117-88 Ordinance
RECORD OF ORDINANCES
National Graphics Corp., Cols., O. ..... Form No. 28oa-A
Ordinance No._ ___~}_7=-_8_8___CCgrrected) Passed______ _______.__ _____._________ __19_______
AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH AN
-,- OPEN SPACE PLAN FOR THE CITY
OF DUBLIN, OHIO
WHEREAS, the City of Dublin as part of the community planning process
authorized a comprehensive open space plan for the provision of open
space, protection of natural features, and the development of Dublin's
unique character; and,
WHEREAS, the City must develop a plan for open space to preserve the
health, safety, and welfare of the general public as well as to create
a desirable environment and promote the visual quality, image and sense
of community of Dublin, both within and surrounding the City limits; and,
WHEREAS, a comprehensive open space plan may be used by the private
sector as a guide to likely future action respecting the elements within
the open space plan; and,
WHEREAS, a comprehensive open space plan is required for the City to
exercise its extra-territorial powers; and,
WHEREAS, the City Administration, the Planning and Zoning Commission, the
Board of Zoning Appeals, and the Council require an open space plan on whic
to base decisions on zoning changes, variances, and conditional uses.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of Dublin, State
of Ohio, 7 of the elected members concurring:
Section 1. That the text, attached hereto, titled "Open Space Plan" dated
July, 1988 contains the terminology and description of the City's open spac
and the elements within that provide for a functional continuous open space
plan.
Section 2. That the Map titled Community Plan "Open Space Plan", Dublin,
Ohio, dated December, 1988 be and hereby is adopted by this Council as
the recommended standards for visual quality and image.
Section 3. That the City Administration, the Planning and Zoning Commis-
sion, the Board of Zoning Appeals or the Council shall cause a review of
the elements within the open space plan at such time as there is belief
that living, employment, and other social patterns have changed
sufficiently to warrant such, but in no case at longer intervals than
four (4) years, and shall submit proposed changes in the form of an
amendment to this Ordinance.
Section 4. That this Ordinance shall take effect and be in force from
and after the earliest period allowed by law.
day of December , 1988 .
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Mayor - Presiding Officer cop'es of t!lis Od:n:mce/Resolufon ..'~-- ...' "
City of D::bHn in accordcmce w:tn Sect;on 731.25 of the ~;;o .'lev;,0 _~'.
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Attest: 1-".-hT~
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Clerk of Council, Dublin, Ohio
~a-J/j.kJ y~ t~lhLr~
C erk of Coun i 1 . J her!'by certify that cop:es of this Ord:nance/Resolution were posted in the
City of Dublin in accordance with Section 731.25 of the ~l1io Revised Code.
I) ~
_ j'<'{l'/lt( -J 7:17- If .
/ Clerk of (ouncil, Dublin, Ohio
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OPEN SPACE
The visual diversity of Dublin is created by the mesh of the cultural landscape and the
natural landscape. The primary image builders of the visual quality of the City rely on the
background open space setting for their effectiveness in producing the positive images that mean
"Dublin". Much as there are image building elements, so too are there image producing open
spaces and backdrops which are fundamental to the visual quality, spatial character, and scale of
the community. Open space can also be considered undeveloped greenspace, whether treed or in
an "open" condition; the key being free from developed structures. The open space in the City is
of two primary types: the visually accessible and the physically accessible. (See Figure 4.2)
Visual open space includes lands privately or publicly held which the public does not
directly use for recreation or other pedestrian purposes, but does have access to or through by
views, lines of sight and vehicular passage through the space. These lands are in either a "natu-
ral" condition, with woodlot, plants or open field vegetation; or in a designed landscape form
with lawns, mounding, and cultivated structured plantings.
Open space accessible to the public for active or passive use includes school sites,
parks, and other public grounds. The condition of these lands and open space may be of either
the natural/rural condition or in a designed form. The system of open space in Dublin is
composed of:
Lineal Elements
Lineal elements include road, river, and drainage corridors. Roads are primarily used as
visually accessible spaces, and passages through other open/green spaces.
Areal Tracts
Two primary types of areal tracts exist, the public lands and the private lands, with
ownership being the primary difference in type of access.
Public open space lands: school sites, parks and grounds around municipal
and public institutions are the most commonly designed landscapes physi-
cally accessible to the public.
Private open space lands: golf courses, country clubs, private recreational
areas, buffers and open space around developments and open space within
office parks and commercial complexes. Usually these lands are visually
accessible designed landscapes, sometimes with natural parcels or edges.
CRITICAL OPEN SPACE ELEMENTS
Key open spaces (both areal and lineal) are the remaining farmlands, woodlots, and other
parcels which remain undeveloped. These are visually accessible and form probably the most
sensitive open space areas since they are not only a part of the existing visually accessible open
space inventory but are also part of the symbolic space and character inventory which creates the
sense of place that is Dublin. These key open spaces are often located at Dublin's entrance
points and in prime positions along roadway and drainage corridors.
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Many of these key open spaces have already been planned within the current zoning
code requirements. Opportunity for open space protection exists in discussion with the
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developers and in the ability to demonstrate that retention of open space in the critical public
zones can be accomplished while maintaining development viability. This will be easier to
accomplish in a Planned Residential District, or Office and Commercial District, than in those
areas where standard zoning is used. For key parcels not yet zoned, the techniques described for
visual quality preservation and conservation may be applied. This is done by focusing on the
positive opportunities of enhanced development settings, flexible criteria and creative land use.
Along road corridors. key parcels of greenspace exist at the ''T'' intersection points.
Though the majority of the surrounding land may be intensely developed, the image of openness
is retained by the focus on greenspace at the end of the roadway view. Retention of these key
spaces should be pursued as part of the traffic plan and encouraged.
OPEN SPACE DEFINITION
Definition of open space or greenspace in the landscape is through positive and negative
space development: barriers and delimiters which enclose and edge the views.
Barriers and Delimiters
The defIning, enclosing elements of open space vary with the underlying natural struc-
tures (geology and topography) and the cultural development of the area. Natural open space
delimiters are hedge rows, drainageways, woodlots, rock outcrops and other natural elements of
the landscape.
In developed open space, the primary delimiters are the buildings on the land: their
placement, density, and floor to site area ratios. For example. a subdivision of 1/4 acre lots
where 75 percent building and driveway coverage produces a closed setting, while the same
square footage of building on 5 acres would result in a sense of open greenspace.
Also important to open space in developed areas are the creation of focused views which
structure the length and type of view created.
Spatial Scale
Scale of space is determined by the length and scope of the possible view and level of
detailed information contained. Small scale spaces include short views, detailed materials and
well defined limits, horizontal and vertical (strong edges with definite canopy or height limita-
tions). Large scale spaces include long views, larger textures and patterns with less distinct
limits, often having horizontal limits extending to the horizon, and the sky as a vertical limit.
The City's scale range of open spaces extend across the full size spectrum, providing a
diverse experience. Through this contrast of the large to small scale spaces, spatial awareness
is enhanced. As an open space and character element, the conservation of this diversity is as
important as protection of the individual open spaces which exist.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Those open spaces which form part of the gateways and other image building elements
of the City are of highest priority for retention and reinforcement where necessary. The tech-
niques and policies required will be similar to if not part of 'the strategies for visual quality. Key
criteria in determining importance of open space are:
A. Relationship to visual quality elements: foreground, background, or viewshed.
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B. Relationship to adjacent areas: isolated greenspace in an intensely developed
area will generally be more valuable and symbolic than the same parcel in a
spacious natural area.
C. Relationship to image builders and landmarks: Is the openspace/greenspace an
integral part of the visual content, or must it be open to provide access to the
view?
D. Relationship to the developed areas: does the open or greenspace provide a
linkage between otherwise disparate individual elements of the community,
giving a visual bond to the City? (These are generally lineal elements
traceable across the broad landscape.)
E. Relationship to gateways: does the openspace enhance the sense of entry to the
City and sense of place or does it "leak" the views into areas of undefined
character, negative or contradictory images?
CONCLUSIONS
Open space and visual quality cannot be separated nor can policies and standards regard-
ing landscape development, recreation, traffic, utility service, and general land use ignore their
impact on the community character. The definition of character, image builders and designation
of critical visual quality and open space elements is the first step in maintaining quality, not as in
( a museum piece, but as part of the recognition of the evolution of the community as a sense of
place and people, growing and dynamic, proud of the past and confident of the future.
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