Using GIS to Determine Horizon Belts[2]

Site plans for building or cutting activities in the District must indicated specific
trees to be removed; architectural drawings that include wall elevations, roof lines, and
façade materials; and 10 foot topographic contours for the entire lot. Other components
of a site plan that might be required include 2 foot contours, the flying of a balloon to
mark visibility, and field markings of the District by a surveyor. Other information might
be required as well depending on the proposed activity and location.
Future Direction
In August of 2005 the Horizonline Conservation District was officially approved
by the town of Kent. Other Appalachian Trail towns in Connecticut have been waiting to
see what would happen with this new approach to protecting scenic ridges, and may
follow suit. Some towns outside the Appalachian Trail corridor are implementing or
considering this methodology as well. Other areas of the country could benefit from this
approach to protecting scenic ridges. Western states now feature some of the highest
growth rates in the nation, with ridges that are often exposed with sparse tree cover.
Indeed, the horizon belt methodology could prove beneficial for anywhere that scenic
ridges and development patterns seem destined to collide.
Developing scenic ridges threatens more than local town character. The
recreational experience on trails and watercourses that come in close proximity to private
lands, such as is the case with the Appalachian Trail, can be negatively impacted by the
sight of a “castle on a hill.” Delineating the most obtrusive zone of a viewshed could
have regional applications that serve both land and water recreationists.
By focusing on the most obtrusive part of a viewshed, horizon belts allow for
compromise. A homeowner could locate a house on a portion of a ridge that affords a