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