Agenda - 11-08-2012 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

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8 1 residential zoning, but still wants to change the Land Use Classification from rural residential to 2 EDE-1, which allows a number of non-residential entities. 3 4 I research land use classification and zoning and the difference between the two. 5 6 I found that a Land Use Map is a graphic representation of physical uses of land. These land 7 use maps are highly visible within most community plans, often showing both current land use 8 and plans for future land use. Land Use Maps identify land uses by category. These typically 9 include Residential, Industrial, Commercial, Natural Areas, Agricultural, and Civic uses. Land 10 Use maps can be either very broad or very detailed depending on the context or reasoning 11 behind creating the map. The land use map is an important tool for identifying existing 12 conditions and for working toward a vision for the community. 13 14 On the other hand, a Zoning Map is a graphic depiction of the boundaries for which a certain 15 set of standards or regulations have been adopted by a governmental entity. The zoning map 16 typically provides predictability for the residents and development community as to what type of 17 land uses may be expected and allowed within each zone district. Land is divided into zone 18 districts from the zoning code which describes the intent and regulations of each particular zone 19 category. A typical zone district will set forth regulations for permitted land uses, building height, 20 density, setbacks, minimum lot sizes, etc. 21 22 So, to summarize, a Future Land Use Map generally reflects the pattern of development that 23 the community desires to see in specific areas, whereas the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map 24 establish the actual use of land including the density, intensity, height, and form of 25 development. 26 27 I also found out that if a property owner wants to develop or use their property in ways that do 28 not conform to their current zoning regulation, they must apply for a change in their zoning 29 classification, also referred to as a rezoning. Zoning regulations, and the rezoning process, are 30 often a key part of implementing area plans. 31 32 All this research led me to one scary conclusion: that if you all approve the land use 33 classification to be changed to EDE-1, you are making a decision that would go against the 34 vision and desires of the community regarding future land use. Furthermore, you are making it 35 that much easier for an individual land owner who may want to have their land rezoned in the 36 future to suit their own needs without regard to the vision and desires of the community. The 37 rezoning is more likely to be approved if the land use is already classified non-residential. 38 39 Finally, this is what Wikipedia says about Land Use: 40 41 "The major effect of land use on land cover since 1750 has been deforestation of temperate 42 regions. More recent significant effects of land use include urban sprawl, soil erosion, soil 43 degradation, salinization, and desertification. Land-use change, together with use of fossil 44 fuels, are the major sources of carbon dioxide, a dominant greenhouse gas. According to a 45 report by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, land degradation has been 46 exacerbated where there has been an absence of any land use planning, or of its orderly 47 execution, or the existence of financial or legal incentives that have led to the wrong land use 48 decisions, or one-sided central planning leading to over-utilization of the land resources - for 49 instance for immediate production at all costs." Sound familiar? 50