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Conventional Development <br />Design Concept <br />The term "conventional development" refers to the type of neighborhood design that has <br />predominated in this country since World War H. Beginning in the 1920s with the invention and <br />spread of the automobile, people no longer needed to live near central cities or along railroad or <br />streetcar lines. The automobile enabled those working in the cities to live in country settings <br />farther away from the central cities. Property in these outer areas also cost less due to its distance <br />from the economic center, allowing people to afford larger lots. The result was the eventual <br />proliferation of these "suburbs" characterized by single - family homes on larger lots. The size of <br />these lots enabled and even necessitated, due to the dispersion of homes, the use of on -site septic <br />tanks and wells. Aesthetic and safety concerns in the residential areas also led to the design of <br />curvilinear streets and the use of cul -de -sacs. The post -World War II boom saw the proliferation <br />of these "American Dream" neighborhoods where privacy is highly valued. <br />The concept of zoning, which arose in the mid- 1920's, called for the separation of land uses for <br />health reasons and for the protection of property values. This complete separation from the retail <br />and office activities in the central cities appealed to suburban residents. To protect the quality of <br />life offered by these suburbs, local governments began implementing development guidelines <br />including building -to -lot ratios, setback requirements, and minimum lot sizes. The resulting <br />subdivision and zoning ordinances effectively institutionalized the development process and <br />product, making deviation difficult. For example, the Orange County zoning ordinances set <br />minimum lot sizes at one unit per acre. <br />Most of the existing residential neighborhoods in the Stoney Creek Basin incorporate the basic <br />principles of low - density, conventional development design. For instance, individual lot sizes <br />range from one acre to over ten acres per unit. Also, existing single - family and mobile homes in <br />the basin are served by on -site septic tanks and wells. All water supply and wastewater treatment <br />needs of new neighborhoods will be served similarly in this scenario. <br />Stoney Creek Basin Area Plan, 13 <br />