PRINCIPLE NO. 11 Open Space Design Options
Advocate open space development that incorporates smaller lot sizes to minimize total impervious area, conserve natural areas, provide community space, and promote watershed protection.
Notes:
Although open space development (or cluster design) has been advocated by planners for many years, they are only rarely applied in the development process. In 95% of communities surveyed by Heraty (1992), clustering is a voluntary, rather than a mandatory development option. In addition, open space developments often require a special exception zoning variance (i.e. they are not a by-right form of development) or additional review step which requires more time for approval. As it turns out, open space development is not always widely exercised by developers.
Open space developments encourage the evaluation of development designs to determine if they really meet impervious cover reduction and land conservation goals. Open space developments can reduce impervious cover, stormwater runoff, and construction costs. While open space developments are generally not feasible for residential densities of more than eight dwelling units per acre, communities should consider making open space development a by-right option .