Implementing Green Infrastructure: A Case Study for Rural Communities on the Urban Fringe
Breakthroughs Media
July 23, 2010
In order to address the resident´s of Kamas City´s desire to proactively plan for natural area conservation and future real estate development, the Kamas Planning Commission, with the partnership of the Center for Green Infrastructure Design, is recommending updates to the City´s planning policy. The intent is to guide future growth into patterns that preserve the community´s present quality of life while protecting public property rights and existing green infrastructure assets such as scenic views, working lands, and planted wind breaks.
The proposed updates to planning policy documents enable Kamas, a small township in Summit County Utah (near Park City), to move from developing wall-to-wall house lots and streets to developments that conserve the valued open lands and community character. In more rural areas, conventional development processes often result in lots that are too small to farm and too big to mow. Over time, such lots can vastly diminish the rural character of a community as remaining farmland and open spaces are consumed.
Zoning and subdivision regulations determine the overall residential density allowed through the City´s requirements for a minimum lot size for residential properties. One method traditionally used for preserving open space is to require large minimum lot sizes. While this approach does limit development, it also has the consequences of spreading development out and thus creating sprawl.
PROPOSED POLICY UPDATES INCLUDE :
General Plan :
• As we treat our real estate development in a thorough and consolidated manner in the general plan, we recommend updating and consolidating open space policy to give it proper importance and weight per the sentiments of Kamas City residents.
• We recommend adding references to a straightforward, four-step development review process that encourages open space conservation while protecting private property rights.
• We recommend adding references to a zoning update that will guide real estate development in currently undeveloped areas of the city.
Zoning :
There are four areas of the city that are currently undeveloped. These areas are within the existing city limits but just beyond existing development. In order to move Kamas toward more desirable development patterns, recommended updated include creating a new "green space zone", or overlay, on the current zoning map for these areas, a zone in which conservation subdivision design is the standard pattern of development.
Subdivision Regulations :
Recommended updates include creating a conservation subdivision ordinance that includes a straightforward four-step design process designed to encourage open space conservation while enabling property owners to fully realize their by-right development units. This ordinance would apply specifically to the remaining infill areas within existing developed areas of the City could be handled with existing subdivision language.
Cities often rely on state or federal regulations to protect sensitive lands. Too often, these regulations are not specific enough and can be negotiated or go unenforced. Local regulations must uphold federal standards but can expand on these to offer more insurance and local control. Cities should employ modified standards as appropriate and regularly check that their ordinances are working and adjust them as needed and live up to their intentions.
These proposed updates encourage sensitive development that plan around important resources, they would preserve the rural feel of our community while allowing property owners to fully realize their development rights. This form of development is achieved by a simple four-step design process called conservation subdivision design. In this example, conservation subdivision design tucks homes into trees along the back of a parcel leaving a field intact along the roadway. Rural views and viable agriculture are allowed to persist along with real estate development.
Comprehensive plan and ordinance updates are valuable tools to promote the conservation of valued natural lands and green infrastructure. Bringing community hopes for open space conservation and real estate development together through policy updates will provide the formal support for natural land conservation.
The Center for Green Infrastructure Design is a non-profit which promotes the recognition of green infrastructure and helps communities plan and implement better development patterns and land use decisions. The Center for Green Infrastructure Design actively illustrates techniques that designers, planners, municipalities and communities can use to overcome impediments and grow in a sustainable fashion which protects valued open space assets. As grey infrastructure is planned as each real estate development is contemplated, so must green infrastructure.
To learn more about strategies and techniques you and your community can use to implement better patterns of growth, as well as download example ordinances and general plan language modifications, please contact us or visit our website www.greeninfrastructuredesign.org or contact us at (801)483-2100.
The Center for Green Infrastructure Design
311 S 900 E Suite 201
Salt Lake City UT 84102
801-483-2100
info@greeninfrastructuredesign.org
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