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DEC I11990 BOOK 8' P','E S ALTERNATIVES & ANALYSIS In this section, an analysis of the reasonableness of the application will be presented. The analysis will include a description of current and future land uses in the agricultural areas and potential impacts on the other plan elements. Current and Future Land Uses in the Agricultural Areas At present, there is no mechanism in the adopted comprehensive plan to control the development of agricultural lands. Agricultural land may be developed in a large lot pattern which could lead to ranchette type development. This ranchette type development could potentially absorb a large portion of agricultural land area for non-agricultural uses. Provisions identified in the proposed remedial actions amendment to the plan, however, will resolve this problem by requiring non-agricultural uses within areas having an agricultural land use designation to be clustered. As identified in Policy 1.7 of the Future Land Use Element, the main purposes of. the agricultural use category are to ensure. continuation of the agricultural industry, to protect agricultural lands from urban encroachment, and to provide natural open space. The clustered non-agricultural requirement which has been incorporated in the proposed remedial actions will ensure that the intent of Policy 1.7 of the Future Land Use Element will be met. However, the proposed remedial actions do not provide for development of multi -use projects in the agricultural areas. Such multi -use projects functioning as self-sufficient communities could be established without creating urban sprawl through the mechanism of a mixed use designation. Through traditional land use and zoning regulations, residential and other non-agricultural development are limited in agriculturally designated lands. With a mixed use floating designation, increased residential densities and other non- agricultural uses could be allowed in the agricultural areas under strictly controlled conditions. The ability to provide for higher residential densities and associated non-agricultural uses makes a mixed use designation an important tool for development within agricultural areas. The stringent requirements of the mixed use designation will ensure the creation of self-sufficient communities which can absorb increases in density and intensity and ensure high internal trip capture to reduce travel demands on county roads without adversely affecting the surrounding areas. Through buffer requirements, these mixed use projects will be buffered from neighboring land uses, eliminating potential land use conflicts. Compatibility of uses internally and externally will be addressed through the requirement that projects within the mixed use designation comply with established Planned Development (P.D.) standards. Such mixed use projects will provide even more county control over development in the agricultural areas. In*analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of a mixed use land use designation, the county must consider its adopted plan, its revised plan if the remedial actions are approved by the Board of County Commissioners, and its revised plan if the mixed-use designation is approved in addition to the remedial actions. The following chart summarizes the land use advantages and disadvantages for each of the above scenarios: 64 M M