Agenda - Council - 08/24/2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Page 6 that 50% of the lands will be preserved as open space. But based on where it is found, district E is likely to allow higher densities with less open space protection. And so if it is implemented as shown, it will likely dilute the public's ability to protect riverfront open space through clustered development. This would strike an enormous blow right to the heart of the intent of the rulemaking process, and our opportunity to help shape a more visionary and protective land use pattern. We believe that opportunity for clustering should be fully retained, and the overall density of any undeveloped part of the corridor should not be any greater than is currently afforded forded by law. District B should adhere in spirit to the original intent of the Rural Open Space District in the Executive Order — "...to preserve their open, scenic and natural characteristics and ecological and economic functions." The key is to ensure the area closest to the river remains in this state, while allowing for denser development set back from natural open space along the river. Why would we loosen development requirements, especially in a way that seems likely to dramatically change our ability to protect the resources along the river? Instead, we would propose a different approach to open space preservation that seems more coherently implemented. PRINCIPLE 3: Guide Parkland Dedication in New Development and Redevelopment, in accordance with 79-19 We know that many areas along the corridor are ripe for new development or redevelopment in the coming years. The rural areas currently designated B, E, and I present many opportunities for new development at the ends of the corridor. In the urbanized center of the corridor, many areas designated F, as well as G and H are sites of likely redevelopment. The existing Executive Order 79-19 calls directly for an inventory of park protection needs, and the establishment of parkland dedication ordinances in local municipalities to help make acquisition a reality. Here it is impossible to talk about districts without touching on standards. We would suggest employing parkland dedication requirements that require all new development in the river corridor to dedicate a specific percentage of their land for park and public open space. RECOMMENDATION 3. I: Create a Parkland Dedication Map for All Districts. To ensure that the mechanism protects the most important lands, we propose the creation of a Parkland Dedication Map. A Parkland Dedication Map would identify the most important land for protection — including areas of particular scenic or ecological significance. Like the districts, the map would be adopted as a part of the rulemaking process, but would be independent of the zoning map. In short, anyone developing land within the Critical Area could be required to first dedicate the lands identified on the Parkland Dedication Map, before using other land or equivalent cash donations to fulfill parkland dedication requirements. If a parcel being developed contained no areas identified on the Parkland Dedication Map, then a developer would be free to fulfill