town of mount airy - Maryland Department of Planning

of different building types has fostered these “single entrance” subdivisions. The
subdivision review process exacerbates the problem by requiring buffers and berms that
are constructed around each increment of new development.
These clustered developments are fundamentally different than the three basic street
systems because they are not designed to be a compatible expansion of the Town
residential pattern. Adding new parallel streets can expand the grid and the underlying
structure remains the same. Lengthening the “spokes” and adding new rings can expand
the radial town. The linear system could be expanded along its length, or by adding
cross-streets. New development clusters are often only connected to the Town along
secondary streets and are rarely designed to be extended into future development.
A third challenge to the development of a cohesive community is the lack of a location
for community interaction within new development. New developments are only
indirectly connected to Main Street and rarely connected to adjacent developments or
adjoining subdivisions.
NewerTownhouses in an
older section of Town do
not blend well.
In new residential
developments almost
all lots and buildings
are a uniform size.
This helps to
perpetuate the belief
that the introduction of
a different building
type will not "fit in".
In the older areas of
Town many different
lot and home sizes are
found on any one street. This variety can better assimilate a different use, such as how
the Calvary Methodist Church assimilates in with the existing residences along South
Main Street. It is unlikely that any public use will ever be located within completed new
developments.
In new development, similar homes are built on lots of uniform size, fronting on streets of
uniform width, and are setback an equal distance from the street. There is very little
differentiation in character from one street to the next, and many new neighborhoods are
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