Environmental factors and floodplains in Effingham discussed

Yahoo

18-02-2025

Effingham residents and officials discussed several ideas for improving the city's environs, developing areas, rural areas, agriculture protection and floodplains during the most recent Focus Group meeting. The suggestions made during the meeting will be brought up to the Steering Committee in early March.
The meeting for Effingham's 2050 Comprehensive Plan saw representation from the city, local farmers, Effingham County Farm Bureau, the Steering Committee, South Central FS and the city's Plan Commission.
Originally, the meeting included public and city utilities, but no public utility company representatives were there. Public Works Director Jeremy Heuerman was also absent.
According to the Comprehensive Plan Survey results, respondents believe Effingham best protects surface water, groundwater, forests and woodlands.
City Planner Greg Koester said people can build in floodplains, but several rules must be followed. Instead of developing residential areas there, ideas for turning them into recreational areas, conservation areas or nature trails were brought up.
Agri-tourism was another topic brought up, specifically Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Indiana. Fair Oaks Farms is a tourist attraction letting people see what dairy farm production looks like.
'If somebody comes up with something like Fair Oaks Farm or something like that, let the city know,' said Koester. 'Our tourism department will take and run with it and get the word out on it, promote visits to it. Promote visits to Effingham.'
Koester also mentioned how many businesses in the area are here because of agriculture businesses, such as South Central FS and The Equity.
Survey respondents were overall either neutral or supportive in the policies in place for environmental policies: better enforcement of existing laws and regulations, more regulations to protect agricultural lands, closer monitoring of private septic systems, increased regulations regarding the development near streams and rivers, and increased regulations on the use of pesticides and fertilizers.
There was little discussion about these topics, but Koester mentioned the different regulations when it came to pets.
Within the city limits, people may only own four cats and four dogs. Outside the city limits, there are no restrictions on what pets people may own and how many of them.
Steering Committee member Brian Hayes mentioned how each topic discussed at the Focus Group meetings is connected.
'I know the one meeting that was pretty well attended was annexation of the Lake Sara area,' said Steering Committee member Brian Hayes. 'It's just an interesting discussion, but the city has to look at it [like] if the city were to annex that, then they'd have to increase the fire protection, and then that's another building. Then they're already having trouble getting people just to go through the firemen training. It's interesting how it all snowballs, so I think that ties into not really looking to go out and expand, but there's a lot of growing pains that go along with that, so it's very calculated.'
Over 35 percent of survey respondents believe new residential development should be located anywhere there is a suitable site. About 19 percent said within or adjacent to existing city land; about 16 percent said as infill with the city; 14 percent believe it should be away from active farm operations; and another 14 percent believe it should be adjacent to the city but annexed in.
According to Koester, some requirements for zoning and subdivision limits require the city to have an official plan or a comprehensive plan.
Koester also says that there are some areas where the city doesn't expand out the entire mile and a half that they can because it's either too far out or there's multiple barriers to get through.
He believes residential development should be closer to the city where they can easily access water and sanitary sewer lines instead of having 'residential right around the lake and then you go a mile, half a mile north and put in a subdivision that's away from the rest of them. You should try to keep the residential progressing out from the core area, so to speak,' he said.
Some meeting attendees were worried about the future roundabout at 4th Street and Rickelman Avenue. Concerned farmers are worried that they won't be able to drive their tractors around it, but it is being designed to have semi trucks go around it. Koester said that if there's a piece of farm equipment that they're worried about not getting around it, reach out to the city.
The next Focus Group meeting will cover housing, residential development, the TIF district, the business districts and the enterprise zone. It is scheduled for Feb. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at Effingham City Hall.