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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 . - 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 _~'. ~ Attest: 1-".-hT~ - 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 . . 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. , 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 July, 1988/47 . 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. July, 1988/48 . . ,. 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. ., , ,- July, 1988/49