Interim Land Use Plan for USH 53 Corridor

 

Introduction

Eau Claire County has not formally updated the Eau Claire County Land Use Plan since it was adopted in 1979, although several towns including the towns of Seymour and Washington prepared updates in 1989.  In that 27 year time span, there has been a lot of change, and one of the most significant changes that was not envisioned when it was originally adopted was the construction of the new USH 53 corridor. 

It is common for development pressure to emerge around a road construction project like this and it is in the best interests of local units of government having jurisdiction in these areas to plan for the orderly development of these areas.  Eau Claire County and all other jurisdictions in the county will begin working on a multi-jurisdictional comprehensive planning project in the next couple of months that will include this area; the towns of Seymour and Washington and the City of Altoona will directly participate by preparing plans under the project and the City of Eau Claire will be a cooperative partner.  However, with completion of the highway expected later this year, the Eau Claire County Committee on Planning and Development concluded that it was necessary to develop an up-to-date interim plan to guide development along this highway corridor while comprehensive plans are being prepared.  This report presents the interim plan for this area.

Study Areas

This plan focuses on the segment of the USH 53 corridor that lies within the Town of Seymour in Eau Claire County where Eau Claire County enforces the Eau Claire County Zoning Ordinance. The new USH 53 corridor begins on the southeast side of the City of Eau Claire, passes through a small area within the Town of Washington, passes through the City of Altoona, and then continues through other parts of the City of Eau Claire and the Town of Seymour.  Beyond that, the road extends into Chippewa County, passing through the Village of Lake Hallie, Town of Hallie, the Town of Wheaton, and the City of Chippewa Falls. The segment in the Town of Washington is also subject to regulation under the Eau Claire County Zoning Ordinance; however, only the road right-of-way is included in the Town, and therefore this plan does not address that area.

The segment of the corridor lying in the Town of Seymour was broken into six study areas for this project.  The locations of Study Areas 1 through 6 are shown of Figure 1 and described as follows:

  1. Study Area 1 - All of the land located in Sections 1 and 2, T27N, R9W, Town of Seymour, bounded on the north by the county line between Eau Claire County and Chippewa County, on the east by N. 60th Avenue, on the south by Burnell Drive, and on the west by the City of Eau Claire.
  2. Study Area 2 - Land in the north half of Sections 11 and 12, T27N, R9W, Town of Seymour, bounded on the north by Burnell Drive, on the east by the eastern section line of Section 12, on the south by Olson Drive, and the west by Woodhaven Avenue.
  3. Study Area 3 - Land in the north half of Sections 10 and 11, T27N, R9W, Town of Seymour, lying west of the US Highway 53 corridor.
  4. Study Area 4 - Land in the south half of Sections 10 and 11, T27N, R9W, Town of Seymour, lying between S 50th Avenue on the east and McKinley Avenue on the West.
  5. Study Area 5 - Land in the SW¼ of Section 10, T27N, R9W, Town of Seymour, lying west of McKinley Street.
  6. Study Area 6 - Land in Sections 14 and 15, T27N , R9W, Town of Seymour, bounded on the north by Tower Road, on the east by Peterson Avenue, on the south by Lake Altoona, and the west by McKinley Avenue.

In addition to the six study areas describe above, the following area in Chippewa County was also examined for this project:

  1. Study Area 7 -Village of Lake Hallie TID #1 – Land lying in Sections 35 and 36, T28N, R9W, and Section 30, T28N, R8W, lying east of Business USH 53 corridor, Village of Lake Hallie, between County Road OO in Chippewa County and the Eau Claire County/Chippewa County line.
Background Information and Analysis for Study Areas

Study Area 1

Eau Claire County Land Use Plan – The original Eau Claire County Land Use Plan, adopted in 1979 and updated in 1989, supports residential development for this entire study area.  Figure 2 shows the planning areas designations under the Eau Claire County Land Use Plan within the six study areas in Eau Claire County.  The southern half of Section 1 is designated for residential development at a rural density with lots at least 1 acre in size and the northern half of the section is slated for agricultural use.  Most of Section 2 is also designated for residential development at a rural density, except for the areas in this section that are accessed by Woodhaven Avenue and Peterson Avenue, which are designated for residential development at an urban density, where ½ acre lots without sewer and smaller lots with public sewer are supported.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for residential development in this Study Area would be consistent with the Eau Claire County Land Use Plan.  Residential development at a higher density, with ½ acre lots without sewer and smaller lots with public sewer, would be supported in the areas adjacent to Woodhaven Avenue and Peterson Avenue; otherwise, residential development at a rural density would be consistent with the plan in the rest of this study area.  It does not appear that proposals for other development, including commercial and industrial development, would be consistent with this plan.

Eau Claire County Farmland Preservation Plan – Most of Section 1 is designated as an “Agricultural Area to Be Preserved” under this plan.  The SW¼ of the NW¼ of Section 1, and all of the SW¼ of Section 1 except for the NE¼ of the SW¼, are designated as “Transitional” areas under the Farmland Preservation Plan, which are areas where agricultural use was present when the plan was adopted in 1983, but were expected to convert to some other use within 10 to 20 years.  Figure 3 provides an illustration of the Farmland Preservation Plan for all six study areas.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for uses other than agricultural uses in the “Transitional” areas would be consistent with the Eau Claire County Farmland Preservation Plan.  Proposals for development of uses other than agriculture in areas designated as “Agricultural Areas To Be Preserved” would not be consistent with this plan.

City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plans – According to the recently adopted City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan, the land lying in the western half of Section 1 and the land lying in Section 2 on both sides of the US Highway 53 corridor and lying north of the existing residential neighborhood along Woodhaven Avenue, are designated as “Future Neighborhood, which are areas where “housing and supportive commercial and non-residential development are expected to occur”, where arrangements for development “will be determined through future sub-area plans.”  The existing residential neighborhood along Woodhaven Avenue, is designated for “Low Density Housing”.  The comprehensive plan specifies that all of these areas must be served by public sewer and water services when annexed into the city.  The City of Eau Claire has established a 10-acre minimum lot size requirement within their 3-mile extraterritorial plat jurisdiction, with a policy that higher density development may be allowed through cooperative intergovernmental arrangements that would ultimately allow a final development density capable of facilitating the cost-effective delivery of public services.  Figure 4 provides an illustration of the City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan for the six study areas in Eau Claire County.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for a mixture of housing types, with some commercial or other non-residential development that would support the residential development, all serviced by public sewer, would be consistent with the city’s plan for this Study Area.  Proposals for commercial or other non-residential development intended to serve the entire community would not appear to be consistent with the plan.

Existing Land Use – According to the Eau Claire County Land Use Inventory, most of the land in Section 1 is in agricultural use and most of the land in Section 2 is in residential use.  Figure 5 provides an illustration of the land use in the six study areas in Eau Claire County according to the Eau Claire County Land Use Inventory.  The areas abutting Woodhaven Avenue and Peterson Avenue have extensive residential development.  Most of the area along Burnell Drive from Peterson Avenue to 54th Avenue has been developed with single family residences on fairly large lots.  The area on both sides of 50th Avenue north of the end of Peterson Avenue, and on both sides of the US Highway 53 corridor north of Woodhaven Avenue, is still predominantly in agricultural use although there are a couple of non-farm residences in this area.  Parts of several of the larger parcels that are considered residential in this study area are still in agricultural use, including crop cultivation and forestry activities.  The area that lies within the City of Eau Claire in this study area includes low density single family residential development and a golf course.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  It appears that continued agricultural use would be consistent with the existing land use pattern in most of this study area, except for areas along Woodhaven Avenue, Peterson Avenue and along Burnell Drive from Peterson Avenue to 54th Avenue, where non-farm residential development would be appropriate.  Further residential development on lots between 1 and 5 acres in the areas abutting Woodhaven Avenue and Peterson Avenue would be consistent with the existing land use pattern.  Further residential development at a low density consistent with 5 acre lots for most of the area along Burnell Drive from Peterson Avenue to 54th Avenue would be consistent with the land use pattern in that location.  Continued agricultural use of the area on both sides of N 50th and both sides of the US Highway 53 corridor would be consistent with the existing land use pattern; this area may also be suitable for limited non-farm residential development at a very low density consistent with 20 acre lots or larger.  It does not appear that non-residential development would be consistent with the current land use pattern in this area.

Topography and Soil Conditions –The area is generally hilly with slopes ranging from some relatively flat areas to slopes greater than 30%. Figure 6 shows the topography for the six study areas in Eau Claire County as well as the study area in the Village of Lake Hallie.  There are a number of large hills with very steep slopes with valleys in between.  Figure 7 shows the soil types for the six study areas within Eau Claire County according to the Eau Claire County Soil Survey, and the table in Figure 8 indicates which soil types are considered Prime Farmland Soils.  About 1/3 of the land in Section 1 has soils that are Prime Farmland Soils according to the NRCS, which are located in the valleys or low areas between the hills in this section.  About ¼ of the land east of the US Highway 53 corridor in Section 2 is considered Prime Farmland according to the NRCS.  Most of the soils on the west side of the US Highway 53 corridor are poor agricultural soils that have slight to moderate limitations for conventional septic system absorption fields and basement excavations, according to the soil survey.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Continued agricultural use would be consistent with the existing soil conditions and topography on the east side of the US Highway 53 corridor, except where steep slopes exist in the study area.  Most of the steep slopes in this area are in excess of 20%, which are poorly suited for any type of development.  The area west of the US Highway 53 corridor has areas with steep slopes in excess of 20% that are also poorly suited for any type of development.  Areas without steep slopes have soils that are suitable for any type of non-farm development.

Roads, Road Conditions, and Functional Road Classification – The roads found in this study area include the following:  Lassek Court, Woodhaven Court, Eastland Court, Nordic Drive, and Burnell Drive, all running generally east and west; Woodhaven Avenue, Peterson Avenue, N. 50th Avenue, N 54th Avenue, and N 60th Avenue/County Road P, all generally running north and south.  According to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) functional road map, N 60th Avenue/County Road P is considered a major collector, and all other roads are classified as local roads.  Major collectors are roads that are intended to collect traffic from local roads, which are primarily intended to provide direct access to abutting property, and distribute that traffic to arterial roads, which are primarily intended to provide moderate to high speed traffic movement between activity centers where access to abutting property is controlled.  N 60th Avenue/County Road P has been improved to Eau Claire County’s standards for collector roads, with wider shoulders and horizontal and vertical curve improvements. According to the City of Eau Claire’s comprehensive plan, N. 50th Avenue and Burnell Drive are also classified as collector roads.  N. 50th Avenue and Burnell Drive have not been improved to collector road standards.  Approximately ¼ mile north of this study area, there is an interchange with the US Highway 53 corridor, which provides a link between US Highway 53 and N. 50th Avenue.  Figure 9 shows the names of all of the roads in this area, and their classification according to the various plans for this area.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  All of the roads in the study area except N. 60th Avenue/County Road P, are constructed to local road standards, and are suitable to provide access to abutting properties.  N. 60th Avenue/County Road P has been improved to collector road standards and therefore it would be preferable for new local roads to be developed, connecting with N. 60th Avenue/County Road P, if development should occur in the vicinity of this road.  If further development is promoted along Burnell Drive and N. 50th Avenue, these roads should be improved to collector road standards, and if any new development occurs in this area, it would be preferable to construct new local roads connecting with N. 50th Avenue for the development.  The interchange with US Highway 53 may attract development, and if so, major improvements to N. 50th Avenue would likely be necessary to accommodate increased traffic at this node unless frontage roads are constructed.

Zoning – The purpose of the Eau Claire County Zoning Ordinance includes, but is not limited to, the following:  to promote public heath, safety, and comfort; to protect and conserve natural resources; to protect and conserve the social character and economic stability and preserve property values; and to encourage the use of land that is compatible with nearby uses. Three zoning districts under the Eau Claire County Zoning Ordinance are established in this area, including the A-1 Exclusive Agricultural District, the A-2 Agriculture-Residential District, and the RH Rural Homes District.  Figure 9 illustrates the zoning for all study areas, except the Village of Lake Hallie.  The A-1 District supports agricultural use on parcels that are at least 35 acres in size, and excludes non-farm uses.  The purpose of the A-1 District is to support farming and to exclude incompatible land uses.  The A-2 District supports a mixture of hobby farming and non-farm residential use on lots that are at least 5 acres in size.  The purpose of the A-2 District is to provide locations for limited residential and hobby farm development and to preserve natural resources and the county’s open space.  The RH District supports residential development on lots that are at least 1 acre in size.  The purpose of the RH District is to provide locations for suburban large lot residential development with onsite water and septic systems. Most of the area on the east side of the USH 53 corridor has zoning that will either support continued agricultural use (A-1)or a mixture of hobby farms and non-farm residences on lots that are 5 acres or larger (A-2).  Land straddling the north end of Peterson Avenue is zoned for residential use on lots that are 1 acre or larger (RH). The land on the west side of the USH 53 corridor has zoning that supports residential use on lots that are 1 acre or larger (RH) that generally overlays an existing residential neighborhood.  The rest of the area on the west side of USH 53 has zoning that supports hobby farming and non-farm residential development on lots that are at least 5 acres in size (A-2).  Figure 10 shows the county zoning in this area.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Continued agricultural use in areas that are in the A-1 and A-2 District, would be consistent with the zoning regulations.  Non-farm residential development on 5 acre or larger lots would also be consistent with zoning regulations in areas in the A-2 District.  Residential development on 1 acre or larger lots would be consistent with the zoning in the areas in the RH District.  Any proposals for higher density residential development or commercial development in this area would require rezoning. 

Study Area 2

Eau Claire County Land Use Plan – The Eau Claire County Land Use Plan supports residential development for this entire study area.  Figure 2 show the planning area designations under the Eau Claire County Land Use Plan for the six study areas within Eau Claire County.  All of the area in Section 12, except for the west half of the SW¼ of the NW¼, is designated for residential development at a rural density with lots at least 1 acre in size; the 80 acres in the excepted area are designated for residential development at an urban density, where ½ acre lots without sewer and smaller lots with public sewer are supported.  All of the area in Section 11 is designated for residential development at an urban density except for the east half of the NE¼ of the NE¼, which is designated for residential development at a rural density. 

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for residential development in this study area would be consistent with the Eau Claire County Land Use Plan.  Residential development at a much higher density would be consistent with this plan in the western 1/3 of this area, with ½ acre lots without sewer and smaller lots with public sewer; otherwise, residential development at a rural density would be consistent with the plan in the rest of this study area.  It does not appear that proposals for other development, including commercial and industrial development, would be consistent with this plan.

Eau Claire County Farmland Preservation Plan – This entire area is designated “Transitional” under the Farmland Preservation Plan, which are areas where agricultural use was present when the plan was adopted in 1983, but were expected to convert to some other use within 10 to 20 years.  Figure 3 provides an illustration of the Farmland Preservation Plan for the six study areas in Eau Claire County.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for uses other than agricultural uses in this entire area would be consistent with the Eau Claire County Farmland Preservation Plan, which designates the entire area as being “Transitional”.

City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plans – According to the recently adopted City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan, all of the land lying in Sections 11 and 12 that are east of the US Highway 53 corridor are designated as “Future Neighborhood, which are areas where “housing and supportive commercial and non-residential development are expected to occur”, where arrangements for development “will be determined through future sub-area plans”.  There is also an area that is designated as a future park location.  The area west of the US Highway 53 corridor, which is the southern end of the existing residential neighborhood along Woodhaven Avenue, is designated for “Low Density Housing”.  The comprehensive plan specifies that all of these areas must be served by public sewer and water services when annexed into the city. Figure 4 illustrates what the City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan supports for the six study areas in Eau Claire County.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for residential development, with a mixture of housing types serviced by public sewer, and proposals for some commercial or other non-residential development on public sewer that would support the residential development, would be consistent with the comprehensive plan for the City of Eau Claire in this study area.  Proposals for commercial or other non-residential development intended to serve the entire community would not appear to be consistent with the plan.

Existing Land Use – According to the Eau Claire County Land Use Inventory, nearly all of the land in this study area is in residential use.  Figure 5 provides an illustration of the land use in the six study areas in Eau Claire County according to the Eau Claire County Land Use Inventory.  Most of the development between Burnell Drive and Olson Drive/County Road Q consists of single family residences on large lots, most of which are 10 acres in size or larger.  A platted subdivision called St. Francis Park, with 1.5 acre or larger lots, is located in the northwest corner of Section 12.  The land lying on the east side of Peterson Avenue and on both sides of Werlein Avenue has also been developed with lots ranging in size from about 1 acre to about 5 acres.  Cozy Acres Mobile Home Village, which is a mobile home park, is located in the SE¼ of the NE¼ of Section 11.  There is a mixture of residential uses within the City of Eau Claire in this study area, including low density single family development and moderate density condominium development.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Further residential development on lots that are at least 1 acres in size would be consistent with the existing land use pattern in Section 11.  Further residential development at a low density, consistent with 5 acre lots or larger, would be consistent with the land use pattern in Section 12.  Generally, it does not appear that non-residential development would be consistent with the current land use pattern in this area; however, some commercial development may be appropriate if there is proper vehicular access and proper controls to address potential nuisance factors such as lighting and noise.

Topography and Soil Conditions – This area is characterized by being flatter, with a subtle, undulating topography, with a couple of larger hills, as illustrated in Figure 6.  An area that is approximately 30 acres in size has soils that are considered Prime Farmland soils, otherwise, none of this study area has Prime Farmland soils.  Soils in this area generally impose slight limitations for on-site septic systems and shallow basement excavations, according to the Eau Claire County Soil Survey.  The soils for study areas within Eau Claire County are illustrated in Figure 7 and the table in Figure 8 lists Prime Farmland Soils.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Soils in this area are not well suited for crop-cultivation. Soils generally have slight limitations for non-farm development. Steep slopes in this area are in excess of 20%, which are poorly suited for any type of development.

Roads, Road Conditions, and Functional Road Classification – The roads found in this study area include the following:  Fuller Avenue, LaSalle Street, Burnell Drive, Olson Drive/County Road Q, all running generally east and west; the southern end of Woodhaven Avenue, Peterson Avenue, Werlien Avenue, St. Francis Drive W, St. Francis Drive E, and N 60th Avenue, all generally running north and south.  According to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) functional road map, Olson Drive/County Road Q and N 60th Avenue/County Road P are considered major collectors, and all other roads are classified as local roads.  Major collectors are roads that are intended to collect traffic from local roads, which are primarily intended to provide direct access to abutting property, and distribute that traffic to arterial roads, which are primarily intended to provide moderate to high speed traffic movement between activity centers where access to abutting property is controlled.  Both Olson Drive/County Road Q and N 60th Avenue/County Road P have been improved to Eau Claire County’s Standards for collector roads, with wider shoulders and horizontal and vertical curve improvements. According to the City of Eau Claire’s comprehensive plan, Peterson Avenue, Burnell Drive, and Olson Drive are also classified as collector roads.  Peterson Avenue and Burnell Drive have not been improved to collector road standards.  An interchange with USH 53 has been established where State Road 124 intersects with the highway.  State Road 124 extends and connects with Olson Road/County Road Q, and this road is designated as a minor arterial under the City of Eau Claire’s Comprehensive Plan.  All roads and their classifications in the study areas in Eau Claire County are illustrated in Figure 9.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  All of the roads in the study area except Olson Drive/ County Road Q, are constructed to local road standards, and are suitable to provide access to abutting properties.  Olson Drive/County Road Q has been improved to collector road standards and therefore it would be preferable for new local roads to be developed, connecting with Olson Drive/County Road Q, if development should occur in the vicinity of this road.  No direct access should be allowed for properties adjacent to the segment of State Road 124 that connects to Olson Drive/County Road Q.  If further development is promoted along Burnell Drive and Peterson Avenue, these roads should be improved to collector road standards, and if any new development occurs in this area, it would be preferable to construct new local roads for the development that connect to Burnell Drive and Peterson Avenue.

Zoning – The purpose of the Eau Claire County Zoning Ordinance includes, but is not limited to, the following:  to promote public heath, safety, and comfort; to protect and conserve natural resources; to protect and conserve the social character and economic stability and preserve property values; and to encourage the use of land that is compatible with nearby uses.  Almost all of this area is in the RH Rural Homes District under the Eau Claire County Zoning Ordinance, which supports residential development on 1 acre lots with private septic systems and wells.  There is a mobile home park which is in the R-3 Multiple Family Residential District.  One parcel located in the northwest corner of the intersection of Olson Drive and Peterson Avenue is in the R-1-L District, which supports residential development on 12,000 square foot lots where public sewer is available or on 20,000 square foot lots where public sewer is expected to be provided in the near future.  Figure 10 shows the zoning for the six study areas in Eau Claire County.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Further residential development on 1 acre lots would be consistent with the zoning in this area.  Commercial or other non-residential development would not be consistent with the zoning in this area.

Study area 3

Eau Claire County Land Use Plan - The Eau Claire County Land Use Plan supports residential development at an urban density for this entire study area, where ½ acre lots without sewer and smaller lots with public sewer are supported.  Figure 2 shows the planning areas designations under the Eau Claire County Land Use Plan within the six study areas in Eau Claire County.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for residential development at a high density, with ½ acre lots without sewer and smaller lots with public sewer, would be consistent with the Eau Claire County Land Use Plan.  Proposals for commercial or non-residential development would not be consistent with this plan.

Eau Claire County Farmland Preservation Plan – Part of Study Area 3 is included in a “Transitional” area under this plan, which are areas where agricultural use was still present when the plan was adopted but were expected to convert to some other use during the planning horizon, and the remainder of the area is designated “Excluded”, which are areas that were excluded from consideration in the plan because of existing development that would prohibit agricultural use.  Figure 3 provides an illustration of the Farmland Preservation Plan for the six study areas in Eau Claire County.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for uses other than agricultural uses in this entire area would be consistent with the Eau Claire County Farmland Preservation Plan.

City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan –  All of the land that is still in the Town of Seymour lying on the east side of Black Avenue is slated for medium to high density residential development in the city’s comprehensive plan, which support residential development at a density of more than 6 units per acre.  The same is true for a small area in the southeast corner of McKinley Road and State Road 124.  The rest of the land in this study area is slated for low density residential development, which supports housing at a density of 2.5 to 6 dwelling units per acre.  The comprehensive plan specifies that all of these areas must be served by public sewer and water services when annexed into the city.  Figure 4 provides an illustration of the City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan for this area.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for residential development serviced by public sewer would be consistent with the comprehensive plan for the City of Eau Claire in this study area. Proposals for commercial or other non-residential development would not appear to be consistent with the plan.

Existing land use – Land use in the Town of Seymour within this study area is exclusively residential.  The Powell’s First Addition subdivision has lots that are about ½ acre in size, otherwise most of the lots that remain in the Town of Seymour are fairly large in relation to most urban development, being 2 acres in size or more.  Land use in the City of Eau Claire within this study area includes single family homes, condominiums, and multiple family dwellings.  The southern part of a golf course is located in this study area.  Existing land use is illustrated in Figure 5.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Further residential development at an urban density on lots that are served by public sewer and water would be consistent with the existing land use pattern in this area.  In those areas where multiple family housing has been developed, further high density residential development would be appropriate.  It does not appear that non-residential development would be appropriate within this study area, based upon the existing land use pattern.

Topography and Soil Conditions –This study area is characterized by a rolling topography with a ridge that State Road 124 has been cut through running along the western side, as shown in Figure 6.  Most of the soils in this study area are not considered Prime Farmland Soils, generally having slight limitations for basement excavations and septic systems.  The golf course that is located in this study area has soils that are considered Prime Farmland soils by the NRCS and local soil conservationists.  Figure 7 shows the soil types for study areas in Eau Claire County and Figure 8 lists Prime Farmland Soils.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Soils in this area are not well suited for crop-cultivation, except where the golf course is located. Soils generally have slight limitations for non-farm development. Steep slopes in this area are in excess of 20%, which are poorly suited for any type of development. 

Roads, Road Conditions, And Functional Road Classification – Roads found in this study area include the following: State Road 124, Noble Drive, LaSalle Street, Powell Street, Wildon Street, and Tweed Drive, all running generally east and west; Noble Court, McKinley Road, Hawkins Street, Gooder Street, Statz Avenue, Declaration Drive, E. Princeton Avenue, Princeton Court, and the new US Highway 53 corridor, all running generally north and south.  According to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) functional road map and the City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan, LaSalle Street and McKinley Road are collector roads, and State Road 124 and USH 53 are arterials.   All other roads are classified as local roads.  All roads and their classifications in the six study areas in Eau Claire County are illustrated in Figure 9.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Most of the roads in this study area are local roads that provide direct access to adjoining property, and development consistent with land use and other policies should continue to be allowed along these roads.  State Road 124 and USH 53 are arterials where access is limited to intersections with collector or other arterial roads.  No direct access should be provided from these two roads.  Development along LaSalle Street and McKinley Road should take access from internal local roads that connect with these roads.

Zoning – The purpose of the Eau Claire County Zoning Ordinance includes, but is not limited to, the following:  to promote public heath, safety, and comfort; to protect and conserve natural resources; to protect and conserve the social character and economic stability and preserve property values; and to encourage the use of land that is compatible with nearby uses.  All of the land in the Town of Seymour that is located in this study area is in the R-1-L Single Family Residential District, Large Lot under the Eau Claire County Zoning Ordinance.  The purpose of this district is to provide areas for large-lot development on public water and sewer systems or where public facilities may be feasibly extended.  Lots in this district must be 20,000 square feet or just under ½ acre if not served by public sewer, and 12,000 square feet or slightly more than ¼ acre.  Figure 10 shows the zoning for this area.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Further residential development at an urban density would be consistent with the zoning regulations in this study area.

Study area 4

Eau Claire County Land Use Plan – The Eau Claire County Land Use Plan supports a combination of residential and commercial development in this study area.  Property lying east of Peterson Road is designated for residential development at an urban density, where ½ acre lots without sewer and smaller lots with public sewer are supported.  Properties adjacent to the west side of Peterson Avenue are also slated for residential development at an urban density.  Much of the rest of the land between Peterson Avenue and the USH 53 corridor, including both sides of Black Avenue, is slated for commercial development under this plan.  The land between the USH 53 corridor and McKinley Avenue is designated for residential development at an urban density.  Figure 2 shows the planning areas designations under the Eau Claire County Land Use Plan for the six study areas within Eau Claire County.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for residential development to the east of Peterson Avenue, and between McKinley Road and USH 53, with ½ acre lots without sewer and smaller lots with public sewer, would be consistent with the Eau Claire County Land Use Plan.  Proposals for commercial development along Black Avenue would also be consistent with this plan.

Eau Claire County Farmland Preservation Plan – Most of Study Area 4 is designated as a “Transition Area” under the Farmland Preservation Plan, where agricultural use was present when the plan was adopted in 1983, but was expected to convert to some other use within 10 to 20 years.  Most of this area has converted to single-family residential use. A portion of this study area, located on the west side of Black Avenue, is designated as “Excluded” under the Farmland Preservation.  This property has a telecommunications tower located on it.  Figure 3 provides an illustration of the Farmland Preservation Plan for the six study areas in Eau Claire County.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for uses other than agricultural uses in this entire area would be consistent with the Eau Claire County Farmland Preservation Plan.

City of Eau Claire comprehensive plan – Much of the land that lies east of the USH 53 corridor is designated as a “Future Neighborhood” under the city’s comprehensive plan, which are areas where “housing and supportive commercial and non-residential development are expected to occur”, where arrangements for development “will be determined through future sub-area plans”.  The plan designates commercial development for the land abutting the west side of Black Avenue, and land between this commercial strip and USH 53 is also designated as “Future Neighborhood”.  Land in the southeast corner of State Road 124 and Black Avenue is slated for some type of public facility or utility use.  The land on the east side of  McKinley Road is slated for medium to high density residential development, where development should be more than 6 units per acre including multiple family housing.  The comprehensive plan specifies that all of these areas must be served by public sewer and water services when annexed into the city.  Figure 4 provides an illustration of the City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan for this area. 

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for residential development, with a mixture of housing types serviced by public sewer, and proposals for some commercial or other non-residential development on public sewer that would support the residential development, would be consistent with the comprehensive plan for the City of Eau Claire for most of the area east of USH 53 in this study area.  Proposals for all types of commercial development would be consistent with the plan on the west side of Black Avenue.  Medium to high density residential development, including multiple family housing, would be consistent with the City of Eau Claire’s Plan between McKinley Road and USH 53.  The existing utility use on the east side of Black Avenue is also consistent with the plan.

Existing land use – Most of the area east of Black Avenue that is in the Town of Seymour is in residential use, with lots ranging in size from less than ½ acre to approximately 10 acres in size.  A school, church, day-care operation, and offices associated with local radio stations are also located within the area east of Black Avenue.  A natural gas substation is located on the east side of Black Avenue, within the City of Eau Claire.  A telecommunications tower is located between Black Avenue and the USH 53 corridor, as well as a number of residences along Tower Drive; otherwise most of this land is vacant.  The land use between the USH 53 corridor and McKinley Road is all residential at a low density relative to urban standards, ranging in size from about ½ acre to about 4 acres in size.  Figure 5 shows the land use for this and all other study areas in Eau Claire County.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Further residential development would be consistent with the existing land use pattern in most of this study area, except for land along Black Avenue.  Proposals for commercial development and utility development would be consistent with the existing development already located on Black Avenue.

Topography and Soil Conditions – The majority of this area is gently sloped, as illustrated in Figure 6.  There are no Prime Farmland soils in this study area.  Soils generally have slight limitations for basement excavations and septic systems, except where there are steep slopes.  Figure 7 shows the soil types for the six study areas in Eau Claire County and Figure 8 lists Prime Farmland Soils.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Soil conditions will support any type of non-farm development in this area, except where there are steep slopes, which should be protected from development.

Roads, Road Conditions, And Functional Road Classification – Roads found in this study area include the following:  Tower Drive, Olson Drive, and Books Drive, which run generally east and west;  McKinley Road, S. Gooder Avenue, Black Avenue, Peterson Avenue, and S. 50th Avenue, which all run generally north and south.  According to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) functional road map and the City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan, Tower Drive, McKinley Road, and Peterson Avenue are collector roads.   All other roads are classified as local roads, as shown in Figure 9.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Most of the roads in this study area are local roads that provide direct access to adjoining property, and development consistent with land use and other policies should continue to be allowed along these roads.  Tower Drive, and Peterson Avenue are collector roads and have been improved with a wider shoulder; ideally, further development along these roads should take access from internal local roads that connect with these roads.  McKinley Road is also considered a collector road; however, it has not been improved to collector road standards.

Zoning – The purpose of the Eau Claire County Zoning Ordinance includes, but is not limited to, the following:  to promote public heath, safety, and comfort; to protect and conserve natural resources; to protect and conserve the social character and economic stability and preserve property values; and to encourage the use of land that is compatible with nearby uses.  There are several zoning districts established in this area under the Eau Claire County Zoning Ordinance as follows:  RH Rural Homes District, which supports residential development on 1 acre lots with private septic systems and wells; R-1-L Single Family Residential District, Large Lot, which supports residential development where public sewer is available or will soon be available, on 12,000 square foot lots with public sewer or 20,000 square foot lots without sewer; C-2 General Business District, which supports most retail commercial businesses on 8,000 square foot lots or larger without public sewer service; and I-1 Nonsewered  Industrial District, which supports industrial development that does not require municipal sewer and water services.  The lower density RH District is found between S. 50th Avenue and Peterson Avenue.  The higher density R-1-L District is found in areas that are predominantly residential between McKinley Road and Peterson Avenue.  The C-2 District is found on the north side of Tower Drive, from just west of the intersection of Black Avenue and Tower Drive to Peterson Avenue.  There are a number of single-family dwellings in this area that are legal non-conforming uses under the C-2 District.  A large parcel on the west side of Black Avenue, where a telecommunications tower is located, is also in the C-2 District.  The I-1 District is found on the east side of Black Avenue, across from the tower, where part of an electrical substation is located.  Figure 10 shows the zoning for this area.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Further residential development in areas in the R-1-L and RH District, and commercial development in areas in the C-2 District, would be consistent with the zoning in this area.  It appears that consideration should be given to rezoning the residences along Tower Drive to a residential zoning classification.

Study area 5

Eau Claire County Land Use Plan – All property in this area is designated for residential development at an urban density under the Eau Claire County Land Use Plan.  The plan supports residential lots that are ½ acre or larger without sewer and smaller lots with public sewer.  Figure 2 shows the planning areas designations under the Eau Claire County Land Use Plan within the six study areas in Eau Claire County.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Further residential development of this area would be consistent with the county’s Land Use Plan.  Non-residential development would be inconsistent with the plan.

Eau Claire County Farmland Preservation Plan – Most of Study Area 5 is designated as a “Transition Area” under the Farmland Preservation Plan, where agricultural use was present when the plan was adopted in 1983, but was expected to convert to some other use within 10 to 20 years.  Most of this area has converted to single-family residential use on larger lots. A small portion of the western side of this study area is designated as “Excluded” under the Farmland Preservation Plan.  Figure 3 provides an illustration of the Farmland Preservation Plan for all six study areas within Eau Claire County.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for uses other than agricultural uses in this entire area would be consistent with the Eau Claire County Farmland Preservation Plan.

City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan – Most of the land in this area is designated for either Low Density Housing, with 2.5 to 6 housing units per acre on public sewer and water, or Medium to High Density Housing, with more than 6 housing units per acre.  The location of the Northwoods Elementary School is designated for public use.  Figure 4 provides an illustration of the City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan for this area.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Further residential development would be consistent with the city’s plan for this area, including some multiple-family housing.  Non-residential development would not appear to be consistent with the plan.

Existing land use – Land use in the Town of Seymour within this study area consists of single-family homes and fairly large vacant residential lots.  The Northwoods Elementary School is located in the City of Eau Claire in this Study Area.  Existing land use is illustrated in Figure 5.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Further single-family residential development at an urban density on lots that are served by public sewer and water would be consistent with the existing land use pattern in this area.  Multiple family housing may be appropriate near Northwoods Elementary School.  It does not appear that non-residential development would be appropriate within this study area, based upon the existing land use pattern.

Topography and Soil Conditions – Except for a hilly swath that crosses McKinley Road north of Tower Avenue, the majority of this area is gently sloped as illustrated in Figure 6.  There are no prime agricultural soils in this study area, the majority being sandy or sandy-loam.  Figure 7 shows the soil types for the six study areas in Eau Claire County and Figure 8 lists the Prime Farmland Soils.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Soil conditions will support any type of non-farm development in this area, except where there are steep slopes, which should be protected from development.

Roads, Road Conditions, And Functional Road Classification – Both Regional Planning and the city’s comprehensive plan designate McKinley Road as a collector road, although the road has not been improved with wider shoulders like most collector roads.  McKinley Court is a local road.  Northwoods Lane in the City of Eau Claire is considered a collector road in the city’s comprehensive plan.  All roads and their classifications in all study areas in Eau Claire County are illustrated in Figure 9.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  McKinley Road and Northwoods Lane are collector roads.  Ideally, development should be constructed on other streets that would connect to these two roads.

Zoning – The purpose of the Eau Claire County Zoning Ordinance includes, but is not limited to, the following:  to promote public heath, safety, and comfort; to protect and conserve natural resources; to protect and conserve the social character and economic stability and preserve property values; and to encourage the use of land that is compatible with nearby uses.  The R-1-L Single Family Residential District, Large Lot, is the only zoning district applicable to this area under the Eau Claire County Zoning Ordinance.  This zoning district supports residential development where public sewer is available or will soon be available on 12,000 square foot lots, and residential development on 20,000 square foot lots without sewer.  The zoning districts established within the Town of Seymour are shown in Figure 10.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Further residential development on 12,000 square foot lots with sewer, or 20,000 square foot lots without sewer, would be consistent with the zoning in this area.

Study area 6

Eau Claire County Land Use Plan – The Eau Claire County Land Use Plan supports residential development at an urban density for this entire study area.  Figure 2 show the planning areas designations under the Eau Claire County Land Use Plan for the six study areas in Eau Claire County.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Further residential development of this area would be consistent with the county’s Land Use Plan.  Non-residential development would be inconsistent with the plan.

Eau Claire County Farmland Preservation Plan - All of Study Area 6 is designated as a “Transition Area” under the Farmland Preservation Plan, where some agricultural use was present when the plan was adopted in 1983, but was expected to convert to some other use within 10 to 20 years.  Single-family residential use is the predominant use in this area.  Figure 3 provides an illustration of the Farmland Preservation Plan for the six study areas in Eau Claire County.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for uses other than agricultural uses in this entire area would be consistent with the Eau Claire County Farmland Preservation Plan.

City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan – All of the land that lies east of the USH 53 corridor is designated as a “Future Neighborhood” under the city’s comprehensive plan, which are areas where “housing and supportive commercial and non-residential development are expected to occur”, where arrangements for development “will be determined through future sub-area plans”.  The land on the west side of  the USH 53 corridor is designated for Low Density Housing which supports housing at a density of 2.5 to 6 dwelling units per acre.  The comprehensive plan specifies that all of these areas must be served by public sewer and water services when annexed into the city.  Figure 4 provides an illustration of the City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan for this area.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for residential development serviced by public sewer, with a mixture of housing types including multiple-family housing, and proposals for some commercial or other non-residential development on public sewer that would support the residential development, would be consistent with the comprehensive plan for the City of Eau Claire for the area east of USH 53 in this study area.  Low Density single-family housing would be consistent with the city’s plan for the land on the west side of the USH 53 corridor under this plan.

Existing land use – Most of the land use in the Town of Seymour within this study area consists of  single-family dwellings.  Existing land use is illustrated in Figure 5.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for further residential development in this area would be consistent with the existing land use pattern.

Topography and Soil Conditions – Most of this area is relatively flat, except for a ravine on the east side of the USH 53 corridor, and a hill located west of McKinley Road/County Road Q, as show in Figure 6.  There are no prime agricultural soils in this study area, the majority of soils being sandy or sandy-loam.  Figure 7 shows the soil types in this area and Figure 8 lists the soils that are considered Prime Farmland Soils.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Soils in this area are not well suited for cultivation. Soils generally have slight limitations for non-farm development. There are some steep slopes in this area in excess of 20%, which are unsuitable for any type of development.

Roads, Road Conditions, And Functional Road Classification – The MPO’s functional road map and the City of Eau Claire’s Comprehensive Plan designate Tower Avenue and North Shore Drive as collector roads, and the short segment of McKinley Road found in this Study Area as a minor arterial.   All other roads are classified as local roads.  All roads and their classifications in the six study areas in Eau Claire County are illustrated in Figure 9.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Most of the roads in this study area are local roads that provide direct access to adjoining property, and development consistent with land use and other policies should continue to be allowed along these roads.  Tower Drive and North Shore Drive/County QQ are collector roads; ideally, further development along these roads should take access from internal local roads that connect with these roads.  McKinley Road is considered a minor arterial in this study area and direct access to private property should be discouraged.

Zoning – The purpose of the Eau Claire County Zoning Ordinance includes, but is not limited to, the following:  to promote public heath, safety, and comfort; to protect and conserve natural resources; to protect and conserve the social character and economic stability and preserve property values; and to encourage the use of land that is compatible with nearby uses.  Most of this area falls under the R-1-L Single Family Residential District, Large Lot.  This zoning district supports residential development where public sewer is available or will soon be available on 12,000 square foot lots, and residential development on 20,000 square foot lots without sewer.  One parcel of land within this area is RH Rural Homes District, which supports residential development on 1 acre lots with private septic systems and wells.  Two parcels in the southeast corner of the intersection of North Shore Drive/County Road QQ and Indian Hills Drive are in the C-2 General Business District, which supports most retail commercial businesses on 8,000 square foot lots or larger without public sewer service. The zoning for this area is shown in Figure 10.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Any further residential development in this area would be consistent with the existing zoning regulations.  Higher density development would be acceptable provided public sewer and water services are provided.  Rezoning the property that is currently zoned for commercial use to the R-1-L District would also be acceptable.

Study area 7

Village of Lake Hallie TID #1 Project Plan – The Village of Lake Hallie has established a Tax Incremental District abutting Eau Claire County that is intended to promote development in the community.  Figure 11 is a map illustrating the location of Tax Incremental District, and Figure 12 is a map illustrating the zoning within the district.  The zoning map was developed to implement the project plan for the district, which includes areas for industrial, highway commercial, residential, and agricultural use.  An area on the east side of the USH 53 corridor consisting of about115 acres, located directly north of Eau Claire County where N 50th Avenue in Eau Claire County becomes 122nd Street in the Village of Lake Hallie, is slated for light industrial use according to the zoning map; however, village officials have indicated a mixture of residential and highway commercial would be acceptable.   The area north of this, also on the east side of the USH 53 corridor, extending to the County Road OO interchange, is slated for single-family residential development.  An area in the southwestern corner of the USH 53/Melby Street interchange is slated for highway commercial use, and nearly all of the land adjacent to the west side of the USH 53 corridor extending to the County Road OO interchange is slated for industrial development.  The easternmost portion of the area is slated for agricultural use.  The Project Plan calls for on-site wastewater treatment and private wells for new development in these areas. 

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Proposals for light industrial development along the west side of USH 53 would be consistent with the Village TID #1.  The area on the east side of USH 53 that is within about ¼ mile of the interchange at Melby Street and USH 53 would also be suitable for light industrial use according to the Project Plan for this TID, although the Village would find a mixture of highway commercial and residential acceptable.  Further residential development within approximately ¼ mile and 1/3 mile of the east side of USH 53 would also be consistent with the TID.  Continued agricultural use in the easternmost portion of the TID would be consistent with the Project Plan for the TID.

Existing Land Use – Figure 13 classifies the existing land use within TID #1 as either vacant, residential, or commercial.  Most of the land is considered vacant.  A substantial part of the land that is considered vacant has been in agricultural use, primarily for row crops or in tree plantations.  Since this map was produced, a considerable amount of development has already been completed in the southwest corner of the interchange between the USH 53 corridor and County Road OO, including a “big-box” retail store (Wal-Mart), a restaurant (Culvers), and another commercial building.  The remaining land on the west side of USH 53 is vacant.  Much of the land abutting the TID is in commercial use, and there are also some residential subdivisions that abut this area.  There are a number of single-family residences along 125th Street on the east side of USH 53, otherwise most of the land is either been used for agricultural purposes or has been left undisturbed.  The interchange that has been constructed at the intersection of Melby Street and USH 53 will create pressure for non-residential development on the east side of USH 53.  The land in the southwest corner of the interchange at Melby Street and USH 53 is mostly undeveloped except for one single family residence.  A residential subdivision is located to the west of the TID in this area.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  It appears that further low-density residential development would be consistent with the existing land use pattern on the east side of USH 53 along the existing roads in this area, and agricultural or open-space use would be consistent with the existing land use in the rest of this area.  Continued agricultural use appears to be an appropriate interim land use for the land on the west side of USH 53, and further highway commercial use would be consistent with the development that has begun in this area.  New road improvements in this area would support commercial use in this location.  It appears that light industrial use would also be acceptable, provided any light industrial or commercial use in this area is adequately buffered from the existing residential neighborhoods.

Topography And Soil Conditions – Most of this area is relatively flat with a couple of small hills and several wetland areas.  There are some areas that have steep slopes in excess of 20%.  Most of the soils on the west side of USH 53 are not considered Prime Farmland.  Soils in this area have moderate limitations for non-farm development; most soils are considered poor filters for conventional septic system drain fields because soils are either too sandy or too wet.  There is an extensive area on the east side of USH 53 that has soils considered Prime Farmland.  Figure 14 show the soil types in this area and Figure 15 lists the soils that are considered Prime Farmland Soils.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  Continued agricultural use would be consistent with the existing soil conditions and topography on the east side of the US Highway 53 corridor, except where steep slopes exist.  Most of the steep slopes in this area are in excess of 20%, which are poorly suited for any type of development.  The area west of the US Highway 53 corridor is relatively flat and there are some moderate limitations to development.  The moderate limitations to development can be overcome with proper engineering and other techniques.

Roads, Road Conditions, And Functional Road Classification – According to the Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) Functional Road Classification map, USH 53 is considered a principal arterial and Melby Street west of the interchange with USH 53 is considered a minor arterial.  A four lane road paralleling USH 53 has been constructed on the west side of USH 53, which is intended to provide access for light industrial and highway commercial uses that are planned for this area.  A road has also been constructed that connects N 50th Avenue in the Town of Seymour in Eau Claire County with 125th Street in the Village of Lake Hallie, which serves as a frontage road on the east side of USH 53.  This road is connected to Melby Street on the east side of the interchange between Melby Street and USH 53, and is considered a local road at this time.  All other roads within this area are considered local roads according to the MPO.  Figure 16 is the MPO’s Functional Road Classification Map.

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  USH 53 is a limited access principal arterial, and therefore no direct access is permitted along this road.  The four lane road constructed on the west side of USH 53 is intended to accommodate traffic associated with commercial and industrial development that is planned for this area, and should serve this purpose satisfactorily.  The two land road constructed to connect N 50th Avenue in the Town of Seymour in Eau Claire County with 125th Street in the Village of Lake Hallie in Chippewa County establishes a frontage road on the east side of USH 53 which is 122nd Street.  This road is suitable for providing direct access to adjoining properties.  It appears that improvements to this road would be necessary to accommodate any extensive light industrial or commercial development in the vicinity of the Melby Street interchange.

Zoning – Figure 12 shows the zoning that has been established within TID #1.  The purpose of the zoning regulations in the Village of Lake Hallie parallels the purpose of the Eau Claire County Zoning Ordinance.  As noted earlier under the Project Plan for TID #1, a substantial part of the TID that abuts USH 53 has been zoned for industrial use, including the area on the southeast side of the USH 53 interchange with Melby Street abutting the Town of Seymour in Eau Claire County.  According to the zoning regulations for Lake Hallie, a broad range of uses are allowed in the Industrial District including most commercial uses and those industrial uses that would not be detrimental to surrounding areas by reason of smoke, noise, dust, odor, traffic, physical appearance, or similar factors relating to public health, welfare, and safety.  Two commercial districts have also been established on the southeast side of the Melby Street/USH 53 interchange including the Local Commercial District and the Highway Commercial District.  The Local Commercial District supports most retail uses while the Highway Commercial district supports almost all types of commercial uses. 

            ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:  The industrial and commercial zoning districts that have been established in the Village of Lake Hallie along the border with the Town of Seymour in Eau Claire County will support a broad range of uses.  Most commercial uses are supported by the Highway Commercial District, and most retail commercial uses are supported by the Local Commercial District.  The Industrial District supports all uses allowed in both commercial districts as well as industrial uses.  <