Chapter 01. IntroductionINTRODUCTION
A comprehensive plan defines the vision, goals, and aspirations of a community's long-term
development. A strong plan can intricately shape land use and transportation patterns, develop ways
to conserve natural resources, and identify needs for housing, utilities, parks, and other community
facilities. These assessments then help the community make well-informed decisions on both public
and private infrastructure/facility investments for years to come.
The City of Scandia's 2040 Comprehensive Plan is the vision of the community in 2040. It
provides an overview of the City of Scandia, including historical context, existing and future land
use, water and nature features, public facilities, transportation, population, housing, and
employment trends and forecasts. The
Comprehensive Plan contains goals, ,,,, li„ 1-9'04
objectives and policies to guide public and
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redevelopment and preservation of all lands >fl„<� ,� ecvloilrally-nelrj
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implementation plan extending toward 2040. -P`y Community, c>,toi,h``'`
These elements have been developed in 1 i r.alw
conjunction with the City's tradition of '~
planning.
A. Purpose of the Plan
This Comprehensive Plan responds to the requirements of the Metropolitan Land Planning Act:
Minnesota Statutes, Section 473.859, and the Metropolitan Council's Thrive MSP 2040. The
plan is intended to guide future land use development, redevelopment, and other planning and
policy concerns for the City of Scandia.
B. Vision, Goals and Policies
1. Vision and Overarching Goals
As a guiding element of this Comprehensive Plan update, the Steering Committee and the
Mayor of Scandia develop the following vision statement:
Scandia is known for its distinctive character and history. The City's overall vision is to
maintain its rural character typified by the agricultural heritage and natural resources. In
2040, Scandia has an economically vibrant village center, which is home to a diverse
population that is surrounded by mix of natural resource and agricultural areas intermixed
with rural residential and lakeshore neighborhoods. As new development is proposed, the
emphasis will remain on the protection of rural, agricultural and natural resources.
The following four overarching goals for the City of Scandia expanded upon the above vision
and further guided the preparation of this Comprehensive Plan update:
Maintain and promote the City's cultural character and history.
Scandia includes several historical structures. The Gammelgarden museum in the Village
Center attracts people to learn about Minnesota history and Swedish immigration to
Minnesota. Rural buildings and sites endowed with Scandia's history and identity are
preserved or incorporated into development and redevelopment while protecting their
historic integrity, and family farms can still be found within the City.
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• Maintain and promote a variety of land uses and residential densities while
maintaining Scandia's existing agricultural and rural character.
Scandia has diverse land uses emphasizing its rural nature and natural landscape,
including agriculture, large lot and clustered rural residential housing, wooded areas,
scenic areas and open spaces, and recreational areas. The village center provides a
variety of housing types with community -scale commercial and industrial uses.
Agricultural uses in Scandia include traditional commodity production, smaller farms
devoted to local markets, and hobby farms. The mix of land uses in different parts of the
City changes with the geography, and is preserved and maintained by sound, intentional
land use policies.
• Preserve and protect the City's natural resources.
Scandia is home to several high quality natural areas, lakes and the St. Croix River. The
City's parks, trails, open space and recreation system preserves rural character and
protects natural beauty while offering opportunities for healthy lifestyles and recognizes
the City's history. Sensitivity to the City's green infrastructure — trails, green corridors,
natural areas and systems, surface and groundwater systems, scenic vistas, and night
skies — will continue to be a priority for all development and infrastructure
improvements. Periodic review of City ordinances to ensure development occurs with
adequate protection of sensitive areas is part of the City's commitment to preserve and
protect valuable natural resources.
Provide economic opportunities for residents and businesses.
Economic opportunities in the City continue to evolve. The City will seek solutions to
create economic opportunities for employment in Scandia and to provide needed services
for Scandia's residents. The number of residents who are self-employed or work from
home will continue to increase. The nature of agriculture will change with a transition
from traditional commodities to smaller, more specialized agricultural operations serving
exclusively local markets.
2. Specific Goals and Policies
Goals and policies are official statements that provide the basis for development and
redevelopment strategies. Goals identify various objectives of the city in managing future
growth and protecting natural resources. Policies represent the official position of the city
with respect to implementation of goals. The general goals for each of the plan elements are
listed below. These goals and the corresponding policies are also included at the beginning
of their respective chapters.
Land Use
1) Preserve the rural, agricultural character of Scandia through zoning regulations,
ordinances, and site design standards
2) Manage land use to prevent the premature demand for extension of urban services
and in ways that allow existing service levels to meet service needs.
3) Ensure a variety of lot sizes to create affordable development opportunities to best
meet the needs of residents and businesses in Scandia.
4) Ensure agricultural uses are part of the community as a viable long-term land use.
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5)
Allow for the safe and orderly extraction of aggregate resources now and in the
future while protecting sensitive resources on or near those properties and providing
for transitions to other uses when resource extraction is complete
Natural
Resources
1)
Protect natural resources and look for opportunities to connect large areas of open
space
2)
Preserve high quality natural areas
3)
Eliminate, reduce or mitigate the negative effects of invasive species on natural areas
4)
Recognize and enhance publicly owned lands and improve public access to such
lands where appropriate.
5)
Work with property owners to protect and preserve native, endangered, threatened
and unique plants and animals on privately owned land.
Resilience
1)
Encourage the use of renewable, local and diverse forms of energy in order to
increase use of local resources, mitigate the local risk from fossil fuel scarcity and
price increases, and help meet Minnesota's climate protection goals.
2)
Encourage energy efficient housing that exceeds the minimum efficiency levels
required in the State building codes
3)
Review the goals of the Minnesota GreenStep Cities Program. Implement GreenStep
Cities Best Practices as appropriate
Economic
Competitiveness
1)
Concentrate on retaining and expanding local businesses in and around the Village
Center and existing Rural Commercial districts.
2)
Actively support the retention and expansion of Scandia community -scale
agricultural operations
3)
Encourage home-based entrepreneurs and businesses
4)
Expand access to internet services throughout the entire City.
Housing
1)
Support a variety of housing types and densities for residential uses in and
surrounding the Village Center and other areas where appropriate.
2)
Expand life -cycle housing opportunities for residents at all points of life.
3)
Encourage a range of housing choices that fit with the character of the community
Parks and Trails
1)
Develop an effective planning approach to developing and maintaining parks and
recreation areas and constructing and maintaining trails and routes to meet the needs
of City residents.
2)
Develop a close working relationship with other agencies and groups to enhance the
parks and recreation facilities and develop trails and routes in the City.
3)
Support a network of parks and trails to provide community -wide connections to
serve the health and welfare of the City's residents.
4)
Use park search areas and recreational facilities search areas and other natural
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resource information to guide and encourage park acquisition donations and potential
site acquisitions when property becomes available.
Transportation
1) As new development or redevelopment occurs, provide an integrated, internally -
connected, efficient street system connecting village and higher density
neighborhoods to the Village Center.
2) Establish context -sensitive roadway design standards that will protect the narrow and
heavily wooded character of identified low -traffic roadways.
3) Maintain Scandia's system of local roadways that is well coordinated with MN DOT
and Washington County roadways.
4) Encourage the use of non -automotive modes of transportation.
5) Support the development of regional and local transit options.
6) Preserve the safety of regional air traffic
Water Resources
1) Preserve and protect the quantity and quality of surface water and groundwater.
2) Improve stormwater management and land stewardship practices.
3) Protect the natural and scenic resources of the St. Croix River Corridor, both within
and adjacent to the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.
4) Ensure financial and environmental accountability for installation, maintenance,
remediation, and management of any permitted private wastewater system.
C. Background/History of the Community
1. History of the City
The City of Scandia is the site of the first Swedish settlement in Minnesota. Swedish
settlers Carl A. Fernstrom, Oscar Roos, and August Sandahl, arrived by boat at the Log
House Landing on the St Croix River in 1850. They hiked to their homesteads from the St
Croix & established a farm near Hay Lake. A monument inscribed with the names of the
first settlers stands near the site of the original log house, at Hay Lake Historic Corner,
about a mile -and -a -half south of the Scandia Village Center.
Many of the subsequent immigrants, a majority of them Swedish, settled in the area in the
1850's, among them Nels Johan Johnson. Johnson was instrumental in the founding of
what is now Scandia. According to Anna Engquist's book, Scandia Then and Now, another
early settler was Olof Olin who came from the province of Medelpad, Sweden. When Olin
arrived, he purchased land that comprised what became the original town of Scandia. Olin
would eventually go on to donate the land for Elim Church and cemetery in 1860, as well
as other locations spread throughout the city. Scandia would eventually grow to incorporate
other neighboring communities such as Copas (originally named Vasa) and Otisville. Now
marked only by a cluster of homes and the memories of older citizens.
The communities of Copas and Otisville formed close to the river but did not last as
permanent villages. Otisville, the community that grew up around the Log House Landing
in the 1850s was named after Henry Otis, a Civil War veteran and the son of Benjamin Otis
and a Native American mother. During the summer he lived in a small cabin on the river
across from Log House Landing. The log house at Log House Landing served as a public
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house during the years of Swedish immigration. From 1912 to the present it has been a
private residence.
Copas grew up just southwest of Otisville. The larger of the two settlements, it was the site
of more commercial development. It lay alongside the railroad tracks, just west of what is
now Highway 95 and once housed a lumberyard, hardware store, mill and elevator, and
potato warehouse, as well as the train station.
Elim Lutheran Church, founded May 19, 1854, was the most significant force in the
community, to the point that outsiders found it hard to see where the church ended, and the
community began. As the State of Minnesota grew, it had relatively little impact on
Scandia in either a social or a cultural sense. Not until the 1930s did Scandia gradually
allow English to take over as the dominant language instead of Swedish.
Starting in 1857 well into the twentieth century, Scandia was home to six schools which
were reflective of the small communities that grew up in what is today's Scandia. A
number of these communities still identify as unique neighborhoods within the city. In the
northwest part of Scandia was Bone Lake School founded in 1860. The Tin Box or
Sunnyside School founded in 1866 was on the border of Washington and Chisago
Counties. Goose Lake School founded in 1858 was in the northern part of today's Village
Center. Copas/Vasa School was founded in 1874 in the hamlet of Copas. Hay Lake School
founded in 1857 was just south of where the Swedish monument stands. Big Lake School
founded in 1877 was on the western side of Scandia. The Copas/Vasa School building still
stands, now as a retail gift shop. The Hay Lake School is today a Washington County
Historical Society museum.
As Scandia moved from strictly rural to semi -rural, the city changed. Due to the
Depression, banking moved out of Scandia. Over the years schools were consolidated so
countryside schools were closed. Farms increased in size as industrialized farming took
over, and better roads and state highways replaced the railroad, which eliminated the need
for the station in Copas. As automobiles improved and became common, Scandia residents
began to work jobs in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, and metropolitan residents moved
to Scandia in search of country living.
The formal government of Scandia was first formed in 1893 when New Scandia Township
was organized as a separate entity from Marine Township. Led by an elected town board of
supervisors, and eventually commission, the township remained in control until 1972 when
Scandia adopted the Washington County zoning code by reference. The County retained
final authority in zoning and subdivision matters after review by the Township Planning
Commission and Board until 1998 when the County required townships to provide their
own building inspections.
As a township, Scandia was vulnerable to annexation by surrounding cities and could not
control land use to the extent the town desired. On January 1, 2007, New Scandia
Township was incorporated as the City of Scandia. The first meeting of the new City
Council was held on January 2, 2007. The City of Scandia adopted its first Comprehensive
Plan on March 17, 2009.
2. Notable features and character of the community
Scandia is known for its rural setting and history. The historic village center remains,
including Elim Lutheran Church. The Scandia Community Center and the Gammelgarden
Museum are the centers of social community activities. Gammelgarden attracts people to
learn about Minnesota history and enjoy Swedish immigrant culture. Structures in the
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village are recognizable from old photos, and family farms can still be found within the
city. Rural commercial centers marking the sites of historic settlements still exist at Copas
on Highway 95 and near the Big Lake community on County Road 15.
3. Natural resources and geographic features
Scandia is home to several lakes and high quality wetlands. The St. Croix River runs along
the east boundary of the City. Scandia also includes many areas of prime agricultural land.
D. Process
Descriptive data about the City of Scandia was gathered through a variety of sources. These
data identified community assets, weaknesses, values, goals, and basic demographics of the
City.
• A series of public meetings and open houses was held between January 2017 and June
2018 to review the various issues addressed within the Comprehensive Plan.
A survey was mailed to each household in the summer of 2017. The survey was also
available in online. The survey was partially funded by the Statewide Health
Improvement Partnership through a grant that was given to investigate and improve the
access to healthy food in the area. Questions in the survey asked basic demographic data
of the respondent, community assets and weaknesses, visions for the future, food access,
and investment priorities. Approximately 391 responses were collected, accounting for
about 20% of households in Scandia. Survey responses are provided in Appendix A.
• An interactive website was developed and remained active from January 2017 to
December 2018. Residents could view the previous 2030 land use plan and stay informed
about all public meetings and events regarding the comprehensive plan. All material from
steering committee meetings, open houses and Planning Commission discussions were
provided online.
• A steering committee was formed to inform the overall comprehensive process, engage a
full spectrum of the community from youth to seniors, and guide policy goals and
recommendations. The committee was comprised of key community leaders from public,
private, and government spheres. The committee met three times throughout the
comprehensive planning process.
Three focus groups were held in June 2017 to gain perspectives and gather information
and insights from key stakeholders in the community. One group consisted of residents
who were 55 years old or older, another group represented businesses and the agricultural
community in Scandia, and the third consisted of students from Scandia Elementary
School. The format for each of the three groups was the same; the moderator asked
questions about the positive aspects of the City of Scandia, what the community is
missing, and what you would like to see in the city in 20 years. Focus groups also
brainstormed "big ideas" for the city, or what would you do in Scandia if there were no
restrictions. These results are summarized in Appendix B.
• Information about the Goals, Policies, and Recommendations section came from previous
comprehensive plans, the 2017 survey, Commission/Steering Committee Discussions,
public hearings, and review by adjacent communities and the Metropolitan Council.
E. Regional Setting
Scandia is located on roughly 39.7 square miles (25,425 acres) in Washington County. It is
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served by four A-minor arterial roads, TH 97, TH 95, CSAH 3, and CSAH 15; one major
collector, CSAH 1; and three minor collectors, CR 15A, CR 52, and CR 50/192nd Street. The
city neighbors Forest Lake, Hugo, May Township, and Marine on St. Croix within Washington
County, Chisago Lake Township and Franconia Township to the north in Chisago County, and
Farmington Township across the St. Croix River in Wisconsin.
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