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55 <br /> /.';7'1( t11 <br /> Affordable Homes <br /> There is a difference between affordable housing and affordable homes, and "homes" is used <br /> purposefully here. Affordable homes necessitate a certain quality, wholeness, and connection with the <br /> community around them. Rogers Road has been home to generations of residents (indeed, over 80%of <br /> residents have historic ties to the community). Whatever new housing is built in the neighborhood must <br /> be suited for families (3 bedroom, 2 bath as the primary model,with a smaller model for elder housing) <br /> and also be integrated into the fabric of the existing community, ideally attracting and retaining <br /> subsequent generations of historic Rogers Road residents. Also, the standards for affordability used in <br /> new development should further the existing socio-economic diversity in the neighborhood (including a <br /> significant percentage of households earning below 50%AMI)—which will necessitate more careful and <br /> creative approaches than the standard 60-80%AMI metric. <br /> Community Commercial <br /> While there are a range of opinions about the presence of retail and commercial generally in the <br /> neighborhood, there was strong support for the existence of modest, community commercial spaces that <br /> allow for small, local businesses to serve the community. Examples given have included hair salons and <br /> barbershops, small ethnic restaurants, hardware store outposts & maker spaces, community health <br /> clinics, small outdoor markets, and kiosk-size spaces for short-term use (such as flower shops) to support <br /> entrepreneurship. We use the phrasing "community commercial" here to highlight that the goal is to <br /> serve the neighborhood, provide employment opportunities, and ensure that affordable commercial <br /> space is available long in the future. Meeting those goals will likely necessitate a different model from <br /> traditional commercial retail, either involving a nonprofit developer, subsidies, or both. <br /> Connectivity <br /> Connection, in the planning world, is often limited to physical infrastructure. A new subdivision is <br /> sometimes considered "connected" if it ties into the main road and has access to Weaver Dairy,for <br /> example. The term here means more integration of spaces: connection that is physical, social, and <br /> cultural. Connectivity prioritizes historic Rogers Road residents and requires integration of new <br /> development into the existing fabric of the community. <br /> Conservation <br /> The undeveloped land in Rogers Road is not vacant; to the contrary it has a wealth of value for residents <br /> of Rogers Road and surrounding communities. For generations this land has played an important role as a <br /> site for recreation,for fruit orchards, and for contemplation. Conservation on the tract should <br /> acknowledge and build on this cultural value without disturbing the rural feel of the area—not creating a <br /> sectioned-off or walled-off part of the community, but keeping large portions of these lands open for <br /> enjoyment and connection to the natural world,while protecting this special environment. <br /> iii <br />