Residential Cluster Development - Issues

Issues

Following World War II, migration from the cities to suburbs became a dominant trend in America. People were acquiring any land they could find; as a result developers attempted to squeeze as many lots as they could on development sites. Communities then developed zoning regulations to limit the number of units and density allowed on a site. Though this zoning protected land for communities and to an extent preserved land from development, it was what ultimately led to the suburban sprawl as we know it today. It is this zoning that cluster development attempts to amend, and is the primary issue it faces.

Most municipalities have established zoning which restricts developers, planning boards and communities to only use this conventional subdivision development. Thus, the practice of traditional development is difficult to change due the set standard, familiarly of the procedure, and the fear of undertaking something new. In response to this, groups such as the American Planning Association have developed a model ordinance that provides the framework for cluster development. This ordinance is not difficult to administratively implement, though politically it is problematic due to conservative resistance.

People’s perception of personal space has a large part to do with this resistance. Many cases people chose to live in suburbs with the intention of having a large lot property; therefore it is hard to convince those individuals to live closer together. Convincing people to accept small lot sizes and higher density living remains one of the biggest obstacles of cluster development. This obstacle can be mostly overcome with proper site design that grants homes unobstructed views and effective private space. As well as educating people about the benefits of having better community and open space can serve as encouragement to change perceptions.

An additional obstacle to cluster development is the difficulty for creating small lot sizes when no municipal sewer system is in place. When septic systems are used, enough land needs to be available on each building lot for a leach field (sometimes land is required for two leach fields, the additional land set aside as a back-up). The amount of land needed is in proportion to the size of the septic system and the soil conditions, which must allow for the percolation of wastewater safely into the ground. In areas where well water is used, additional lot area may be required to sufficiently separate the well from the leach field. This can lead to minimum lot sizes of 1-acre (4,000 m2) or more, making cluster development difficult. However, installing a package wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) for the development (which acts as a small cluster plant, eliminating the need for individual septic tanks) or using biofilters with each septic system obviate the need for larger lot sizes. In addition, providing a package WWTP reduces the diameter and depth of collection sewer lines for the cluster, thus reducing the overall cost of infrastructure.

The final primary issue with cluster development is the issue of dealing with open, recreational, and agricultural space. These areas do serve as benefits in many respects although they are also issues that are required to be dealt with. The maintenance of open and recreational space requires the formation of home owners associations that necessitate fees for taxes, insurance and general upkeep. This would not be necessary under a typical subdivision, though people would have their own maintenance expenses. As to agriculture: people enjoying living next to it until there is a need to apply fertilizer or pesticides. This fact cannot be avoided, though through the proper use of cluster development there can be wider gaps and barriers between agricultural land and residential properties, which would limit exposure to unwanted byproducts.