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eliminate ranchette type of development in agricultural areas and will provide working open space which could be used for agricultural and recreational uses while providing for residential and other non-agricultural development. Finally, this type of designation will reduce the threat of urban sprawl. Together, those tools will promote a compact, low-density land use pattern in Indian River County. According to the Urban Land Institute, "compact development does not imply ... high density, but rather higher average `blended' densities. Compact development also features a mix of land uses, development of strong population and employment centers, interconnection of streets, and the design of spaces at a human scale." [(Growing Cooler: The Evidence of Urban Development and Climate Change (2007)]. NEED FOR REDEVELOPMENT Defined as areas that contain neglected and abandoned structures that are in need of repair or demolition, blighted areas usually occur in older and poorer areas of a community. In the unincorporated county, there are three areas that currently contain incompatible uses and experience varying degrees of blight. Those three areas are the Wabasso community in the north county, the Gifford community in the central county, and the Oslo Road area in the south county. Those blighted areas have some of the same negative impacts that are often found in association with incompatible uses. In recent years, the county has used Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) funds, and local funds to make improvements within the identified blighted areas. In 2002, for example, Indian River County was awarded a $750,000 Housing Community Development Block Grant. Those funds were used to rehabilitate approximately 24 homes within the Gifford community. Between 2005 and 2008, the county used approximately $727,228 in CDBG funds to install new water lines within the Wabasso community. Using CDBG funds, the county constructed a new fire station in the Gifford community during 2009. Various other public improvements, including road and drainage improvement projects, have also been made in those blighted areas. Complementing those improvements has been an increase in code enforcement activities in those areas. Overall, the code enforcement initiatives have been successful in getting property owners to clean up their properties through removal of old cars, demolition of unsafe structures, and general property maintenance. A review of the Wabasso, Gifford, and Oslo Road areas reveals several similarities commonly associated with blighted places. Those include a higher than average proportion of low income residents with lower educational achievement, a larger proportion of children, and a high proportion of minorities. The similarities of those areas cease at that point. As discussed below, each area has unique constraints and opportunities for renewal and development. Future Land Use Element 124