Wednesday, December 12, 2001
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Wednesday, December 12, 2001 |
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Conservation subdivisions now allowed By DAVE
HAMRICK
Fayette County now has a zoning category designed to encourage preservation of green space within new subdivisions. But one county commissioner thinks the provisions of the new ordinance are too strict to do any good. "You're asking for 40 percent green space as opposed to the state's 20," said Commissioner Herb Frady during discussions of the proposal. "I just don't see how anybody is going to use this." Under the state of Georgia's green space program, metropolitan counties are being encouraged and enticed through a series of grants to set aside 20 percent of their land area as permanent green space, and Fayette has elected to participate. Establishing "conservation subdivision" rules to allow developers more flexibility on lot sizes in exchange for permanent green space contributions is one of the steps strongly urged by the state program. Commissioner Linda Wells agreed with Frady that Fayette's rules are strict. "I don't think people are going to be flocking up here to do this," she said, but added that in a few rare instances the category might be useful. Rules for the category require that developers set aside 40 percent of the total property as green space. In return, they can reduce the sizes of individual lots. For instance, if the "conservation subdivision" rules were applied to property zoned for two-acre lots, developers could make the lots as small as one acre, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in development costs. But the total number of lots would have to be the same as normally allowed under the zoning, including allowances for streets and other infrastructure. Open spaces could be used only for passive recreation such as trails and paths, picnic areas and horse stables for the use of subdivision residents only, and any improvements would be limited. The green space would have to be owned by a mandatory home owners association or donated to a land trust, a conservation organization or the county. In addition to the conservation category, commissioners last week also approved a spate of minor changes to zoning ordinances and the county Comprehensive Growth Management Plan tabled from their Oct. 25 meeting to give the group more time to study the proposals. The changes bring the county's ordinances in line with new state and federal guidelines. Commissioners also approved a measure designed by senior planner Pete Frisina, aimed at encouraging preservation of historic structures. Frisina stressed that the addition to the code would not require anything of the owners of historic structures. What it will do is place a map showing where all the historic buildings are into the county codes, and direct planning and zoning employees to point out the presence of those structures when developers come in for rezoning or development plan approval. "We'll make the developer aware of the structure and ask them to evaluate its use in the development," he said, adding that the county will be "willing to work with them," perhaps allowing variances from ordinary development rules so the buildings can be saved.
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