Land Use Task Group

The land use task group’s strategic plan goals (21 and 24) include responsibility for campus land use planning and implementation as well as building projects such as the Valders and Miller-Dieseth remodeling, Baker expansion, and the Aquatic Center. The task group has focused on the following projects:

• Campus road construction during Summer 2008 to improve circulation and visitor parking while restoring a central campus clearing as envisioned in the original Jens Jensen campus plan.
• Parking spaces west of the CFL were designated for admissions visitors and a new student parking lot was created in front of the Ashmore-Jewell Barn, with students offered reduced parking fees to use this outlying lot.
• The campus road project will be completed in Summer 2009.
• A multi-year project to install new exterior signage on campus will begin this summer based on planning and design work by ASI/Modulex of Grinnell.
• A land use management plan for college property outside the central campus is being developed by a subcommittee addressing a variety of issues, including the placement of college community gardens (near Sven Barn on Pole Line farm), removal of invasive species like garlic mustard, identification of potential wetland mitigation sites, and guidelines for research use and trail construction.
• Procedures have been established for use of the college community gardens. To date, 27 employees have signed up for the 20'x20' plots.
• Design proposals are being solicited for the sesquicentennial bell green project, an effort to plan and create a new community space.