Minutes 09-06-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I was troubled by an email sent by our unofficial "organizer", Chris Kelsey, reminding us of the date of the next meeting. He indicated that the Planning Department was retaining rural residential zoning, but still wants to change the Land Use Classification from rural residential to EDE-1, which allows a number of non-residential entities. I research land use classification and zoning and the difference between the two. I found that a Land Use Map is a graphic representation of physical uses of land. These land use maps are highly visible within most community plans, often showing both current land use and plans for future land use. Land Use Maps identify land uses by category. These typically include Residential, Industrial, Commercial, Natural Areas, Agricultural, and Civic uses. Land Use maps can be either very broad or very detailed depending on the context or reasoning behind creating the map. The land use map is an important tool for identifying existing conditions and for working toward a vision for the community. On the other hand, a Zoning Map is a graphic depiction of the boundaries for which a certain set of standards or regulations have been adopted by a governmental entity. The zoning map typically provides predictability for the residents and development community as to what type of land uses may be expected and allowed within each zone district. Land is divided into zone districts from the zoning code which describes the intent and regulations of each particular zone category. A typical zone district will set forth regulations for permitted land uses, building height, density, setbacks, minimum lot sizes, etc. So, to summarize, a Future Land Use Map generally reflects the pattern of development that the community desires to see in specific areas, whereas the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map establish the actual use of land including the density, intensity, height, and form of development. I also found out that if a property owner wants to develop or use their property in ways that do not conform to their current zoning regulation, they must apply for a change in their zoning classification, also referred to as a rezoning. Zoning regulations, and the rezoning process, are often a key part of implementing area plans. All this research led me to one scary conclusion: that if you all approve the land use classification to be changed to EDE-1, you are making a decision that would go against the vision and desires of the community regarding future land use. Furthermore, you are making it that much easier for an individual land owner who may want to have their land rezoned in the future to suit their own needs without regard to the vision and desires of the community. The rezoning is more likely to be approved if the land use is already classified non-residential. Finally, this is what Wikipedia says about Land Use: "The major effect of land use on land cover since 1750 has been deforestation of temperate regions. More recent significant effects of land use include urban sprawl, soil erosion, soil degradation, salinization, and desertification. Land-use change, together with use of fossil fuels, are the major sources of carbon dioxide, a dominant greenhouse gas. According to a report by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, land degradation has been exacerbated where there has been an absence of any land use planning, or of its orderly execution, or the existence of financial or legal incentives that have led to the wrong land use