Center for Land Use Education

The Land Use Tracker
Volume 1, Issue 4
Spring 2002

IN THIS ISSUE:

CASE LAW UPDATE
	Moratoria and Takings
GENERAL ARTICLES
	Managing Rural Residential Development
	Public Lands and Property Taxes:  What is the Relationship?
	Land Use Education Course Group Offered This Summer at UWSP
	Calendar of Events
	Article Submissions
	Our Staff
	Contact Us by E-mail
CLUE Homepage

PREVIOUS ARTICLE  FRONT PAGE  NEXT ARTICLE  

Managing Rural Residential Development

By Anna L. Haines, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, UW-Stevens Point 
and Extension Specialist, Center for Land Use Education

As many communities begin to prepare their comprehensive plans and consider the various elements required under the comprehensive planning law, the relationship between agricultural or open space preservation with housing can be both confusing and contentious. Especially for those communities that are experiencing growth pressure struggling to manage rural residential development along with other community concerns can be difficult. One primary goal of many communities is to balance residential development with agricultural needs, open space, and natural resources while trying to retain a sense of place. Several plan implementation tools are available that local governments can use including, but not limited to: Large minimum lot size, purchase of and transfer of development rights, overlay zones for shorelands, hillsides, and other environmentally sensitive areas, and conservation subdivisions.

This is the first of two articles addressing rural residential development. In this article, I provide a brief definition of each tool, how each tools works, potential benefits, limitations, and references. In the following article, we will provide a more in-depth look at one of these tools � conservation subdivisions.

Each community should decide on the types of tools they want to use. Recognize that your community can use these tools together � they are not mutually exclusive. It is reasonable, for example, to have a purchase of development rights program in place along with overlay zones and a conservation subdivision ordinance. Below is a list of criteria to consider when choosing plan implementation tools:

• Does your community have an accepted plan that identifies rural residential development or at least sprawl as an issue?

• Does the plan specify goals and objectives that address how your community will contend with rural residential development?

• Will the tool accomplish any of your community�s goals and objectives?

• Is the tool politically acceptable?

• Can the local government or some other organization administer the new tool given current personnel or is another position or committee necessary?

• Are there any enforcement issues the local government personnel would need to contend with?

• To be effective, would the same tool need to be used by adjoining communities and is a cooperative effort possible?

Answering the above questions will give you a better idea which tools are appropriate to use in your community. Avoid choosing to use any plan implementation tool before you have done your homework and understand how that tool works and the implications for administering and enforcing it.

Daniels, Tom and Deborah Bowers. 1997. Holding Our Ground: Protecting America�s Farms and Farmland. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.

Michigan State University Extension. �Better Designs for Development in Michigan.� www.msue.msu.edu/msue/aoe/landuse/landresource.html

Minnesota Land Trust. 2000. �Preserving Minnesota Landscapes Through Creative Development: An Introduction.� Conservation Design Portfolio. www.mnland.org/cdp-sum1.pdf

Minnesota Planning. 2000. �From policy to reality: model ordinances for sustainable development.� http://www.mnplan.state.mn.us/Report.html?Id=1927

Natural Lands Trust, Inc. �Growing Greener: Putting Conservation into Local Codes.� www.natlands.org/planning/planning.html

Ohm, Brian. 2000. �An Ordinance for a Conservation Subdivision.� www.wisc.edu/urpl/ to people to Brian Ohm to projects.

Ohm, Brian. 1999. Guide to Community Planning in Wisconsin. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin. www.wisc.edu/urpl/ to people to Brian Ohm to selected publications.

Schiffman, Irving. 1999. Alternative Techniques for Managing Growth. Berkeley, CA: Institute of Governmental Studies Press.

All comments and suggestions are appreciated for those who reviewed this article.

PREVIOUS ARTICLE  FRONT PAGE  NEXT ARTICLE