Strategies Short term •
As part of a community-based process, develop a design plan for the Brandywine Community Center to establish the palette of architectural styles, building materials, exterior finishes, street and sidewalk cross-sections, and other design elements to be used in the center.
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Develop best site design and stormwater management practices to be used in the Brandywine Community Center for protection of water quality in Mattawoman Creek.
Ongoing •
Continue to work with MTA to preserve right-of-way for transit service in the MD 5/US 301 corridor.
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Encourage infill development along the MD 5 corridor, specifically at potential transit nodes in Clinton.
D. RURAL TIER The 2002 General Plan designates a significant portion of land in the southern part of Subregion 5 in the Rural Tier policy area. In these areas, the County policy is to conserve large portions of land for woodland, wildlife habitat, recreation and agricultural pursuits, and to preserve rural character and significant scenic vistas. The Rural Tier comprises almost thirty percent of Subregion 5 in two areas: west of MD 210 (Indian Head Highway) and between Accokeek and Brandywine. The Rural Tier contains farm land and extensive forest as well as other environmental, scenic, and historic resources. These are the last remaining largely-undeveloped areas that are not committed to a suburban development pattern. These areas are also under development pressure due to easy access from them to major highways and their strategic location close to existing or planned metropolitan centers, including Washington, D.C., National Harbor, Branch Avenue Metro, Largo, and Westphalia (planned). This master plan uses the term “agriculture” to cover the broadest range of working landscapes and agricultural enterprises including cropland, livestock, nurseries, equine, forestry, and other specialty enterprises such as vineyards and wineries. This chapter identifies land use policies to allow agriculture and forestry to continue and flourish in the subregion, but other policies and actions are needed in the areas of economic and business development and support, strategic planning, and marketing. These are discussed in Chapter VIII: Economic Development.
Goals •
Preserve the Rural Tier and implement the 2002 General Plan with the same density of allowed-future development as in adjacent planning areas.
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Preserve access to mineral resources where sufficient and economically viable mining potential exists.
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Conserve valuable agricultural and other natural resource lands before they are developed.
Policies •
Establish a priority preservation area (PPA) capable of supporting profitable agricultural and forestry enterprises.
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Allow future low density residential development and protect as much as possible of the remaining undeveloped land during the development process.
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Protect water quality in Mattawoman Creek and its tributaries by implementing land use policies that reduce non-source pollution and improve water quality.
2013 Approved Subregion 5 Master Plan and Sectional Map Amendment
IV: Land Use and Development Pattern | 53