8. SR 12-11-1995 - Laserfiche WebLink

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282 Rural by Design: Maintaining Small Town Character Bay.... Tourism —which includes recreational fish- ing, boating, waterfowl hunting, as well as sight- seeing —will also be adversely affected. If we permit what can be generally described as the "quality factor" to decline, we can expect the real economic value of the Chesapeake Bay to decline as well. Conversely, if we improve the quality of the Chesapeake Bay, we can expect that its economic value will rise. Air pollution reduces property values. Two studies from Chicago indicate that high levels of particulate contamination depress real - estate val- ues (Diamond, 1980; Smith, 1978). By looking at the premiums paid for homes in various locations, it was found that a reduction in air pollution par- ticulates of 10 ug /m3 was worth $3,000, and a pre- mium of $5,000 was paid for properties in the areas of lowest air pollution. Air Pollution FISCAL IMPACT ANALYSIS, The provision of greenways and greenbelts in com- OR HOW MUCH DOES SPRAWL munities function in two ways to reduce air pol- COST THE TAXPAYER? lution. Trees and other vegetation in greenspaces possess a large capacity for removing CO2, partic- ulates and other pollutants from the air. In addi- tion, when nearby development is clustered (as a means of creating the greenspace), and when it is designed in a mixed -use manner, the resulting compact development form provides the base for a concentration of services, thereby reducing the • number of vehicle trips per day. Sprawling development negatively impacts air quality because it forces residents to drive to jobs, schools, and services. Because many existing zon- ing codes separate residential, commercial, and industrial uses, it is no longer possible to walk to a corner store in most new neighborhoods. Thus, we have become totally dependent upon the pri- vate automobile as our primary mode of transpor- tation, even for our simplest everyday needs. Studies have shown that each suburban house- hold generates, on average, between 10 and 12 vehicle trips per day (Loudoun County Planning, 1990). Such numerous trips add substantially to air pollution, particularly in areas already experi- encing air quality problems. Under the federal Clean Air Act, states are required to meet federally mandated air quality standards. While significant reductions in air pollution have been achieved, it is clear that many areas of the United States (Cali- fornia, for example) will be unable to meet air quality standards without curtailing the presently unrestricted use of cars in some metropolitan areas (Air Review, 1986). r � L..J Apart from the effects of parkland and green - spaces on the value of surrounding property, a community can determine the effect of open space on the municipal coffers. This is done through a process called "fiscal impact analysis," which is a method of determining the costs of providing public services to a municipality. The public costs associated with development fall under five cat- egories (The Nature Conservancy, The Hidden Costs of Development): • educating children; • constructing and maintainin ublic facili- ties, such as water and sewage acilities, solid waste disposal, and parks; • providing public services, such as fire and .police protection, and health and welfare services; • constru cting and maintaining roads and Earking facilities; and • administering ocal government. . A number of studies have been undertaken to determine the effects of various types of develop- ment upon a municipality's cost outlays. These studies have shown that the net public costs re- sulting om low - density or "sprawl" develop - n, ent are considerably greater than those resulting from higher density or "cluster" development for the same number of dwelling units. Put simply, it costs more to run school buses and emergency ve- ic es, to repair roads, and to collect garbage when homes are spread out over more miles of roads than when Vouses are located more closely to- ret er, as in a typical nineteenth - century town. 23 1