Looking to the Future

Most residents recognize that development and growth are inevitable within the community.  Citizen involvement is integral in consciously shaping the development and growth to fit into the ecological and social structure of the area.  It has become clear throughout this project that citizens do have a great amount of power in dictating the course of change in the community.  Working with developers to shape residential development is not out of the question.  Elected officials are also somewhat open to discussion on planning issues.  Shaping development around ecologically sensitive areas is possible as is evident in the continuing Spring Brook concern.   Roadbuilding and rerouting is an impending issue as well.  MNDOT has the ultimate say in the shaping of the transportation veins, and the number one priority for MNDOT is expediency of traffic movement.  The implications of the Hospital Road, the Cedar Avenue Extension, and the connecting highway through the Heath Creek/Spring Brook area are far reaching.  It seems that a fight to protect natural areas, greenspaces, and wildlife habitat looms in the future.  Some citizens are staying on top of the issue, but without a broad base of citizen action, preventing unwanted roadconstruction will be difficult.

Opportunities for local action and education Cannon River Watershed Partnership St. Olaf Natural Lands Northfield Center for Sustainable Living Organizations concerned with the shaping of the community: •Aaron Pederson's Project: Resource List Internships Available to Students: •Patrick Thomas' Project: Area Internships

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