The surface of the Earth is shaped by a combination of physical processes, including earthquakes, volcanos, the shift of rocks and sediments, and flows of rivers and streams. Humans have also shaped the land by increasing population, agricultural expansion, mineral and forest resource excavation, changing the flows of rivers, and with layers of industrial and urban infrastructure. Land use describes the various ways in which human beings make use of and manage the land and its resources. Humans have been on earth for about 200,000 years, and in that time, humans have had a close relationship to the land (Environmental Literacy Council). Early humans believed to have used the land with little alteration for shelter, food gathering, and defensive …show more content…
Achieving a healthy community for both human and non-human with a clean environment is the goal in Minnesota. The Country Planning Act provides counties with authority to promote the “health, safety, moral, and general welfare of the community” also called the “police powers of the state.” Counties have no land use authority within cities, except when regulated by the city. Counties can adopt their own plan of land use and look over the existing governmental social, economic, demographic, environmental and cultural situation in the country. When land use planning and management programs are established, those within the county go to the Planning Commission and Board of adjustment which then advises the county in developing a comprehensive plan and development proposals (Association of Minnesota Counties). This board of Adjustment is responsible for hearing and deciding appeals from an order or decision made by the zoning administrator, hearing and deciding on requests for variances from the zoning ordinance, and reviewing applications for special use permits. The law provides additional detail on the membership and function of these two committees. A 60 day rule is put into place where decisions need to be made within the 60 days of the hearing and failure to do so will result in denial of the