Orono Community Management Plan 2020-2040

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CMP Part 2. Community Management Plan Foundation City of Orono Community Management Plan 2020-2040 Part 2, Page 17 5. Urban developments will be limited to the extent that they can be adequately served by the existing or planned public facilities and services. New development will not be permitted to exceed the existing or planned capacity of local roads, utilities, parks, police and fire protection. Where development within the urban area requires local extension of roads or utilities, such extension will be the full responsibility of the developer, not the general taxpayer. 6. Higher levels of public services will be provided in the urban area than in the rural area. The greater land use density and the greater number of residents combine to require more intensive levels of public services. Police, fire, and ambulance calls are more frequent. Roads, parking lots, parks, and playgrounds require more maintenance. Public sewer and water is necessary because of population density and proximity to the lake. All of these factors combine to increase the cost of government in the urban portions of the city. Rural Area Goals and Policies Rural Community Goals 1. To maintain the rural character of open spaces and closeness to the natural environment. 2. To retain the opportunity for rural commerce such as farming, orchards, greenhouses, stables and similar activities which require limited services but relatively large amounts of open space. 3. To retain the opportunity for a diversity of housing types and alternative use expectations. 4. To prevent the encroachment of urban development or any activity which would in any way adversely affect Lake Minnetonka or its associated watershed. 5. To evaluate public service requests so as to limit the financial burdens on the community and the landowners alike. Rural Planning Policies 1. Future rural developments will be guided so as to have minimal impact on the land or on the existing rural neighborhoods. Rural developments will be permitted only at rural densities and only where the land is capable of self-supporting the necessary on-site sewer and water services. Care will be exercised to ensure that no new development encroaches upon its neighbor's open space activities. 2. Rural neighborhoods will be reserved for low-density residential and quasi- agricultural land uses. Commercial services will continue to be provided in the urban areas of Orono and adjoining municipalities. No new commercial or industrial activities will be permitted in the rural service area except those quasi-agricultural uses that do not require central sewer or other urban services.