Conservation, Natural Features, And Parks

Environment & Recreation

Read through the recommendations collected through the audit process and select your top three priorities in each section - these should represent the actions that are most important to you or those you think would be the most impactful as we update our regulations.

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Your Info

Your Info
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Encourage development practices that conserve and connect natural features and habitat

Natural Features / Habitats

Natural Features / Habitats
Establish clear priorities for natural feature protection including rare species habitat, mature forests, wetlands, and stream corridors.Require integration of green infrastructure elements that provide ecological benefits while managing stormwater and providing other community benefits.Establish minimum lot sizes of 10-40 acres depending on, topography and agricultural viability to maintain farm operations.Provide strong protections for agricultural uses, including right-to-farm provisions and standards to limit conflicts with non-agricultural uses.Allow limited residential development to provide economic flexibility for farmers while protecting rural character and preventing subdivision and suburban sprawl in agricultural areas.Allow farm-related businesses, agritourism, and value-added agricultural processing as accessory uses to support agricultural viability.Consider TDR provisions that allow farmers to sell development rights to developers in designated growth areas.Allow conservation subdivisions to achieve the same overall density as conventional subdivisions while clustering development to preserve open space and natural features.Require minimum 50% open space preservation depending on the size of development and environmental constraints of the site.Provide flexibility in lot sizes, setbacks, and street design to accommodate clustered development while maintaining neighborhood character.Ensure protection of primary conservation areas including wetlands, steep slopes, mature forests, and stream corridors.Establish requirements for long-term management and stewardship of preserved open space including management plans and funding mechanisms.Create standards for scenic corridors that protect important views, maintain rural or natural character, and manage development impacts.Establish criteria and procedures for scenic corridors based on scenic quality, public use, and community input.Require greater setbacks, height restrictions, and design standards for development visible from designated scenic corridors.Mandate preservation of existing vegetation and require additional landscaping to screen development from scenic corridors.Limit signage along scenic corridors to preserve scenic character and prevent visual clutter.Consolidate and limit access points along scenic corridors to preserve safety and scenic quality while accommodating necessary development access.Establish standards with clear criteria for preserving existing mature trees during development.Provide incentives for reforestation of cleared or agricultural areas.Prioritize native tree species in preservation and replanting requirements to support local ecosystems and reduce maintenance needs.Establish development standards for different slope categories with attention paid to erosion and stormwater, with the most restrictive standards on the steepest slopes and most visible ridgelines.Identify important public views and establish protection standards that prevent development from blocking or degrading these views.Provide guidance on alternative development approaches such as clustering, reduced density, or conservation design that can achieve development goals while protecting hillside and ridgetop resources.
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Create a park system that is accessible to and meets the needs of all residents

Park Systems

Park Systems
Ensure access to parks and recreation facilities for all residents including accessibility requirements, geographic distribution standards, and diverse facility types that serve different age groups and interests.Ensure park facilities are accessible to existing and proposed developments by multiple transportation modes including walking, bicycling, and vehicles.Identify suitable sites for community parks in underserved and growing areas before development makes acquisition expensive or infeasible.Use multiple funding mechanisms including land dedication requirements and grant funding to acquire park land.Explore partnership opportunities with school districts, other public agencies, and private developers to acquire and develop community park facilities.Consider land banking strategies that acquire suitable sites when available and affordable, even if immediate development is not planned.