preservation measures that are laid out by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its online document “Protecting Water Resources with Higher-Density Development.” (Available at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014-03/documents/protect_water_higher_density1.pdf)
1. Preserve large, continuous areas of absorbent open space;
2. Preserve critical ecological areas, such as wetlands, floodplains, and riparian corridors; and
3. Minimize overall land disturbance and impervious surface associated with development. (see p. 4)
Add the accrued benefits of avoiding fragmentation of the forest, and you have four critical components which density can better manage, and better maintain the Northwoods culture.
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| Northwoods Scene along County B |
What is critical to our water resources, the lake, wetlands, and stream health, is to limit the percent of impervious surfaces in the watershed. Generally speaking, once the watershed is about 10% developed water quality starts to decline. Compact development limits the amount of development in the watershed and thus can assist in water quality protection. As noted by the EPA, “Minimizing land disturbance and impervious cover is critical to maintaining watershed health. The amount of land that is converted, or ‘disturbed,’ from undeveloped uses, such as forests and meadows, to developed uses, such as lawns and playing fields, significantly affects watershed health.” (p. 6) The EPA modeled compact, dense development and found its benefits to water quality over that of low density sprawl. A development that assists in limiting water quality degradation will also assist in limiting forest fragmentation, and maintaining the Northwoods experience.
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| Shannon Lake |
This past October my wife and I visited the Northwoods, and I was dismayed to see the condition of some of the lakes--algae floating on top of otherwise clear water with a nice sand base. I am not sure if it was blue-green algae, but it did not look inviting. As water quality problems common to the southern part of the state creep north, new ways of thinking to maintain the resources and what is valued of the Northwoods is crucial.
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| Part of Lost Lake, showing structures (look close) |
However, this type of model requires community input into what its values are. No plan can succeed without properly identifying the community values, as expressed by the varied stakeholders. To identify and promote goals, objectives and policies to implement those values requires balancing the varied opinions of the stakeholders. Part of it is education, people need to know the effects of development on what they value, and what the alternatives are to that situation.
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| Foggy Morning at Lost Lake |
A higher density may also require a different way of thinking in terms of construction. One example is waste water management. As density increases the single septic system for each individual house becomes problematic, and I suspect is not the best method for lake front lots. The technology for community systems exists, it is a matter of proper planning and application.
The Covid-19 pandemic coupled with retirements of the large baby boom population cohort, provides an almost perfect storm to challenge rural areas of Wisconsin, by increasing development pressures. I find it doubtful that the Northwoods can be retained without some level of intervention by better and more advanced planning. Some Northwoods counties saw growth well above the state average. For example, Vilas County saw a 7.1% population increase between the 2010 and 2020 census, while adjoining Oneida was at 5.1% and Iron County at 3.7%. This points to the confluence of the unique natural and cultural features that draw the population to north central Wisconsin. The Northwoods is a desirable location, the key is to keep it that way - this can be accomplished only through proper planning.
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| View from Timm's Hill, (Ogema, Price County) which shows Character of the Northwoods |
People have different beliefs, experiences and memories which have formed their values. The task of a planner is to take those varied values and find common ground. But it is crucial to do so within the confines of what is valued, and the resources available. The limitations of our resources need to be recognized. The built environment is an interplay between the population, its social relations, and its values. Development is an expression of what is valued, and it is time to think of a new and better form of development for the Northwoods. Good planning depends upon an informed citizenry willing to make the choices to advance growth options that can better protect the area's resources, and in so doing the Northwoods experience.
Density matters, and perhaps a more dense, compact model is a method to be employed in balancing the varied concerns that exist in the Northwoods. I think all will agree on what is valued in the Northwoods. What is important is finding a model to deal with the varied degrees of opinion within the overarching priority of that which is valued. It is hard to say no to development, particularly in trying economic times, hence the importance of a new model, or development paradigm, that can balance varied concerns. In my opinion, it is time to think differently about development in the Northwoods and that a new way of thinking about density can have more positive effects than current development methods. The Northwoods has a limited carrying capacity, and for the sake of what is valued, the limitations have to be recognized. This is why density matters.
The first two post in this series was about how density matters to protect our resources. This post is the last part about. However, two more posts will occur. The third will be about Seaside, FL, a development that helped create the trend for walkable neighborhoods. In the final post I will use my meager abilities to lay out a couple ideas for how part of Lost Lake shore line development could be reimagined.
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