To Streamline Process—

P&Z Asks Consultant To Rework Open Space Rules

By Andrew Gorosko

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members have asked their planning consultant to streamline and simplify a set of proposed land use regulations intended to maximize the amount of undeveloped open space land that would be preserved in new residential subdivisions.

Such revisions to the proposed rules are intended to make it simpler for subdivision developers to apply for an “open space conservation subdivision (OSCS),” said Elizabeth Stocker, the town’s community development director. Making the proposed application process less cumbersome would make creating such a subdivision more attractive to developers, she noted.

Harrall-Michalowski Associates, Inc (HMA) of Hamden is the town’s planning consultant. HMA has been formulating regulatory proposals for the past several months. P&Z members met with HMA recently and asked that the firm rework and simplify the application process that it had proposed, according to Ms Stocker.

The underlying reason for the proposed new regulations is to maximize the amount of undeveloped open space land that is preserved in residential subdivisions, with the goal of limiting developmental sprawl.

Ms Stocker said P&Z members expect to review a reworked regulatory proposal from HMA sometime in March.

P&Z members had been planning to conduct a public hearing on the proposed new regulations on February 19, but the need to rework the proposal means that the public hearing will come at a later, as yet unspecified date.

The “open space conservation subdivision” development approach also is known as “cluster housing.” The underlying goal of the OSCS approach is to preserve and enhance the remaining local rural character.

Continuing Growth

The P&Z’s push for land use regulations keyed to maximizing open space preservation comes amid a period of continuing residential growth, during which much rural land has been consumed by development.

The OCSC approach is intended to enable the permanent preservation of open space, agricultural land, forestry land, wildlife habitat, aquifers, bodies of water, wetlands, scenic vistas, and historical and archaeological resources.

The new rules would seek to ensure that the overall development density of a given parcel of land is not any greater than is allowed by conventional residential subdivision development.

The regulations would encourage efficient development that consumes relatively less open land and also conforms to a site’s existing topography and natural features.

The OSCS approach seeks to minimize the total development disturbance of a site.

The new rules would allow for greater flexibility and creativity in the design of residential development; provide for the economical construction and maintenance of streets and utilities, and preserve open space land for active or passive recreational uses.

Under the OSCS approach, land would be subdivided to create relatively smaller building lots than required in conventional subdivisions. The benefit gained would be relatively larger amounts of open space remaining in subdivisions.

During the past 20 years, approximately 14,000 acres of vacant land, representing 36 percent of the town’s total land area, were developed as residential subdivisions. The community character of areas developed changed from “rural” to “suburban,” and the natural landscape and ecosystems of those areas significantly changed due to the grading of 2,700 house lots and the construction of miles of subdivision roads and stormwater drainage facilities.

While the town’s current subdivision process preserves at least ten percent of the land in subdivisions as open space, the proposed new land use rules would provide a mechanism to preserve 50 percent or more of the land in subdivisions as open space, according to HMA.

The OSCS approach would allow large amounts of open space to be preserved at no cost to the town, according to HMA. The amount of land preserved would represent far more acreage than the town likely would have the financial means to acquire, HMA adds.

The approach would allow a site to be developed for single-family detached housing at the same gross development density as is allowed under current zoning regulations. Houses would be clustered on a site, on smaller building lots than are currently common, in order to preserve large amounts of open space. A key aspect of such development involves designing suitable wastewater disposal systems.