Draft report - Property Values Committee 1995

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Flexibility of Development Landowners traditionally cherish the ability to develop their land as they see fit. Today, most landowners recognize the need for community standards -- or regulation -- of development, because the actions of one neighbor can have a large impact on others. The list of permitted land uses in an area may provide more flexibility than a community wants, or may restrict other uses that seem desirable. For example, in the Stoney Creek Basin, the areas zoned R -1 permit construction of a large country club or government office building, and, with a special -use permit, an airport, sewage treatment plant, or land fill. But the ability to build an open - space, cluster -style development is limited. So is the ability to utilize the incentives and design guidelines in some of the large - lot options recommended by the Rural Character Study Committee. Stoney Creek Basin landowners should be able to choose from a variety of development options that are consistent with good land stewardship, community health standards, and Rural Character design guidelines. Offering landowners constructive alternatives to meet these objectives is better than forcing them into a very narrow range of options. Proposal The subcommittee recommends: (1) preserving the density cap permitted under current zoning and public health standards ( "density neutral based on a yield plan for the land "); (2) providing an array of flexible development options that will encourage landowners to preserve open space and rural character such as those in the Rural Character Study and Randall Arendt's open space development plans; (3) considering some of the creative tools available to direct dense development into urban growth areas rather than beyond and to create incentives for landowners and developers to preserve some undeveloped open land in the majority of the Stoney Creek Basin which is beyond current urban growth boundaries. Tools that can be considered within Orange county's jurisdiction include density bonuses and penalties, speedy approval processes, adjustments to requirements for private roads, adjustments to rules about sharing and placement of septic fields, tax breaks, and purchase of development rights. Tools that would require changes in state law include transferrable development rights; (4) educating the entire community about land uses and densities that are currently permitted; about how new tools of land use policy work; and about the advantages and disadvantages of different development options.