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<br />Rural Cluster Development - Managing Growth and Maintaining the Rural Landscape
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<br />THE ST, CROIX VALLEY DEVELOPMENT DESIGN STUDY
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<br />Rural Cluster
<br />Development
<br />Managing Growth and
<br />Maintaining the
<br />Rural Landscape
<br />
<br />The beauty of the rural landscape draws
<br />development, which in tum often destroys the
<br />natural features that attract residents in the
<br />first place. 'Clustering," also called Open
<br />Space Development, is a preferable
<br />alternative to large lot 'rural sprawl," which
<br />consumes open space, privatizes all land,
<br />and creates lots that are too small for farming
<br />or meaningful habitat protection.
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<br />The cluster approach places development in
<br />less sensitive areas while preserving forested
<br />land, steep slopes, wetlands, prairies and
<br />other ecologically or visually valuable
<br />landscape features; it also helps to preserve
<br />resources such as buildings or historic sites.
<br />Typically 50 to 90 percent of a site area is
<br />preserved in its existing natural or farmed
<br />state, with individual house lots occupying the
<br />remaining acreage.
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<br />Clustering can save infrastructure costs by
<br />reducing the length of roads and utility lines in
<br />new developments. Homes can be placed on
<br />variable lot sizes on soils most appropriate for
<br />septic tanks and drainage fields. Alternately,
<br />water wells and sewage drain fields can be
<br />shared, allowing them to be sited in
<br />appropriate soils and placed at maximum
<br />distances from one another.
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<br />Important considerations for rural cluster
<br />development include consistency with county
<br />Comprehensive Plans; whether clustering is
<br />to be mandatory or voluntary; the types of
<br />incentives to be offered; and the means of
<br />protecting open space. The actual owner of
<br />the open space may be a homeowner's
<br />association, a local jurisdiction, or the original
<br />owner.
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<br />The Regional Blueprint encourages cluster
<br />development in the Penmanent Rural Area,
<br />and cluster principles are an ideal way for
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<br />Conventional Versus Cluster Development. Clusterinf
<br />particularly appropriate in rural areas that wish to remain
<br />accommodating additional growth. Plans from Rural By l
<br />Randall Arendt, 1994.
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<br />Conventional Versus Cluster Development
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<br />The plan on the left, above, illustrates a conventional del
<br />pattern, in which uniform-sized large lots (typically 2.5 ae
<br />greater) blanket an entire development site, consuming!
<br />and obliterating the distinctive, natural features that mad,
<br />special place. The small pond at the center is hidden bet
<br />lots, off-limits to most residents. In contrast, a cluster de\
<br />plan (above. right) uses a greater variety of lot sizes (ger
<br />to 1 acre in size) to accommodate the same number of u
<br />preserving substantial areas as open space. The pond is
<br />as an accessible amenity, linked with roadways to a trail.
<br />connections and linkages between streets, travel distanc
<br />shorter throughout the development. The sparse arrange
<br />homes along the main roads on the perimeter, finally, all,
<br />attractive, unobstructed view of the development's rural
<br />surroundings.
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<br />http://www.metrocouncil.org/planning/stcroixvalley/ruratdev.htm
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<br />9/7/2004
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