Planning Opportunities Workshop

April 25, 2000

 

On April 25, over 60 of Minden's citizens participated in a community workshop to discuss planning opportunities and objectives for the Town's future. Participants identified Minden's physical, cultural and social assets, economic objectives and image objectives. In addition, Chris Atkins and Darin Dinsmore from the Sierra Business Council presented the Council's award winning "principles for prosperity". They illustrated the principle's application using Sierra communities as case studies.

Workshop Summary

The workshop participants worked as members of nine planning teams. Each team had to map physical assets, list non-physical assets, and identify the top economic and image objectives for Minden. The teams presented their efforts back to the entire group.

Minden's Assets

The participants stressed the rural context (that acts as Minden's greenbelt)and the historic downtown area as the most important physical assets for Minden. Top assets that could not be mapped included the Minden's scenic views, clear air and environment, and caring and concerned community.

Top Economic Objectives

The planning teams presented a variety of economic objectives for Minden. Some of the most frequently mentioned included attraction of a full-scale grocery store, successful downtown retailing, clean light industry, managing growth through careful planning and design guidelines, and providing added community amenities and facilities, such as cultural or community center.

Top Image Objectives

Image objectives largely mirrored the assets identified by the planning teams. The image objectives stressed maintaining Minden's greenbelt and continuing to enhance downtown. In addition, the character of a small family-oriented community was stressed as important.

 

Team 1

Minden's Assets
From Map:
1. Historic downtown Minden
2. Greenbelt
3. Transportation
4. Civic Center
From List:
1. View
2. Quality of air & water
3. Sense of community
4. History & tradition
5. Climate-great
6. Low crime-safe
7. Community involvement
 
Top Economic Objectives
1. *Expand & diversify base (commercial)
2. Performing Arts Center
3. Bypass
4. *Improved traffic flow
5. Architectural & design standards
6. Parking for special events & businesses
 
Top Image Objectives
1. Architectural design standards
2. *Greenbelts-rural feeling
3. Protect views
4. Good schools
5. Safe community
6. *Historical preservation
7. Mom & Pop businesses
8. Cultural events & Center
9. Multi-generational community
10. *Small town atmosphere

 

Team 2

Minden's Assets
From Map:
1. * Open space
2. Residential
3. Historical Buildings
4. Public Lands
5. Recreational Facilities
From List:
1. *View
2. Friendly community
3. Money $, more banks
4. Small town
 
Top Economic Objectives
1. Grocery store
2. Retail-clothing & shoes *
3. Light industry *
4. *Downtown development *
 
Top Image Objectives
1. Signage
2. Maintain view/greenbelt
3. Building codes
4. Bigger sewage plant
5. *395 Bypass

 

Team 3

Minden's Assets
From Map:
1. View
2. Parks
3. Good architecture (harmony)
4. Open space
5. Cultural opportunities (Courtyard Convention Center)
6. Trees
7. Architectural control
8. Fitness Center
9. Swim Center
10. Library
11. Green
12. Bently College
13. Court House
14. Home
15. Bently
16. ????
17. Mackland green>Courtyard Convention
18. Park
19. Trees Mc----????
From List:
1. View
2. Trees
3. Air
4. Water
5. Creature planning
6. Family oriented
7. Safe community
8. Friendly community
9. Landscape maintenance
10. Community pride
 
Top Economic Objectives
1. * Courtyard convention center for community
2. Grocery store
3. Downtown restoration
4. More restaurants
5. No more fast foods
6. *More pedestrian lanes (sidewalks)
7. *Opportunities for teens ( Rec. Center)
8. Real hospital
 
Top Image Objectives
1. Rural atmosphere
2. Cows not condos
3. Trees & landscaping
4. Family orientation
5. Healthy (environment)
6. Arts festival-Mimi Jole paintings & Michelle Galler

 

Team 4

Minden's Assets
From Map:
Assets not mapped:
1. Low residential traffic*
2. Clean environment*
3. Community feeling*
4. Neighborhood schools*
5. Low crime*
6. Views*
7. Walkable community*
Assets-mapped:
1. Parks
2. Historical buildings
3. Old houses downtown
4. Recreation/Swim Center
5. Library
6. Medical facilities (change color!)
7. Old trees
8. Animals/cattle
From List:
1. Physical: Historical downtown
2. Non-physical: Clean environment
 
Top Economic Objectives
1. Maintain agriculture
2. Encourage small businesses
3. Encourage high wage jobs
 
On a separate sheet:
1. Low growth/planned
2. *Maintain agriculture
3. *Encourage small businesses
4. *Encourage high wage type industry jobs
5. Upgrade communication infrastructure
6. More higher educational opportunities
 
Top Image Objectives
1. Academic excellence-schools
2. 4 weather seasons (temperate)
3. Unsurpassed recreational opportunities
 
On a separate sheet:
1. *Academic excellence=Public school
2. *Unsurpassed recreational opportunities
3. Bedroom community
4. Religious values
5. Good health care
6. 4 weather seasons (temperate)

 

Team 5

Minden's Assets
From Map:
1. River/water
2. View of mountains
3. Historic area
4. Green open space
5. Physical environment
6. Bently
7. Martin Slough
8. Dryer
9. Sierra mountains
10. View
11. Park
12. Pine nuts
13. Seeman
14. Minden Park
15. Mackland Ranch & Cattle Co.
16. Sierra view
17. Carson River
From List:
1. *1. Clean air
2. Drinking water
3. People
4. Government
5. Peaceful/tranquil
6. Weather
7. Recreation tied to schools
8. Law enforcement
9. UFD
 
Top Economic Objectives
1. Controlled growth
2. Grocery store-Major chain
3. Historic downtown shop development
4. Cultural events "Music in Park, (weekly), plays, symphony, concert
 
Top Image Objectives
1. Pride of ownership (old Victorians maintained)
2. Friendliness
3. Ranching & farming community kept
4. Respect for others
5. Clean streets
6. New houses architecturally pleasant
7. Buildings integrate w/background (no highrisers)
8. Additional trees
9. Hold special events

 

Team 6

Minden's Assets
From Map:
1. View
2. Historic buildings
3. Town park
4. Downtown Minden
From List:
1. Water
2. *View
3. Air
4. Friendly people
5. Active seniors
6. Walking community
7. Recreation
8. Relatively dark skies (for now)
 
Top Economic Objectives
1. *Retail
2. Restaurants
3. Food markets
4. *Light industrial
5. *Recreational activities & facilities
 
Top Image Objectives
1. *Keep small town image
2. Feeling of security-safety
3. Tree-lined streets
4. Town park w/bandstand
5. *Surrounding farmland
6. Community involvement
7. Wildlife
8. *Family-oriented community

 

Team 7

Minden's Assets
From Map: Physical assets
1. Historical buildings
2. Mountain views
3. Minden Park
4. Ranch land
5. Minden Elementary
7. DHS
From List:
1. Quality of life
Utilities affordable
Town services
2. Small town/hometown atmosphere
3. People-want to be here
4. Low crime rate
5. Weather 4 seasons
 
Top Economic Objectives
1. Control growth
2. Architectural guidelines
Control by town
3. Clean industry
Retail, professional
4. Shopping core (ease)
5. Hold on to the old buildings
Top Image Objectives
1. "Old town" feeling
2. Clean
3. Scenery
4. Friendly
5. Sense of community
6. Slow pace of life "lifestyle"

 

Team 8

Minden's Assets
From Map:
1. County Seat
2. Parks
3. DMV
4. Library
5. High school
6. Pre-school
7. *Historic
8. Railroad right of way
9. Medical Center
10. Swim Center
From List:
1. Air
2. Water
3. Views
4. Friendly people
5. *Caring & concern of people
6. Local service
not an asset
7. Transportation utility of auto (debt) big concern
 
Top Economic Objectives
1. *National chain grocery store
2. Department store
3. Clean industry
4. Restaurants-classy
5. *Culture-music/art/performing arts
6. Baseball/sports, outdoor sports
7. Hospital
8. Expand community college
9. *Expanded special events
 
Top Image Objectives
1. *Keep low crime
2. *Historical-slow pace-walk around (keep)
3. Open green area
4. *Unique atmosphere

 

Team 9

Minden's Assets
From Map:
1. Park
2. Historic district
3. County buildings and Esmeralda
4. Historical buildings
5. Tree-lined stress
6. CV Inn
7. Neighborhoods
8. COD
From List:
1. View
2. Water
3. Clean air
4. Safety
5. Pastoral setting
6. People
7. Character
8. Summer concerts
9. Street fairs
10. Festivals
11. Sense of place
12. Hot air balloons
13. Tranquility
 
Top Economic Objectives
1. Land
2. Zoning
3. Commercial space available
4. *Planning!
5. *Keep attractiveness
6. *Tax structure
7. Low crime-safety
8. Community college
 
Top Image Objectives
1. Historical buildings
2. Small town atmosphere
3. Rural setting
4. Tree-lined streets
5. Neighborhoods-identifiable
6. Architectural
7. Mountains
8. Cows
9. Valley setting
10. Rural setting

 

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