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64 <br /> • Considers the protection of lands that"preserve natural resources,wildlife, and help provide <br /> clean air and drinking water"as a core service of the county. <br /> • Aims, in Goal 6,to"commit resources to a regional park system connected by trails and <br /> greenways." <br /> Protected riparian buffers,which can be used as corridors linking large natural areas, are also identified as <br /> an important natural resource to protect in the Environmental Stewardship Agenda and the Southwest <br /> Wake Area Land Use Plan. <br /> LAND USE& DEVELOPMENT <br /> Similarly, in the county's UDO,Wake County provides natural resource protection measures in many <br /> places, including in the following zoning classifications: <br /> • Residential Watershed Districts <br /> • RCOD-1 Resource Conservation Overlay District, <br /> • RCOD-2,Resource Conservation Overlay District 2 <br /> These zoning classifications are mostly aimed at protecting water resources by requiring riparian buffers <br /> on perennial streams of 50 feet and 100 feet depending on the district. In practice,these buffer widths can <br /> provide wildlife passage for many species. <br /> Article 5,Lot and Building Standards: <br /> • Allows Cluster and Open Space Development for the protection of 30%of the project as a natural <br /> area. <br /> • Provides a 20%density bonus for developments that protect 65%percent open space. <br /> • In all subdivisions,recommends preservation for important wildlife habitats such as"woodlands, <br /> steep slopes,rock outcroppings,ponds, streams,rivers,and lakes"in the layout and design phase <br /> of subdivision development. <br /> These natural area set-asides, if configured as large, contiguous blocks of wildlife habitat, could create a <br /> network of wildlife habitats. <br /> PLANNING &COLLABORATION <br /> The Comprehensive Parks&Recreation Master Plan states three times that Wake County will <br /> collaborate with partners to achieve its vision for open space protection. <br /> • Collaboration with other local governments and with non-profits is a key strategy in Goal 2 to <br /> ensure that the county maintains and enhances its core services, including natural area protection. <br /> • Goal#6 aims to use partners to help identify land to protect and pool resources to gain that <br /> protection. <br /> • Goal#7 is"To participate in the planning and collaboration of municipal and regional trail and <br /> greenway plans." <br /> TRANSPORTATION <br /> The Wake County Transportation Plan recognizes the impact that the transportation network has on <br /> wildlife corridors and habitats and aims to develop a transportation network that balances the competing <br /> needs of the county. <br /> A Landscape Plan for Wildlife Habitat Connectivity 51 <br />