Streetscapes:    Streets should transition from more urban cross-sections to rural or rustic streetscapes in Rural Residential areas.

!      Streets should be designed to accommodate low levels of traffic. Alternatively, principle connections to these areas should be designed as boulevards or parkways with enhanced landscape amenities.

!      Landscape areas along streets should remain in a more natural with rough and dense vegetation lending more privacy to lots.

!      Streets networks should maintain connectivity, but may meander to accommodate natural and topographic features, and follow natural contours to minimize grading, cut, and fill.

!      Streets with residential frontages should follow the neighborhood connectivity standards and form smaller block sizes.

!      Natural edges that infiltrate storm water run-off into the ground should be used as opposed to curb and gutter.

Residences:    Buildings and Sites in Rural Residential areas tend to be less formal and irregular, in favor of a more natural and predominately rustic environment.

!      Residences shall maintain a large setback, which does not necessarily need to be consistent along a street.

!      Residences shall be located on sites causing the least disturbance to the natural features as possible, with larger setbacks based upon lot acreage.

!      Frontage areas shall primarily be preserved in a natural state, including topography, vegetation, and ground cover. Large manicured lawns should be avoided in favor of areas closely surrounding the principle building.

!      Front-loaded driveways shall be limited to double-lane driveways accessing expanded parking areas closer to the buildings.

!      Any exterior off-street vehicle parking areas shall be located and designed to provide the least intrusive visual impact on the public rights-of-way, primarily behind the front-building line.

!      For cluster or conservation developments the Neighborhood Site and Residences Design Guidelines should be followed for the cluster area.

Open Spaces: Open space needs in Rural Residential areas are primarily served by the large size of private, individual lots. The low density nature of the area makes any public or common open space not efficient, unless provided through a cluster or conservation development. The following guidelines apply only to cluster or conservation developments.

!      Open spaces should be preserved in public, common, or private (land trust) conservation areas.

!      Conservation areas should be connected beyond parcel and development boundaries based on functional natural systems.

!      Conservation areas should be concentrated in large, continuous areas that minimize edge conditions and narrow swaths that erode natural conditions and functions.

!      Crossings of open space by roads and utilities should be minimized in quantity, extent or width, and where necessary, crossings should be designed for minimal environmental impact.

!      Constructed paths in conservation areas should use pervious materials.