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PLANNING REGION 1 <br /> • Planning Region 1 includes the cities of St. Cloud and Clear Lake as well as all or parts <br /> 9 9 P <br /> of Haven, Palmer, Clear Lake, and Santiago Townships. The Mississippi River and U.S. <br /> Highway 10 run along the flat portion of this region, while the northern portion is made <br /> up of rolling topography and large areas of prime farmland. <br /> Existing Open Space <br /> Planning Region 1 has the most agricultural land area of any region. In 1996, large <br /> areas of land were rezoned from the General Rural District to the Agricultural District. <br /> This was done mainly in an attempt to limit foreseen conflicts between residential <br /> development (as well as other urban uses) and agricultural operations. <br /> River Corridors <br /> Opportunities still exist for park and recreational uses along the Mississippi River within <br /> this region. The development restrictions that exist due to the "Wild and Scenic River" <br /> classification along the Mississippi River in Planning Region 1 have helped preserve this <br /> area. The county should work towards acquiring land along this corridor in order to <br /> provide access to the Mississippi River and its recreational resources. The areas with <br /> significant native plant communities should be considered as well as lands that can be <br /> easily accessed by future trails. A water access point between St. Cloud and Stickney's <br /> Landing on State Highway 24 should be considered. <br /> • Smaller rivers and streams in Planning Region 1 are not generally navigable. Many of <br /> these river / stream corridors are typically unsuited for farming because of flooding and <br /> generally being wooded. Where applicable, the county should consider preserving <br /> these areas for public use. <br /> Historical Areas <br /> There are several historical areas within Planning Region 1 that should be preserved. <br /> These areas could be accents along trailways or roadways and could be utilized with <br /> environmental education areas. <br /> Cooperation <br /> This planning region has several opportunities for collaborative park land preservation <br /> and development. The City of St. Cloud and the St. Cloud Planning Organization have <br /> already prepared a trail plan that identifies a portion of County Highway 8 as a route for <br /> a future trail. The State of Minnesota has several parcels of land along the river, as well <br /> as scientific natural areas where efforts could be combined to form a larger park area <br /> with minimum expense to the county. <br /> • <br /> SHERBURNE COUNTY PARKS, TRAILS & OPEN SPACE PLAN <br /> 11 <br />