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Recommendations
5.3 Future Land Use Categories, cont’d
11. PARK/GREENWAY/OPEN SPACE
A. Function
i. Provide open space and recreation areas to meet the physical and natural resource
needs of the Town and its residents.
ii. Enhance the Town’s aesthetic appeal within its neighborhoods and along transporta-
tion corridors.
iii. Reduce strormwater runoff with increased pervious surfaces that allow water infiltra-
tion.
B. Preferred Uses
i. Land uses in the Park/Greenway designation should consist of passive and active recre-
ational uses, natural resource protection and conservation, and landscaped buffers.
ii. Types of active recreation areas include ball fields, tennis or basketball courts, swim-
ming pools, tot lots, golf courses, dog parks, and other areas for recreational sports or
games. Types of passive recreation areas include trails (hiking, biking, walking), picnic,
camping, or fishing areas. Natural open space is land left in a mostly undeveloped
state including forests, meadows, hedgerows, and wetlands.
C. General Policies + Development Character
i. Park/Greenway/Open Space areas should retain existing vegetation where possible,
particularly mature trees and woodlands. Reforestation and revegetation of open ar-
eas of the site with native plant materials should be encouraged.
ii. Where feasible, currently damaged or degraded landscapes and wildlife habitats
should be restored and enhanced creating new natural areas and wetlands on the
site.
iii. All active recreation open space should be readily accessible to pedestrians, wheel-
chairs, strollers, and cyclists by sidewalk, path, trail, and/or bike lane.
iv. Site elements should be arranged to protect and enhance special land characteristics,
natural features, rare or endangered species areas, historic resources, archeological
sites, and other unusual natural or man-made site features.
Curb ramps should be included at all intersections
and pedestrian crossings, and be directed towards
crosswalks to improve safety and connectivity.
Pocket parks act as scaled-down neighborhood
parks, but still meet a variety of needs, includ-
ing small event space, play areas for children,
spaces for relaxing or meeting friends, taking
lunch breaks, etc. Pocket parks can be tucked
into and scattered throughout the community
where they serve nearby residents and busi-
nesses.
Integrating parks and open space into the com-
munity both provides local active and passive
recreational opportunities and can contribute to
localized stormwater management. By incorpo-
rating design elements, such as open swales and
infiltration areas, parks can serve critical environ-
mental functions.
The open space network should consist of a range
of open space types, including large natural
areas, passive and active recreational uses,
landscaped buffers and small pocket parks are
critical components of the open space network.
encouraged
discouraged