Comprehensive Plan - Carbondale, IL

Adopted June 22, 2010community character as typified in Figure 2.2, Neighborhood Tree Canopy.Many of the streets are tree-lined with stands of native vegetation within theCity and throughout the planning area.• The intensively developed commercial areas are largelyimpervious and, therefore, warrant improvements toavoid flooding and further damage to local waterways.The City should seek ways to incorporate sustainablepractices into all new development projects.• The City established the Sustainability Commissionand an Energy Efficiency Task Force has already begunto implement changes including rehabilitation of theEurma Hayes Center, efficiency improvements to theCivic Center, and a shift to LED lighting for trafficsignals.• The combination of increased runoff, reduced recharge,and increased water usage had created a condition of“water mining” in the aquifer resulting in the graduallowering of the water table near Crab Orchard. Inresponse, the City diversified its water sources sothat it no longer contributes to this problem. TheCedar Creek watershed now provides most of thewater supply for the City. Protection measures for thewatershed are due to the City’s ownership of muchof the reservoir’s shoreline, which could be expandedthrough subdivision authority.• Residents take an active role in environmental protection and management,including participation in events and programs ranging from removal ofinvasive plant species to participation in land conservancies, such as GreenEarth, Inc., a local not-for-profit organization.• The City’s policy for utility extensions requires that development be annexedinto the City in order to connect to sewer and water. The 1997 ComprehensivePlan identified defined growth areas but, there have not been any evaluationstandards to determine the costs/benefits of proposed developments. Utilityconnections have been on a case-by-case basis so there has not been a mechanismto coordinate the pattern and timing of development or ensure cost efficiency ofproviding adequate public facilities and services.Figure 2.2 | NEIGHBORHOODTREE CANOPYMany of the neighborhoods retain aperception of open space through thepresence of trees. Tree canopy is animportant community character factoras well as an environmental asset.Comprehensive PlanLand Use and Community CharacterThe term “land use” literally relates to the use of land. However, the design ofindividual uses, districts, and neighborhoods influence the “look and feel” ofdevelopment. Therefore, the character of an area is more distinctly defined bythe intensity of development, the arrangement of buildings and parking areas,the preservation and use of open space, and other design features. For instance,Downtown has a grid street pattern, buildings mostly brought to the street, andsidewalks and street furniture, which differentiates it from the more auto-orientednature of the University Mall. The mall is largely characterized by large setbacksand expansive parking areas, large-scale buildings and out-parcels, and signage.While also commercial in use, the mall produces a much different character ofdevelopment than Downtown or other commercial strip centers.2.5Land Use Character and Community Growth