Rural Development Guidelines

Communities can adopt rural development guidelines which aim to protect natural resources, maintain rural character and preserve open space. Rural subdivisions can be designed to "settle back" into the countryside to minimize the aesthetic impact to neighbors and users of the roadways near developments in rural areas.

In its publication "Greenway Connections," the Dutchess County Planning Department suggests that it is very important that local planning boards require developers to identify the open space system on a parcel prior to submitting any plan for subdivision. Once the open space system is identified, suitable areas for development may be delineated. The publication also offers the following set of sample rural development guidelines:
1) minimize the clearing of vegetation and preserve important natural features;
2) retain stone walls, hedgerows, and other rural landscape elements;
3) place buildings and access roads in treelines, on mildly sloping ground, or along the edges of fields; avoid construction in open fields or on ridgelines;
4) locate structures and septic systems more than 100 feet from streams or ponds to protect water quality;
5) reuse farm roads and country lanes whenever possible, rather than constructing new wide roads;
6) maintain or enhance scenic views.