Parks and Recreation System Master Plan Update (2016) parks_and_recreation_system_master_plan_update_oct | Page 64

Prime Farmland
Prime farmland is the most productive acreage for
agriculture because it has few or no limitations such as slope
and wetness which restrict its use for farming. The U.S.D.A.
Soil Conservation Service has categorized soils in Jefferson
County into eight capability classes based upon their
suitability for farming. The best soils, Class I and Class II, are
characterized by few or moderate limitations for agriculture.
According to the Soil Conservation Service, 10 percent of
soils in Jefferson County are classified Class I (few limitations
for agriculture) while an additional 38 percent are classified
as Class II (some limitations for agriculture). Class I soils are
concentrated in the Floyds Fork and Ohio River corridors.
C6. Visual Resources
Littledove Farm, Floyds Fork Corridor
Louisville possesses diverse visual resources which contribute greatly to the character
and livability of the community. Significant visual resources include:
• the Ohio River, a major scenic resource when visible from public parks, walkways, and
roads such as River Road in the upper part of the Corridor and from the Louisville Loop
along the Levee Trail in the lower part of the Corridor;
• the Knob Hills including Jefferson Memorial Forest and Iroquois Park, forested
landmarks which are highly visible from the surrounding area in southwestern Louisville
and which provide sweeping vistas of Louisville and some surrounding areas such as
Indiana’s knobs;
• the Floyds Fork Drainage Area, a visually diverse region characterized by varied
topography, stream corridors, and a landscape matrix consisting of active and
abandoned farmland, hedgerows, and woodland;
• parks, open spaces, and stream corridors which provide visual relief in the urban and
suburban environment (the major Olmsted parks Shawnee, Iroquois, and Cherokee as
well as large parks such as McNeely, Creason, Vettiner and Long Run, are especially
important); and
• Louisville’s numerous historic districts, with varied building types and architectural
styles reflective of the city’s rich historic heritage.
Louisville’s visual environment has been impacted by increasing urbanization and
suburbanization in recent years along highway corridors and other roadways.
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III. CONTEXT AND COMMUNITY INVENTORY | October 2016 Update