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• Continued identification, evaluation and inventory of natural terrain features, visual resources, and sensitive ecological areas and the development of criteria and incentives for encouraging their protection. • Recognition of the generations of land stewardship by rural landowners and the protection of their property rights and land values by providing a variety of development options which will allow for flexibility and creativity in design. • Protection of the character of existing neighborhoods from abrupt changes in density or land use by providing density transitions. Also, provision should be made to direct growth that is not rural in character toward more urbanized areas where it can take advantage of existing infrastructure. We recognize and acknowledge that we have a responsibility to balance all aspects of the character of this area including its rural heritage, rights of landowners, and likelihood of future change. The Stoney Creek Basin Land Use Plan should, therefore, seek to preserve important elements of rural character and special natural features, while still allowing for quality expansion and growth of rural and country suburban neighborhoods along with the possibility of some very limited, internally oriented, commercial and service locations that fit in with a preserved rural character. This must all be done without unfair or unreasonable financial restrictions or burdens either for the landowners who may desire to develop their property, or for the taxpaying citizens of the area who may have to pay for any negative effects or excess costs for public infrastructure of ill- planned development.