About two dozen citizens turned out for the first Tofte comprehensive town planning meeting on April 15. Caroline Wood, director of the Birch Grove Foundation, and Tofte Supervisor Paul James discuss some of the challenges—and opportunities—facing the community.
What will Tofte look like in 20 years?
Or more importantly, what do residents of the former fishing/ logging village want its community to look like in 20 years?
Will there be a business park? If so how big or how small? Clusters of affordable homes? Or affordable homes spread into the background of the boreal forest? Will there be a finished Gitchi Gami bike trail running through the small burb? Can millennials be attracted to Tofte to work out of their homes in computer related businesses? What is the future of the school? How about a school full of happy children and ample senior housing with an exercise course winding through a quarter-mile trail through the woods? And artwork displaying Tofte’s cultural past?
These were just a few of the ideas discussed with Andy Hubley of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC) at a public meeting held on April 15 at the Birch Grove Center to discuss Tofte’s future.
Hubley is the director of the regional planning division of the ARDC that serves seven counties in Northeast Minnesota. He is no stranger to Tofte, having worked with the township in the past on a number of projects, the most recent the Gitchi Gami bike trail.
About two dozen township citizens gathered at the center and sat at three tables where they worked in groups to come up with ideas— asset mapping, Hubley called it— depicting their vision of what they would like to see in Tofte’s future.
The groups worked with colorful township maps, getting about 15-20 minutes for each topic to record their thoughts.
The first topic dealt with the physical assets of the town. These included attractions, campgrounds, businesses etc.
Next Hubley asked for unseen assets; volunteers that work at the school, fire fighters, emergency squad workers etc.
And finally the groups spent time talking and mapping future assets in the community: Topics discussed included developing affordable housing, cultural and natural resources, transportation, economic development, intergovernmental cooperation, utilities and community facilities.
Part of the process also included discussing future concerns, threats, and issues the township needed to avoid.
Besides looking to shape the future, Hubley said it was important for townships and towns to make comprehensive plans because granting organizations like the Iron Range Resources Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) increasingly call for them to include these plans when they are filling out grant applications for projects.
Hubley will take the comments and maps back to his ARDC Duluth office where he will develop a vision statement for the Tofte Comprehensive Plan. He will come back in late May and hold another public meeting and he hopes more residents come with ideas and will participate in the process.
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