Morrisville Land Use Plan 2021

Green Space Preservation

Conservation Design The Town should encourage conservation design, which aims to maintain elements of the natural environment as open space within a development. This is typically accomplished through clustered development and careful design of the project to respond to the natural features and topography of the site. The Town should review existing regulations in the UDO to explore amendments that provide an option for conservation design as part of future development. This should include a thorough and creative approach to how conservation is managed by the UDO, including considerations for wildlife habitats, wildlife mitigation corridors, environmen- tally sensitive areas, water recharge areas, watersheds, and other natural assets and landscapes. In addition, the Town should explore incen- tives that will encourage conservation design as part of future development. This could include density bonuses that allow devel- opers to build taller and more dense projects in exchange for preserving parts of their site.

Key Considerations ⊲ Review and update the UDO and other regulations to encourage conservation design as part of future development. This can include programs and incentives to encourage conservation design and pres- ervation of environmental assets, such as density bonuses.. ⊲ Explore creative approaches to how conservation design is managed by the UDO, including considerations for wildlife habitats, wildlife mitigation corridors, environmentally sensitive areas, water recharge areas, watersheds, and other natural assets and landscapes. ⊲ Develop a toolbox or set of guidelines for developers that provides information on conservation design and best practices to preserve environmental features and open space as part of future development. ⊲ Consider programs to reintegrate natural landscapes and open space as part of existing properties where feasible. This could include landscaping, dedicated open space, or efforts to return underutilized space to the natural landscape.

Morrisville’s lush green spaces, landscape, and tree canopy are valued assets that contribute to the character of the commu- nity. As Morrisville has continued to grow, development has resulted in the loss of green spaces and natural areas. Much of Morris- ville’s remaining green spaces are concen- trated in undeveloped private properties, limiting the Town’s ability to preserve these areas as open space. Where appropriate, the Town should actively seek the preservation of green spaces and environmental features in Morrisville. This will require a comprehensive approach to both maintain natural features as part of future development as well as identify green spaces that should be preserved from development in the future. The Town should be prepared to purchase land that has been identified for future parks or is desirable as dedicated conservation areas. In support of green space preservation, the Town should consider the following.

Woodland Conservation

Creek

Conventional Sprawl

Wildflower Meadow

This example shows 32 homes Gross Density = 1 Dwelling Units/Acre Net Density = 1 Dwelling Units/Acre

Woodland Conservation

Creek

Trails

Detention Pond

Community Open Space

ConservationDevelopment This example shows 32 homes Gross Density = 1 Dwelling Units/Acre Net Density = 4 Dwelling Units/Acre

55 Morrisville Land Use Plan | Chapter 5 – Land Use Considerations