Oakland Rural Village Focal Point Plan (Complete Document)

This Focal Point Plan includes policy statements that parallel those in the Comprehensive Plan and that are consistent with the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan states that "policies governing land use decisions affecting Traditional Neighborhood Focal Points shall be designed to preserve the integrity and identity of traditional residential neighborhoods and to maintain property values" (p. 91). Policies in this Focal Point Plan are numbered using first a reference to a Comprehensive Plan policy (eg. LU-1), followed by "ORV" which stands for Oakland Rural Village, and then by consecutive numbers. The following policies are hereby established and do not require amendment of the Comprehensive Plan's goals and objectives:

LU-1(B)-ORV-1 New development should be planned to contribute to the maintenance and enhancement of the overall quality of life in the community. Land use provisions in the Comprehensive Plan and this Focal Point Plan are intended to foster compatible development while accommodating economic and social reality and recognizing and preserving the rural heritage and landscape.

LU-1(B)-ORV-2 The rural village appearance of the primary entrance corridors into the City of Oakland should be preserved and maintained. Open fields and cropland now exist along these corridors and provide the traveler with a sense of the rural nature of the community. All necessary precautions should be taken to help preserve these view sheds. Setbacks, lot widths, landscaping and fencing and other design elements should be reviewed on any development to ensure compliance with this policy.

LU-3(A)-ORV-1 To help prevent premature development of land at urban densities, the maintenance of agricultural land use on a permanent basis is encouraged. The preservation of rural farmland, valuable woodland, and open spaces should be pursued where possible. To help achieve this goal, the City of Oakland should examine the possibilities of purchasing or receiving donations of permanent conservation easements from adjacent land owners of agricultural land.

LU-4(D)-ORV-1 Development of any urban density residential or commercial development should be consistent in size and scale with the rural character of the landscape. Any proposed urban density development must undergo timeliness, suitability, and compatibility assessments under the Comprehensive Plan. It is important to the overall appearance of the community that the rural character be maintained.

LU-5(C)-ORV-1 New development must be consistent with any overlay district adopted for any portion of the Focal Point. To ensure the consistency and conformity of new development to the existing rural village "feel", an overlay district should be developed and adopted by the Oakland City Commission and Warren County Fiscal Court. This overlay district would specify the design criteria for building renovation and construction.

Review criteria which may be considered in developing the overlay district include:

1. Reconstruction design - if a structure is lost to fire or other disaster, could it be built back on the same footprint; should the structure have the same facade; should the property owner be allowed to reconstruct the building in any way he chooses?

2. Commercial development - should there be minimum design criteria for a commercial structure; should signage be limited and if so, how much; should commercial development only be allowed in the central business district or will home conversions, such as first floor antique shops, be allowed?

3. Residential development - should there be minimum architectural standards to ensure that new development blends with existing houses in the neighborhood; should multi-family residential be allowed; should it be limited to duplexes?

LU-6(A)-ORV-1 New commercial development within the Oakland Focal Point should be of a neighborhood scale in size, character, and use. Commercial development within the focal point should be designed to serve the needs of the local residents. Commercial services can generally be limited to 2,500 square feet, but in no case should a commercial use command more than 6,000 square feet. As a small, rural village, most of Oakland's commercial needs are served by the adjacent communities of Smiths Grove and Bowling Green. Extensive commercial development in Oakland is unlikely and any limited development will be determined by market forces. This policy does not exclude in-home occupations such as an antique dealership or a bed and breakfast if allowed under the Zoning Ordinance.

LU-7(A)-ORV-1 New industrial development within the Oakland Focal Point is not encouraged. Industrial uses are expected to have some environmental impact, however minimal, on the community in which it locates. Noise, soil, air, and light impacts, as well as other environmental factors, cannot be easily accommodated in the rural village atmosphere.

CF-5-ORV-1 Development of new recreation opportunities should be pursued and should offer linkage to the proposed Green Belt system of Warren County. The Green Belt System Master Plan for Warren County was completed in 1999 and indicated the importance of Oakland as Warren County's smallest incorporated city. The Master Plan stated that the community has "excellent potential for full trailhead development and will be developed as a point to which people can drive and park, walk the city's quaint streets, enjoy local shops and restaurants, and then bicycle in northeast Warren County". While these shops and restaurants do not yet exist in Oakland, there are excellent opportunities for improvements that will facilitate walking and bicycling and for viewing lovely historic homes.