AG 1992 12 21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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RECOMMENDATIONS The area plan is designed to be a tool for the effectve management of growth and development for the area. The plan is also designed to represent the overall concept of development and the general pattern of growth, and to ensure the quality development of the study area. This plan has been formulated through cooperative efforts between County and City staffs, and with considerable input from the community as well as from both Planning Commissions. The plan is to be used as a general guide for land use decisions made by County and City staffs, commissions, and elected officials. Further and more specific study on land use suitability and carrying capacity is planned in the GIS-Based Planning Support System project, being carried out jointly between the County, City, and LINC-Charlotte. The western area is part of a larger study area included in this project. Three assumptions were formulated during the process of determining future land use and recommendations. These assumptions are (1) that development should be supported by adequate public facilities and ser~dces, (2) that the design of the development will meet current and future needs of the residents and businesses, and (3) that quality of life issues should not be compromised but improved. The recommendations section of the area plan consists of three distinct but interrelated products: the land use map, the text, and the recommendations table. The map depicts the general land use of the study area twenty years or more in the future. The text is an explanation of the map and how the land use on the map will ultimately occur, a justification of why the land use is envisioned in the manner shown, and a series of recommendations for implementing the plan. The table takes the text a step forward and lists actions, agencies, and a time frame for each recommendatSon. In the process of determining future land use and preparing a land use map, general categor/es were devised to encompass potential land uses. These categories include low density residential, medium density residential, high density residential, commercial, industrial, future employment, institutional, and recreational. The titles of the residential categories are relative in nature. For example, the high density category, at the minimum density of four units per acre with appropriate utilities, would actually be low or medium density in an urban setting, depending on the corresponding zoning classifications. The density specified does not guarantee that individual projects will automatically qualify for the maximum density nor does it require that development occur at the minimum density. However, it represents a general range with maximum density appropriate under certain conditions. Low Density Residential - For purposes of the plan, low density is defined as being one dwelling unit or less per acre. Agricultural properties are common in this classification. Medium Density Residential - This density includes between one and four dwel]ing units per acre. High Density Residential - The high density classification is defined as having four to eight units per acre, however, there may be some sites within the City's jurisdiction where higher densities may be appropriate, for example, up to fifteen units per acre. Commercial - The commercial category includes both retail and office. Commercial is shown within the study area as both existing commercial areas and in general areas where commercial would be appropriate. These conceptual areas of commercial development are located at or near major intersections. Since the majority of these areas lie near predominantly residential neighborhoods, they should be neighborhood commercial in nature. At the intersections of higher volume roads, away from residential neighborhoods, general commercial would be appropriate. WESTERN AREA PLAN DRAFT 4 PAGE 11