Rural areas of Manitowoc County are feeling the effects of people moving out of cities and villages in search of more open space and a relaxed lifestyle.

A recent report from the Wisconsin Department of Administration revealed that the population in Manitowoc County rural areas grew 3.3 percent from 2000 to 2006, while population in villages and cities only grew 1.5 percent.

Some of the growth has been around and near inland lakes such as Cedar and Wilke Lakes, while other growth is simply "out in the country."

This is not a new trend and certainly not unique to Manitowoc County. However, it raises some serious planning and land use issues that the county and incorporated communities continue to study.

The question is how do we regulate land use in a way that recognizes the rights of individual property owners, while not jeopardizing the collective rights of adjoining neighbors?

Two very important and politically "hot" issues have been in the news recently and will continue to make headlines: the permitting of wind farms; and the issue of water quality and dairy farms.

While it is true that both of these issues involve not just newcomers to the rural scene, but long time residents, more people in rural areas means more conflict over land use.

Most people moving into rural areas are not doing so to become farmers or to operate dairies. Their motivations are entirely different from their neighbors who may be making a living off their land.

This makes for potential conflict.

Increasing population densities in rural areas will put more pressure on county and appropriate community officials to regulate specific types of growth that may affect property values and quality of life.

Dairy farmers, many of whom are second, third or more generation owners, must find it frustrating to be painted a villain because their new neighbors don't like the way cows smell.

Rural population growth means more wells will be drilled, some in areas where a manure spill or improper spreading of manure could pollute the water. It also means more septic systems, which if improperly installed can cause pollution. The issue of large or mega dairy farms remains controversial.

If the recent, controversy over the wind turbine farms planned by Navitas Energy and Emerging Energies, has taught us anything, it is that it is better to have a land-use policy in place than to invent one as we go. The county got into a controversy over the issue of permitting the wind turbines because it did not have a policy in place.

Additional issues that can be expected include new roads and maintenance issues that come with increased usage; transmission lines to get electricity to more isolated areas; providing law enforcement and other emergency services to larger rural populations; and transportation issues for school districts.

The changing population density of rural Manitowoc County will be a growing challenge for years to come. The best chance for the county to encourage healthy growth in rural areas is to keep working on what can be done now to anticipate and accommodate that change.