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open space by swell-defined "hard edge" of dwellings in contrast with the <br />open, lazgely agricultural, forest and undeveloped character of the open space. <br />c. The village should be sited so as to best preserve natural vistas and the <br />existing topography. <br />d. The village should be designed in a generally rectilineaz pattern of blocks and <br />interconnecting streets and alleys, defined by buildings, street furniture, <br />landscaping, pedestrian ways and sidewalks. <br />(2) Spatial Relationships of Various Use Areas and Open Space. <br />a. The common, peripheral open space shall. surround the village unless <br />explicitly modified upon a finding that unique topographical or other natural <br />features or preexisting boundary conditions require an alternative <br />arrangement. <br />b. Village storefront use and townhouse use areas shall be surrounded by the <br />residential use area or, where applicable, by a combination of residential and <br />civic use areas. <br />c. Higher density residential lots should be generally located between the <br />designated commercial area and lower density residential lots. <br />d. ~ The transition between uses shall be blended to avoid a distinct visual <br />segregation. <br />(3) Block Design <br />a. Blocks of a generally rectangulaz shape should be the-main organizing feature <br />of the village. While topography, existing vegetation, hydrology and design <br />intentions should influence block shape and size, the maximum length for a <br />block is to be four hundred and eighty (480) feet with an allowance for blocks <br />up to six hundred (600) feet when mid-block pedestrian paths or ways are <br />provided. No less than one eight-foot pedestrian alley or way must be <br />provided for every two-hundred (200) feet of road frontage in the storefront <br />use area. <br />b. The blocks of the village may be subdivided into lots, having frontage on a <br />street, whose generally rectangulaz shape should respond to environmental <br />factors, the proposed use and design intentions. <br />c. Village lots should minimise front and side yazds, garage aprons and <br />entrances and blank walls, and should generally have as narrow a width as is <br />practical to encourage pedestrian movement. <br />Page 13 of 35 <br />