The document provides a land use plan for Camp Shalom Retreat Center, a 120-acre property in Linn County, Kansas. It includes a state of the community report summarizing the site's existing conditions and challenges. A vision statement outlines the goal of creating a peaceful environment for spiritual renewal. Goals, objectives, and policies are established around uses such as summer camps, year-round facilities, public amenities, and historic preservation. Future land use classifications and a map designate areas for recreation, cabins, forests, dining, agriculture, and more to realize the vision.

1. Camp Shalom Retreat Center 2007
Linn County, Kansas | December 2007
Camp Shalom
Land Use Plan
Erin Wurfel
UBPL 730
1

2. Camp Shalom Retreat Center 2007
“Shalom is a 120 acre retreat center
dedicated to the promotion of evangelism,
discipleship, and spiritual refreshment for
all people. Our mission is to use a peaceful
environment that will allow people from all
financial and social backgrounds to
experience God in a meaningful way.”
–Shalom Retreat Center Website
2

3. Camp Shalom Retreat Center 2007
Table of Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 3
Summary of State of Community Report ......................................................................... 4
Vision Statement ............................................................................................................. 7
Goals, Objectives and Policies ........................................................................................ 8
Future Land Use Classifications...................................................................................... 9
Appendix A: Land Use Acres Table
Appendix B: Land Use Map
3

4. Camp Shalom Retreat Center 2007
Introduction
The Shalom Retreat Center consists of 120 acres of land in Linn County, Kansas. Currently,
only four acres are being used. It is being used as a retreat center for couples, male and female
church groups, and inner city youths from Freedom Fire Ministries. The Camp Shalom
Executive Board would like to create a more distinct plan for the site. The following document
summarizes the State of Community Report that documents the existing conditions of the site.
It also gives the Vision Statement of the site, as well as, the Goals, Objectives, and Policies.
The Future Land Classifications and Future Land Use Map help portray the vision and goals in a
visual manner.
4

5. Camp Shalom Retreat Center 2007
State of Community Report Summary
A State of Community Report for the Shalom Retreat Center in Linn County, KS will assist in the
making of a land use plan. This report will help document the existing conditions, trends and
planning issues in the community. The topics to be discussed include topography, floodplains,
agricultural land, ground cover, historic and cultural resources, sensitive environmental areas,
existing highways, roads and streets, existing land uses, open space patterns, annexation, and
county regulations. The major issues seem to be the gas pipeline on site, water supply and
waste water management. Other challenges that may face Camp Shalom include the
preservation of specific areas and transportation issues.
The site is located on the corner of 405 County Road and E 1300th Road. Interstate 69
Highway is about 8 miles to the East of the site. The state highway, K-7, is also a few miles
west of the site. Camp Shalom is approximately 10 miles from the city of La Cygne, Kansas
and 7 miles from Pleasanton, Kansas. Therefore, annexation should not be an issue because
the site is too far from the boundaries of the other cities. Figure 1 shows the location of Camp
Shalom.
Figure 1: Map of Camp Shalom
The topographic character of the Shalom Retreat Center site is flat, hilly and steep.
There is one area with a 15% slope and there are three spots on the land that are 910 feet high.
Figure 2 shows the topographic map of the site
5

6. Camp Shalom Retreat Center 2007
Key
15.9% Slope
910 ft high
Figure 2: Topographic Map
Linn County contains floodplains and Camp Shalom contains a part of the Little Sugar
Creek. Two ponds are located on the site, a small pond located in the northwest corner of the
site and a larger pond in the western area of the site
The land is suitable in some areas for plants and crops. The best soil for this is the
Verdigris silt loam located on the western portion of the property along the creek. There are also
several open grassland areas with prairie grasses and trees or woodland area near the creek. It
was also interesting to find cactus within the grasslands. According to the Kansas Biological
Survey, the cactus is most likely Plains Prickly Pear, a native to Kansas.
Significant land uses on the site include the Rieder house, Grace’s brother’s house and
a mobile home. There is also a church, a basketball court, and six cabins with bunk beds. The
current homes on the site use septic systems, therefore, that is a possible way to provide water
and restrooms. A sewer system would be too expensive to extend on the site.
According to the Linn County Zoning Administrator, the Camp Shalom area is currently
zoned A for Agriculture. Permitted uses include agricultural activities, such as crops and
animals, single family homes, public parks, playgrounds and recreation areas, cemeteries and
mausoleums and home businesses or corporations. The site is a legal non-conforming use,
meaning any uses on the site before the land was zoned are allowed to continue. In other
words, several of the uses have been “grandfathered in.” Camp Shalom will not be able
develop as it likes under the current zoning law unless a conditional use permit is acquired. The
county will decide what conditions to put on the permit and will check on the site within five
years.
6

7. Camp Shalom Retreat Center 2007
Vision Statement
The overall plan for a retreat center should be based on the purpose and the principles
behind creating the center. If we look at the name alone, we find “peace” in Shalom. If we look
at Camp Shalom, we find peace as well. The name and mission of Camp Shalom are one and
the same. It is a peaceful and open environment set aside for spiritual renewal. The large
grassland and forestland areas home to hay and cactus, fresh air, hills, ponds and streams all
come together to define Camp Shalom.
The center is a year round facility for men, women and couples retreats as well as
summer camps for inner city children. This includes public amenities to accommodate 200-300
people, a sports recreation area, outdoor activities and walking trails. The community members
and residents of Shalom enjoy its quiet and peaceful demeanor and want to preserve its historic
integrity.
7

8. Camp Shalom Retreat Center 2007
Goals, Objectives and Policies
Goal 1: A peaceful and open environment used for spiritual renewal.
Objective 1.1: Preserve one open grassland or meadow and one forest area by December
2008.
Policy 1.1.1: The preserved areas should be in the southwest corner of the site and the
northeast area near the property line.
Objective 1.2: Designate and construct three walking trails around the site by December 2008.
Goal 2: A summer camp.
Objective 2.1: By the end of 2009, build and construct a camping area with a fire pit and picnic
area for 50-100 people.
Objective 2.2: By the end of 2009, create a recreation area for basketball, volleyball, soccer,
baseball and an obstacle course.
Policy 2.2.1: Use tax deductible donations and publicity for local sports teams or sports stores to
donate sports equipment.
Goal 3: A year round facility.
Objective 3.1: Insert at least one air condition unit and one heating unit in each closed building
on site by the end of 2009.
Objective 3.2: By 2010, coordinate a snow removal service to create a safe outdoor
environment during the winter season.
Policy 3.2.1: Establish an agreement between a local organization to use the camp’s facilities in
exchange for snow removal and salting of wet driveways and parking lots
Goal 4: Public facilities that house 200-300 people.
Objective 4.1: By the end of 2010, create a septic or other sewer system to accommodate 200-
300 people.
Objective 4.2: Build single family housing units and dorm-like residents to house 200-300
people by 2010.
Policy 4.2.1: Use tax deductible donations to encourage developers or organizations to build
and donate residential units to Camp Shalom.
Goal 5: The site is maintained through a discipleship program.
Objective 5.1: By December 2008, pair 30 adults with 60 inner city kids to serve as role models.
Policy 5.1.1: Freedom Fire Urban Ministries coordinates the matches between church going
adults and inner city children.
Objective 5.2: By 2010, train the regular attending Camp Shalom children to maintain the site
along with professional workers.
Goal 6: Historic Integrity of the site is preserved.
Objective 6.1: By 2010, preserve in its entirety the Rieder house on the Camp Shalom site.
Policy 6.1.1: Nominate the Rieder house to the Register of Historic Kansas Places.
Objective 6.2: From the beginning of the design process to end of construction, record and
photograph the process of rehabilitating the Shalom retreat center.
8

9. Camp Shalom Retreat Center 2007
Future Land Classifications
The Future Land Use Map incorporates a number of land uses. Symbols and colors represent
these land use classifications. These physical guides will help create the peaceful and open
environment set aside for spiritual renewal of men, women, couples and inner city children.
The land use plan also refers to patterns from Christopher Alexander’s A Pattern Language, to
help shape Camp Shalom’s “timeless way.” These patterns contain a common problem and
solution when creating a town or building.
Recreation Land Use describes the
area set aside for soccer and football
fields, a volleyball court, an obstacle
course, basketball court, camp site,
fire pit and picnic area. Other
recreation includes star gazing, horse
shoes, hiking trails, fishing and water
sports with canoeing. These places of
team and individual sports will be
scattered throughout the site
according to Pattern # 72, Local
Sports. “It is necessary to scatter
opportunities for physical activity, so
that they are close at hand, indeed
next door…” (Alexander, 364).
Cabins are housing for men, women, couples and
children using the retreat facilities. They will also
serve as housing for maintenance workers. The
cabins will also contain restrooms, showers and
changing areas for camp visitors and workers.
9

10. Camp Shalom Retreat Center 2007
Forest Land Use describes the land on the Camp Shalom site that contains mature trees and
shrubs.
Dining Hall is the area retreat
attendees gather for meals.
According to Alexander,
“communal eating plays a vital role
in almost all human societies as a
way of binding people together and
increasing the extent to which they
feel like ‘members’ of a group”
(698). This applies directly to
retreats that are meant to bring
people together. Pattern #147,
Communal Eating, suggests that
every group should have a place
for people to eat together. The
Dining Hall can also serve as
another meeting place.
Historic Preservation Land Use includes
the Rieder farmhouse and the two acres
surrounding it. Other buildings include the
old kitchen with the retreat participant
signatures and a museum containing history
of the Shalom site and its rehabilitation.
Animal Land Use describes land used to house
animals such as sheep, horses, cows, goats,
10

11. Camp Shalom Retreat Center 2007
birds, deer and chickens. According to Pattern #74, Animals, the land will be fenced in and
protected where animals are “free to graze, with grass, trees, and water in it” (Alexander, 373-
374). The fenced in area for animals would be a petting zoo for the inner city children. “Animals
are as important a part of nature as the trees and grass and flowers. There is some evidence,
in addition, which suggests that contact with animals play a vital role in a child’s emotional
development” (Alexander, 372).
Agriculture Land Use includes the land set aside for
farming or a small garden.
Business Use includes the barns or
storage areas used for maintenance of
the land, agriculture and animals. It
also includes the Camp Shalom
Business office.
Institutional Land Use is characterized by the old chapel which could be made into a small
school house or meeting room. It also includes new larger church to accommodate up to 200
people.
11

12. Camp Shalom Retreat Center 2007
Parking describes the paved areas
with vegetation, plants and
infiltration swales. It will also
incorporate Pattern #22, Nine Per
Cent Parking, in which no more
than 9% of the land will be used for
parking. Out of the 120 acres on
the Camp Shalom site, 10.8 acres
will be allowed for parking. “When
the area devoted to parking is too
great, it destroys the land
(Alexander, 121).” Therefore,
using tall grasses, wildflowers and
shrubs in the parking lot
incorporates the ranch theme of the
camp while reducing storm water
runoff.
Open Space Land Use describes the
grassland areas to be preserved for
spiritual renewal. These areas will
follow Pattern # 60, Accessible Green,
in which open public green spaces are
three minutes walk from the cabins
and retreat center. The greens are
“uniformly scattered at 1500-foot
intervals” throughout the land
(Alexander, 309). The open space is
“at least 150 feet across, and at least
60,000 square feet in area”
(Alexander, 309). These areas are
peaceful and in touch with nature.
Natural Water Use describes the pre
existing bodies of water on the site.
This includes the small pond located in
the northwest corner of the site, the
larger pond in the western area of the
site and Little Sugar Creek. According
to Pattern #25, Access To Water,
“preserve a belt of common land,
immediately beside the water” and “treat
them with great respect” (Alexander,
137). Do not build places right next to
the water’s edge.
12

13. Camp Shalom Retreat Center 2007
Retreat Center is the main meeting
place for guests. It can
accommodate up to 200 people.
The building will follow the cabin
theme.
13

14. Appendix A
Acres of Land Classification
Agriculture Land Use 0.39
Animal Land Use 1.05
Business Use 0.69
Cabins 1.45
Dining Hall 0.13
Forest Land Use 58.25
Historic Preservation Land Use 1.64
Institutional Land Use 0.63
Natural Water Use 2.19
Open Space Land Use 43.66
Parking 0.87
Recreation Land Use 11.52
Retreat Center 0.16
Total Acres for Camp Shalom 122.63

15. Appendix B