Open Space Ordinances

Here's the list I developed last summer of various Open Space ordinances from around the United States:

Bucks County, Pennsylvania has a Model Ordinance regarding Performance Zoning in their District. This performance zoning sets Open Space Ratios for new developments as well as guidelines for developing (or not developing) certain areas. It is also very comprehensive in its listing of requirements for each specific residential land use. While this ordinance sets guidelines, it still allows developers high degrees of freedom to develop land in response to market conditions, while protecting critical resource areas.

San Francisco, California (Section 2) has a general open space policy, which is further developed for individual areas of the city. Their open space policy is part of a larger city scheme for protecting critical resources, such as waterways and sunlight. Little Rock could integrate a similar policy to address certain key areas, such as areas along Fourche Creek and the Arkansas River.

StormwaterCenter.net has resources on Open Space ordinances, as well as further information on the site on how to preserve stream buffers along waterways. Three open space ordinances are highlighted on this website (in addition to a Model Open Space Ordinance). Calvert County, MD, which focuses all or most of its design code around open spaces especially in the Rural Zoning District (RUR); Montgomery County, PA, which focuses its ordinance on Cluster Zoning or Open Space Residential Design, which seeks to minimize sprawl in residential development, by clustering houses closer together, leaving more common area or green space; and Hamburg Township, Michigan, which sets Open Space requirements, but also incorporates a commercial component for areas of 50+ acres, encouraging mixed-use developments.

Open Space Ordinance for the city of Oldsmar, Florida. Oldsmar's history dates to 1913 when automobile pioneer Ransom E. Olds purchased 37,541 acres (152 km²) of land by the northern part of Tampa Bay to establish 'R. E. Olds-on-the-Bay.' The name was later changed to Oldsmar, then to 'Tampa Shores' in 1927, and finally back to Oldsmar in 1937. Ransom Eli Olds named some of the original streets himself, such as Gim Gong Road. In recent years, Oldsmar has experienced explosive growth including the construction of many retail establishments as well as new hotels and industry which seem to mushroom up almost overnight. A new downtown is being developed which will bring back the 'old Florida' feel to the city.

The following is a scholarly examination of the methods available to local governments to conserve open spaces (i.e. impact fees, zoning types, etc.)Public policies for managing urban growth and protecting open space: policy instruments and lessons learned in the United States.

These last two documents were suggested to me by Phil Frana with the Honors College. Many thanks to his assistance.