AG 1992 12 21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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QUALITY OF LIFE RECOMMENDATIONS Quality of life is an idea that is finding its way into land use plan studies. It is a concept planners and citizens are finding valuable in defining what constitutes an area's 'qivability.'. Abundance of parks, attractive scenery, and cultural amenities along with high quality design and development contribute to a community's livability. Highly livable communities are attractive, with urban sprawl minimized and goods and services convenien_tly located. Following is a discussion of some items which are based on residents' comments and are perceived as threats to the quality of life in the study area, and a solution or combination~ of solutions. Retention of Trees and Natural Features The study area encompasses both high density urban development in areas near and within the pr/ncipal corporate limits of Concord, and rural development in the further reaches of the County. Large tracts of undeveloped and agricultural land are located most notably in the western reaches of the study area. Clustering and planned unit development techniques can be used to provide housing stock and to allow for nonresidential development that preserves scenic views and natural vegetation. These tools allow the developer to place structures closer together, reducing the cost of infrastructure installation, and in some instances, increasing the number of allowable housing units in exchange for preserving natural features and using common open space. A study developed by the MasSachusetts Deparm~ent of Environmental Management and the Center for Rural Massachusetts entitled Dealing With Change in the Connecticut River Valley: A Design Manual for Conservation and Development, specifies design guidelines for a rapidly growing semi-rural area of western MasSachusetts. Design standards such as these can be developed and encouraged as a way to help preserve trees and natural features. Affordable Housing Providing for housing that is affordable to a wide range of the population rather than to a small minority should be a goal for every commurdty. Now, more than ever, households are spending a greater percentage of their income on housing. One affordable "pilot" housing project, Chadbury, has been developed in Concord, on the south side of Rock Hill Church Road. The developer was granted limited waivers in utility policy and several variances in order to cut costs and to pass the savings on to the homeowner. Further study of this project will determine whether this particular approach to the development of affordable housing has been successful. Coordination with and input from the Chamber of Commerce's Real Estate and Construction and the Concord Affordable Housing Task Force during pro~ct review should continue, and further study of the issue by both the County and City should be undertaken. Continued support should also be given to agencies such as Habitat for Humanity, which encourage and advocate affordable housing. Both the City and County should initiate additional ways to create decent and affordable housing opportunities. One such program would appear to be the HOME Investments Partnership Program. This program was created as part of the t990 National Affordable Housing Act. The HOME program is designed to develop affordable housing opportunities for low and very low income persons. If communities are awarded funding /:or this program, rehabilitation as well as new construction of housing can be done using the funds. Environmental Degradation and Aesthetic Values Some of the issues relating to aesthetics and the environment have been touched on in the discussion of preservation of trees and natural features. Residents have expressed concern regarding noise, air, and visual pollution. Both Cabarrus County and the City of Concord have adopted some manner of noise ordinance, and a telephone call to the respective jurisdictqon is an appropriate first step if a resident feels that a noise is excessive. The State of North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adrrdnister air pollution regulations. Some jurisdictions, most notably in other states, have adopted performance standards, which state specifically the maximum noise level or the maximum emission level produced by a specific land use. The County is currently developing a performance based zoning ordinance, and the City already has already incorporated development standards into their ordinance. Aesthetic controls and the quality of development in the study area was high on the priority list of many residents. There are existing techniques to assure quality development and there is a great potential for the development of more detailed performance standards to guide development in the area. One nongovernmental approach comes under the heading of "deed restrictions and protective covenants." These WESTERN AREA PLAN DRAFT 4 PAGE 23