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Chapter 1. New Urbanist Essentials 23 <br />Put public bticiIdings in central locations. Encourage the location of civic <br />buildings, such as a town hall, post office, library, school, or house of wor- <br />ship, in visually prominent central locations. Provide design flexibility for <br />civic buildings to allow them to make unique contributions to their sur- <br />roundings. <br />Build neighborhood parks. Encourage small pazks or squazes (as small as <br />0.25 acre) in neighborhoods. <br />The Charter of the New Urbanism places particular emphasis on the rela- <br />tionship between the metropolis and its agrarian surroundings and natural <br />landscape. Local development regulations must address the potential con- <br />flict between urbanism and environmental preservation while supporting <br />productive agriculture, rural communities, and a cleaz urban/rural edge. <br />This is particularly challenging because the enactrnent of provisions address- <br />ing the relationship between urban and rural azeas requires significant coop- <br />eration and consistent actions by neighboring localities. <br />SNAPlNG METRGPOL/TAN REGIONS <br />Define and zone the expanding metropolitan edge. The metropolitan <br />edge-whether that of a city or a small town-needs to be defined as a dis- <br />tinct transitional zone, in which new development, if desired, will be caze- <br />fully phased in tandem with municipal utilities, such as central sewer and <br />water service. Use urban growth boundaries and/or annexation agree- <br />ments to manage this process among neighboring urban and rural jurisdic- <br />tions. Use design standazds to ensure that the urban expansion azea <br />respects and echoes the character of the existing town or neighborhood. <br />Define and protect the most productive farmland through exclusive agri- <br />cultural zoning. Where legally permissible, exclusive agricultural zoning or <br />programs for purchase or transfer of development rights (PDRs or TDRs) <br />will help protect productive farmland. Such zoning should allow farmers to <br />engage in a variety of compatible small-scale businesses on their farms to <br />enable them to supplement their farm income, especially in the off-season. <br />Llse conservation subdivision techniques to separate and integrate open. <br />space and residential development. In areas where residential uses and active <br />farming can co-exist, use conservation subdivision techniques to establish <br />defined neighborhoods surrounded by protected open space or farmland. <br />Because residential development in close proximity to intensive agriculture <br />often produces conflict over noise, dust, and odors, such developments must <br />be carefully designed to buffer farms from their residential neighbors. <br />FIGURE 8. THE BUILD-TO LINE <br />COMPATIBLE STREET FRONTAGE <br />INCOMPATIBLE STREET FRONTAGE <br />Bringing buildings, entrances, and <br />windows. to tltc street adds to <br />street activiti/, survc illatu:e, and a sense <br />of spatial enclosure. Codes should <br />include "build-to," "builc~-near-to," <br />or marinzxnz setback regt.tirente~zts <br />to attain this goal, <br />