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Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element Land Use/Transportation Analysis Currently, the county' s land use pattern is low density and low intensity, with single-family residential development being the predominant land use. Although the county does not have a central core with a large employment base, urban development is limited to the eastern third of the county by the established urban service area (USA) boundary. Within the USA boundary, there is a substantial amount of vacant land, many unbuilt-on platted lots, and existing strip commercial development along some of the major roadway corridors such as US 1 . This land use pattern, along with the county ' s socioeconomic characteristics (high incomes, small households, many retirees, high percentage of automobile ownership), has resulted in an auto-dominated environment. Because of the separation of land uses, most trips must be made by automobile instead of by walking, and the land use dispersion results in longer work, shopping, social/recreation, and other types of trips. For those reasons, as well as others (including schedule, time of service, geographic coverage), transit is also not a viable alternative to the automobile. In assessing the county' s existing land use pattern, several issues or problems can be identified, and various opportunities can be noted. With respect to issues, one is that there is little mixed use development in the county. Coupled with the diverision of land uses, this results in auto dependence, produces more trips, results in longer trips, and increases total vehicle miles traveled. Another issue is low densities and vacant land. With the overall low densities in the county, developers ' tendencies to build at even lower than allowed densities, and vacant parcels within the existing USA, it is difficult to establish a viable transit system. A third issue is existing strip commercial development. This type of development disperses uses, reduces the efficiency of the roadway system by requiring more curb cuts, limits transit system options, and makes pedestrian trips more difficult. These issues and problems are the result of historic development patterns and not reflective of the policies and initiatives in the county' s comprehensive plan. In the future, there is an opportunity to address these issues, and the Future Land Use Element incorporates many initiatives relating to transportation/land use issues . Probably the most significant opportunity to address these issues is the continued growth and development projected for the county through this plan ' s 2020 horizon year. The 2020 land use pattern for Indian River County is reflected in the Future Land Use Element of this plan. As shown on the Future Land Use Map, the 2020 land use pattern is a continuation of the existing development pattern in the county. Both the existing and future land use patterns are characterized by low density, low rise development, commercial/industrial nodes, higher density residential along high volume roadway corridors, an urban service boundary limiting westward expansion, and a continuation of the current coast-paralleling development pattern. As structured, the future land use plan will have a significant effect on the future transportation system. With the location of the urban service boundary, the future land use plan ensures a compact development pattern that will limit urban sprawl, promote infill development, and manage future growth. Community Development Department Indian River County 52