Laserfiche WebLink
to occur would be for the development to include the provision of a private package sewer facility <br />in order to permit development on lots smaller than an acre. Either the provision of public <br />utilities or the reduction of permitted residential densities would encourage the use of cluster <br />development techniques in the planning area. <br /> <br />As discussed in a later section on water and sewer infrastructure, the Water and Sewer Authority <br />of Cabarrus County's 50 year capital improvement plan for utilities does not call for utility <br />investments outside the immediate Mount Pleasant area. As such the best available method to <br />promote the use of cluster development techniques is to reduce densities in areas outside of the <br />Mount Pleasant utility service area. <br /> <br />Recommendations: <br /> <br />Continue to permit and encourage the use of cluster development techniques in the planning <br />area. <br /> <br />Require subdivisions of 10 or more lots to develop under the existing cluster development <br />standards. <br /> <br />Reduce residential densities to encourage the use of cluster development techniques. <br /> <br />Conventional Development Style <br /> <br />Development Using Cluster Technique <br /> <br />Density Limitations <br /> <br />A commonly used technique to preserve open space and agricultural land is to reduce permitted <br />residential densities in conjunction with the requirement that new major subdivisions use cluster <br />development techniques. While there is a perception that one acre lot sizes are a low-density <br />development technique this development pattern does very little to protect agricultural land <br />and/or open space. In reality, a subdivision of one-acre lots produces suburban levels of traffic, <br />demands suburban services such as garbage pick up and regular police patrols, and requires <br />suburban levels of public services and facilities such as schools and parks. <br /> <br />While the term low density will have different definitions depending on your location, it is widely <br />accepted that one-acre zoning does not result in low-density development. In the western United <br />States 50 or more acres per lot is considered low density while in the eastern United States 5 to 10 <br />acres per lot may more appropriately be considered low density. However, even at 5 or 10 acres <br />development will still fragment agricultural land. Hence the purpose of the cluster development <br /> <br /> <br />