5.3.2.c Open Space Discussion

Open space can take on many forms, shapes, purposes, and functions. Every city values different types of open space within the community. No single open space example typifies what open space is. Each community needs to design a system of open spaces that interrelates different types of open space to meet a variety of community needs. There are at least six types of open space that perform very different but important functions. The six categories are:

• Hazardous Critical Areas These open space lands are set aside from intensive development and, at times, from public access to protect people and property from hazard. They are not suitable for residential development because hazardous conditions or public health and safety constraints exist. Development in areas with a critical recharging effect on aquifers can contaminate domestic drinking water drawn from such aquifers. Property and lives may be threatened when development is permitted occurs on flood prone areas. Geologically hazardous areas are also not suited to development because of public safety concerns. Geologically hazardous areas include erosion, landslide, mining or other hazard areas. Many communities have also established high wildfire danger zones to buffer residential areas from natural fires. One key to rural fire prevention and control is to provide defensible space around developed areas. Others critical areas have been established to provide safety zones in flight paths around airports or around hazardous waste facilities or areas with contaminated soils.
• Ecological Critical Areas Unlike hazard critical areas which seek to protect people from hazards, ecological critical areas seek to set aside land to protect natural resources and environmental processes from disruption by people. Lands in their natural state can perform a number of useful functions. Wildlife habitat areas provide recreational opportunities in the form of photography. In many communities, wildlife attracts recreational tourists who contribute substantially to the local economy. Plant communities can help filter polluted air, control erosion, and moderate climatic extremes, such as temperature and wind. In general, the presence of a wide diversity of wildlife signals the ecological stability of an area.
• Agriculturally Significant Resource Lands Often overlooked is the protection of lands that are used to provide important resources. Many of the farms in the southern part of the city are already lost to development. In order to protect the few agricultural areas that remain, the city will have to consider enacting regulations or using innovative techniques. These areas provide relief from the urban heat island and provide visual relief from the suburban character of the southern city.
• Recreation and Education The need for recreation is universal. Parks, recreation, and open spaces offer places to exercise, participate in competitive sports, socialize with others, and space for people to get away from development and experience the natural environment. Recreation provides opportunities for learning, exploration, and challenge that contribute to human growth.
• Urban Form Open space and resource lands can also be used to define natural boundaries between urban and rural areas. The separation they provide serves to buffer the more intense urban uses and activities from rural and resource uses. Similarly, they can separate different land uses, which might otherwise be incompatible. These lands can similarly provide a distinct break between communities to reinforce individual community identity. They can facilitate access between areas when foot or bike paths and trails are included. Trails can provide fitness and recreation opportunities and non-motorized access to natural areas, schools, or even commercial and
  employment centers. A linked system greatly extends opportunities for involvement in urban life and enjoyment of natural beauty. Higher densities and more compact patterns can be used to accommodate growth needs, rather than converting open land to urban uses. The more compact patterns will be more efficient to serve and consume less land than the sprawl pattern prevalent in recent years. In addition to containing development, a greenbelt can provide a distinctive, inviting gateway to the community.
• Aesthetic Value Sites Other open spaces, such as the town squares, plazas, and boulevards, are of key importance for their aesthetic value to the community. Because these values are difficult to quantify, they are often downplayed in importance. Yet these open spaces often define the distinctive character of the community.

Other considerations regarding open space include the following.