§ 5.3.1. Purpose.

Conservation development is intended to ensure that residential development on parcels of 30 acres or more (outside GMA districts) is designed with creativity to maintain the open character of rural areas and protect and maintain agricultural uses and environmentally-sensitive areas while permitting development to the zoning density. This is accomplished by clustering development on lots smaller than would otherwise be permitted and keeping the remainder of the site in residual land to:

A.

Maintain the open character of rural areas;

B.

Protect and encourage continuation of existing agricultural uses;

C.

Protect and maintain environmentally-sensitive areas or features such as steep slopes, floodplains, hazard areas, unique geologic features, ridgelines, unique vegetation and critical plant communities, stream corridors, wetlands or riparian areas, wildlife habitat and migration corridors, areas containing threatened or endangered species and special places of Larimer County; and

D.

Promote compatibility with existing and permitted adjacent land uses.