Transcript Document

PRESERVATION and PROGRESS
IN THE DRAGON RUN
PRESERVATION and PROGRESS
IN THE DRAGON RUN
COORDINATING LAND USE POLICIES
AND PRACTICES
PARADIGM DESIGN
January 25, 2005 Work Session
PROJECT
OVERVIEW
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
 Memorandum of Agreement adopted in 2001
BACKGROUND
 Memorandum of Agreement adopted in 2001
 Land Use Policy Audit completed in 2003
BACKGROUND
 Memorandum of Agreement adopted in 2001
 Land Use Policy Audit completed in 2003
 Watershed Management Plan adopted in 2004 (3
counties)
BACKGROUND
 Memorandum of Agreement adopted in 2001
 Land Use Policy Audit completed in 2003
 Watershed Management Plan adopted in 2004 (3
counties)
 2005: Preservation and Progress - Coordinating
Land Use Policies and Practices
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
 Implement the goals & objectives of the Dragon
Run Memorandum of Agreement
GOAL I:
MISSION, GOALS & OBJECTIVES OF THE DRAGON RUN MEMORANDUM OF
AGREEMENT
MISSION: To support and promote community-based efforts to preserve the cultural, historic,
and natural character of the Dragon Run, while preserving property rights and the traditional
uses within the watershed.
Establish a high level of cooperation and communication
between the four counties
within the Dragon Run Watershed to achieve consistency
across county boundaries.
GOAL I
Establish a high level of cooperation and communication between the four counties
within the Dragon Run Watershed to achieve consistency across county boundaries.
OBJECTIVE A
Develop a plan to address the inevitable future development pressure to change
the traditional use of land in the Dragon Run Watershed.
OBJECTIVE B
Achieve consistency across county boundaries among land use plans and
regulations in order to maintain farming and forestry and to preserve natural
heritage areas by protecting plants, animals, natural communities, and aquatic
systems.
OBJECTIVES:
OBJECTIVE C
Provide ongoing monitoring of existing plans and planning tools in order to
assess traditional land uses and watershed health and take action necessary to
preserve the watershed.
OBJECTIVE D
Comprehensively implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) for water
quality, wildlife habitat, and soil conservation.
A. Develop a plan to address the inevitable future development pressure
to change the traditional use of land in the Dragon Run Watershed.
GOAL II
Foster educational partnerships and opportunities to establish the community’s
connection to and respect for the land and water of the Dragon Run.
OBJECTIVE A
Encourage experience-based education consistent with the Stewardship and
Community Engagement goals of the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement.
B. Achieve consistency across county boundaries among land use plans
and regulations in order to maintain farming and forestry and to
preserve natural heritage areas by protecting plants, animals, natural
communities, and aquatic
systems.
OBJECTIVE B
Promote the community and economic benefits of the Dragon Run derived from
its natural characteristics and traditional uses such as farming, forestry, hunting
and fishing.
GOAL III
Promote the concept of landowner stewardship that has served to preserve the Dragon
Run Watershed as a regional treasure.
OBJECTIVE A
Address the potential dilemma of preserving the watershed’s sense of peace and
serenity by protecting open space and reducing fragmentation of farms, forests,
and wildlife habitat versus the landowners rights in determining or influencing
future land use.
OBJECTIVE B
Educate landowners about the regional importance of the Dragon Run.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
 Implement the goals & objectives of the Dragon
Run Memorandum of Agreement
 Develop model planning policies and standards
for the Dragon Run
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
 Implement the goals & objectives of the Dragon
Run Memorandum of Agreement
 Develop model planning policies and standards
for the Dragon Run
 Work with each County to adopt consistent land
use policies to protect the Dragon Run and
encourage compatible economic development uses
SCOPE & SCHEDULE
SCOPE & SCHEDULE
PHASE 1: DEVELOPING THE MODEL DISTRICTS
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
KICK OFF &
ORGANIZATIONAL
MODEL COMP PLAN
DISTRICT
MODEL ZONING
OVERLAY DISTRICT
ILLUSTRATIVES &
PUBLIC PRESENT.
PRODUCTION OF DELIVERABLES
KEY MEETINGS
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
SCOPE & SCHEDULE
PHASE 2: WORKING WITH THE COUNTIES
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
COUNTY TECHNICAL
MEMORANDA
WORK SESSIONS
WITH COUNTY STAFF
PUBLIC INFORMAT.
MEETINGS
SUPPORT FOR
ADOPTION OF
AMENDMENTS
PRODUCTION OF DELIVERABLES
ONGOING MEETINGS
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
ROLES
ROLES
 Citizens at large:
Landowners and other stakeholders
Input, evaluation and consensus on recommendations
 Dragon Run Steering Committee:
Core group of Landowners and County officials to
represent stakeholders
Develop key recommendations for model districts for
the Dragon Run
 County Officials:
Boards of Supervisors and Planning Commissions
Review, evaluate and adopt recommendations for each
County
ROLES - (cont’d)
 County Staff:
County Administrators, planners & others
Review, refine and “customize” recommendations
 Planning District Commission:
SAMP Director
Technical and organizational resource
 Consultant:
Paradigm Design - Land Use & Planning
Technical “staff” to Steering Committee and
Counties
Questions
or Comments?
LAND USE POLICY
AUDIT
THE LAND USE POLICY AUDIT
 Comprehensive “Audit” of the 4 Counties in 2003.
 Looked at:




Comprehensive Plan
Zoning
Subdivision
Chesapeake Bay & Others
 Looked at both regional scale & site scale
THE LAND USE POLICY AUDIT
FINDINGS:
 Comprehensive Plans give little policy guidance
about the Dragon Run
 Zoning Ordinances allow some incompatible uses
(auto graveyards, landfills, etc.)
 Special Districts (DRCD & Chesapeake Bay) are
generally “streamside” protections
 Subdivision Ordinances generally control density
(2-6 units maximum for Minor Subdivisions)
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:
All Counties
ZONING:
All Counties
EXISTING
CONDITIONS:
•100 Year Floodplain
•Wetlands
•Existing Structures
•Parcel Sizes
CURRENT POLICIES:
•5-Ac. average lot size
•“By Right”
development
•2-6 Lots per parcel
under Minor
Subdivision
TYPICAL FARM:
•100 Ac. farm & forest
•Traditional farmstead
•Fronts on Dragon
Run
•Ches. Bay RPA/RMA
CURRENT POLICIES:
•6 Lot Minor
Subdivision
•4 waterfront lots (5-10
ac. each)
•2 farm lots (20-30 ac.
each)
•Clearing permitted
outside Ches. Bay area
THE LAND USE POLICY AUDIT
OPPORTUNITIES:
 Adopt model planning districts in the
Comprehensive Plans of the 4 Counties?
 Adopt Zoning Overlay districts in the Counties?
 Align Subdivision and Zoning Ordinances?
 Develop “Owner’s Manual” for Dragon Run
landowners (voluntary guidelines)?
TRENDS & ISSUES
Why change things now?
Why change things now?
 Landowners have effectively conserved the Dragon
Run to date
Why change things now?
 Landowners have effectively conserved the Dragon
Run to date
 Current development pressures are low
Why change things now?
 Landowners have effectively conserved the Dragon
Run to date
 Current development pressures are low
 BUT - development pressures are influenced by
regional, national, even global trends
Why change things now?
 Landowners have effectively conserved the Dragon
Run to date
 Current development pressures are low
 BUT - development pressures are influenced by
regional, national, even global trends
 Will the current policies / ordinances conserve the
Dragon Run in the future?
ISSUES
Why do we have these growth issues?
 The causes of growth problems are regional,
national and global, and yet . . .
ISSUES (cont’d)
The solutions are mainly implemented by localities:
ISSUES (cont’d)
 New “knowledge-based” economy allows people to
live anywhere.
 70% of American households do not have school age
children
 Demographers now predict long-term gradual
dispersal of the population into small towns and
rural areas
ISSUES (cont’d)
The edges of Metro regions are starting to merge:
ISSUES (cont’d)
 Once an area is “discovered,” it is often beyond the
power of a locality to prevent major land development
 There is pressure to develop before the “land boom” dies
 Growth taxes the road, water, sewage treatment systems
(and the residents)
 New populations bring different perceptions - vote on
different priorities
 New taxes on landowners mean even more pressure to
“convert” rural land
ISSUES (cont’d)
Citizens often seem to “want it both ways”- they
dislike:
 New roads AND traffic congestion
 Dispersed growth AND density
 Expensive AND cheap housing
ISSUES (cont’d)
Dilemmas faced by scenic rural areas (e.g.Dragon Run):
 Traditional industries (timber, forestry) face global
commodity value declines
 Welcome new sources of income - BUT don’t want
changes in quality of life
 Desire to see the resources protected BUT don’t want
to tell others what to do with their land
LOW DENSITY – HOUSES ON 2ac.-5ac. LOTS SPREAD OUT OVER THE LANDSCAPE
We should be interested in what kind
of community we will leave for our
children:
Can we leave it,
 Greater
 More Prosperous
 More Beautiful
than we found it?
Edward McMahon, Middle Peninsula, November 30, 2004
Failing to plan means planning to fail:
 We spend too much time fighting over what we
disagree on - not enough time on what we agree on!
 Develop a Vision for the Future
 Build local plans around the enhancement of natural &
cultural assets
 Use education, incentives and voluntary initiatives not just regulations
 Develop a “quality of life” lobby
Edward McMahon, Middle Peninsula, November 30, 2004
In Summary:
 The causes of sprawl are regional or national, but
the tools are implemented locally
 The Dragon Run Steering Committee is an excellent
resource for developing these tools
 The timing is critical to begin developing these tools
for the Dragon Run today
NEXT STEPS
1. GIVE FEEDBACK
2. EVALUATE /CRITIQUE THE PROJECT
OBJECTIVES
3. PARTICIPATE!
Questions
or Comments?