Agenda - 02-16-1981 - Laserfiche WebLink

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is fully developed; The thirteen activity centers, current acreages, land available for expansion, and the subcommunities serviced by each center are listed in Table 3. Residential and Recreational Uses With the location of activity centers and boundaries of the subcommunities delineated, only allocation of land within subcommunities to future resi- dential and neighborhood recreational uses remained. Critical environmen- tal areas are the starting point for mapping an open space system for the Planning Area. In addition to critical areas, it was decided not to esta- blish a specific standard for a percentage of land within the urban area which would be left in its natural state. The Town, however, has adopted the objective of achieving an open space network designed to protect the natural environment, provide active and passive recreation sites through- out the community, buffer incompatible land uses, define urban form, and provide scenic viewsTM. To meet this objective a minimal amount of additional open space was designated in the form of open space density credits, stream buffers, and recreation sites. A density credit is a way to preserve open space without outright purchase of the land and without taking the value of the land from the owner. With a credit the owner is allowed to develop part of his property with a greater number of dwelling units per acre if he agrees to leave a specified portion in open space. Stream buffers along • watercourses far which there are no designated floodways, while not criti- cal areas, are logical locations for addition open space. In areas where • there are no existing parks the Plan includes possible recreation areas. The location of these proposed facilities is only tentative. The Community Facilities Analysis will study recreation needs in much more detail and will recommend suitable sites. Residential uses in the subcommunities have been divided into lbw density residential , with a density of from 1 to 7 dwelling units per acre, and high density residential , with a density of from 7 to 15 dwelling units per acre (see discussion under Intensity of Land Uses) . High density residential development, like activity centers, has special locational requirements. Again, intense use of land can be expected to create an increased traffic flow. Careful placement of high density resi- dential areas can minimize this increase, as well as its detrimental effects on other residential areas. Locating high density housing no more than one-half mile from an activity center places a substantial number of households within walking distance of shopping, employment, and other activities. Also, this location near an activity center places apartments close, thoUgh not necessarily directly on a major thoroughfare which can absorb the higher levels of traffic and also minimizes travel through other residential areas. Finally, high density housing surrounding and activity center can serve as a transition use between the intense land use of the center and lower density residential use.