08-12-2019 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Anoka County 2019 Multi-Jurisdictional All Hazards Mitigation Plan 34 7,033 acres of land, including 1,683 acres of wetland and floodplain. Over 2,330 acres of land, which are encumbered by neither wetlands nor floodplain, remain vacant or agricultural use. Both Native Americans and the European settlers that followed influence the history of Columbus. Human settlement of areas within Columbus can be traced back to the presence of the Hopewell Tribe of Native Americans. Archeologists believe that the Hopewell Tribe established extensive trading with tribes over the entire continent. Burial mounds are located around Howard Lake in the Lamprey Pass Wildlife Management Area. Three large mounds were discovered in 1889; and it was not until 1977 that an additional three smaller mounds were discovered. Each of these areas are designated and protected as historic sites by the Minnesota Historical Society. In addition, the Minnesota Historical Society believes that remnants of Native American settlements may exist along Kettle River Boulevard northeast of Howard Lake and along Rice Creek. The city supports archeological research prior to or in conjunction with any excavation or building in these areas. The Township of Columbus was platted in 1856 and a Town organization was formed in 1857. Early settlers sought to develop a village center on the St. Paul-Kettle River Road, one of the earliest stage lines to be developed in the State. This site, known as “Boehm’s Corner,” contained a sawmill and hotel. Efforts to encourage the development of a village center met with no success. The Township lost a bid in the mid-1860s for the Anoka County seat and it was passed over as a potential route for the St. Paul-Duluth Railroad. The village center never materialized, and by 1879, the Township abandoned efforts to establish a village at that site. An Administrative Law Judge ordered the incorporation of Columbus in the summer of 2006 following a citizens’ petition and an effort by the Town Board in evaluating the pros and cons of incorporation and finding it in the best interest of the community. The City officially became a city on September 21, 2006. City of Coon Rapids The City of Coon Rapids is a second-ring suburb northwest of Minneapolis, located in suburban Anoka County, Minnesota. The city is approximately 22.7 square miles with an elevation of 863 feet at Latitude 45.17 N and Longitude 93.31 W. It is bordered by the Mississippi River and the city of Anoka to the west; the city of Andover to the north; the city of Blaine to the east; and the city of Fridley to the south. Coon Rapids is the most populous city in Anoka County. When the Federal Government surveyed the area in 1847, it found a well-traveled road running through Anoka County. The road was laid out in 1835 for military use and may be the oldest road in this part of the country. In 1843, trade was established from St. Paul to Pembina in the Red River Valley by Norman W. Kittson and the road then became part of the famous Red River Ox Cart Trail. The trail closely followed the present East River Road/Coon Rapids Boulevard alignment. Agriculture was the first industry in the Coon Creek area, with farms ranging in size from 90 to 600 acres. In 1881, Dr. D. C. Dunham organized the first brickyard, which was located near the old City Hall site and was known as the Anoka Pressed Brick and Terra Cotta Company. It represented the first non-agricultural industry in Coon Rapids. A legacy left by that brick industry is still visible today and is known as the "Clay Hole." In the summer of 1898, the Great Northern Development Company proposed to build a dam below the Coon Creek Rapids with a power generating plant on the east side of the river. The actual construction did not start until 1912. Within one year, a small city had sprung up on the shores of the Mississippi River. Streets were laid out and roughly graded. The City’s population