|
GROWTH
AREA ELEMENT INTRODUCTION The purpose of this element is to identify those locations within Eagar where more intense growth is encouraged in order to promote the efficient use of existing and planned infrastructure and services. The Town welcomes commercial and employment development that is compatible with its rural environment and lifestyle and cultural and natural resources. The 2000 census showed that the demographics of Eagar changed during the decade of the 1990s. While the Town grew by only 8 people during the decade, the total number of housing units increased by 209 or 13.9% as shown on Table 5. The small population growth and conversely large increase in housing units is explained, in part, by examining the average household size (which declined from 3.45 to 2.99 during the decade.) In other words, the same number of people required more housing units. The vacant housing units (23% of the total) were divided among seasonal/second homes (43%), homes for sale (12%), homes for rent (24%) and other vacant (22%). Tables 6, 7, and 8 present a comparison of Eagar's population and housing units to its neighboring communities and Apache County. The number of housing units in Eagar is projected to increase in the future. Table 7 presents the increase in dwelling units anticipated for Eagar based on a continuation of the linear growth rate from 1990 to 2000. This shows that Eagar is expected to grow by 243 dwelling units or 14.2% during the first decade of 2000, similar to the town's 16.26% growth in the 1990s. Another indicator describing Eagar's growth is the age of the population. The median age of the population increased from 25.7 years old in 1990 to 33.1 years old in 2000. This factor indicates that more people living in Eagar may be retirees.
[Top] [Table
of Contents] Table 5
Source: US Census Bureau Table 6
*na: not available Source: US Census Bureau, 1990 Census. Table 7
Source: ESI Corp [Top] [Table
of Contents] Current development is mostly focused in areas where the natural resources and views are the most significant. These include the southwest area of Town, south of School Bus Road and around the golf course north of Central Avenue, west of 4th Avenue. Additional development is occurring on the eastside of Town, south of Central Avenue on the ridge. A new sewer line to the west will support some new development. While Eagar is the largest municipality in the county in terms of population, its economy is not as strong as other, smaller communities in the area. Measures such as retail sales tax revenue and employment show the Eagar economy is less active than its regional neighbors. Eagar's vision for the future involves capturing a larger proportion of the employment-generating activity in the region, thus providing its citizens quality employment opportunities. GROWTH AREAS Several areas within Eagar were identified as potential growth areas. While each of these areas are recommended to support different types of development, they share common factors determined by the Town to be important to growth areas. These factors are: access by a major street or state highway used by through or regional traffic, existing or planned infrastructure that can support more intense development, and an appropriate separation from the Little Colorado River floodplain. The growth areas are described below. The types of development appropriate to each are explained in Table 8: Main Street - Maintaining a small-town feel along Main Street is both a tourism draw and a point of pride for the community. The businesses along Main Street and the homes that immediately surround it help maintain a rural feel within the current commercial corridor for the community. It is important to maintain and encourage a broad mix of uses in this area including office, retail, cultural and residential. Through the state-sponsored Main Street Program, Eagar can tap into some of the resources needed to make Main Street a place where a diverse group of people will want to live, work, and play. West Side Industrial Area - The Little Colorado River floodplain is contained by a ridge on the north side of Central Avenue. Some employment uses already exist within this area. Development of employment uses within this area would enable the Town to encourage growth in an area already well served by transportation infrastructure (Central Avenue is also State Road 260 and the Springerville Airport is located to the north of this area). In addition, employment uses that may not be visually compatible with the low density, rural development patterns of the town would be hidden by the topography in this area. The area also contains the Little Colorado River, which opens up the potential for open space, trails and tourism activities. A commercial node, which could serve tourists entering the town from the west and employment uses in the industrial area, is recommended on the north side of SR 260 at its intersection with School Bus Road. Highway 180 Gateway- Highway 180 forms an important transportation corridor that brings tourists and regional shoppers into Eagar. In the long-term, improvements at the interchange of Highway 180 and Central Avenue will help improve traffic flow and direct it into Eagar. Currently, the Town operates a park on the east side of the road that may be the future home of parking and trailheads for residents and tourists. Development has historically been limited in this area because it is not served by the municipal wastewater system; however the potential for development could spur the construction of a treatment plant near the park. The effluent could then be used at the park or to develop a riparian area. [Top] [Table
of Contents] Table 8
[Top] [Table
of Contents] · Housing development is likely to continue. As
these requests for new projects are made, the [Top] [Table of Contents] GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES GOAL: OPTIMIZE TOWN INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING Objective: Concentrate infrastructure
development to take advantage of Objective: Offer incentives to businesses that
fit the Town’s development goals Objective: Protect existing and future business
locations from residential Objective: Enhance the development opportunities
within growth areas. Objective: Work with adjacent communities to
encourage more connectivity GOAL: PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES, OPEN SPACE, AND THEIR CONNECTIVITY
TO
Policy: Ensure that development south of the airport does
not impinge on [Top] [Table of Contents] |
|
Copyright © 2005 The Town of Eagar, Arizona |