The second and third publications in the series describe the engineering and design of community wastewater treatment and storm water management systems for use in cluster developments. They also provide a brief discussion of the current regulation and permitting requirements. Management issues that must be considered and management structures that can be used when establishing new cluster developments utilizing rural technologies are addressed in the final publication. Cluster development is the grouping of a particular development's residential structures on a portion of the available land, reserving a significant amount of the site as protected open space. Many communities in Minnesota and across the United States are updating their comprehensive land use plans and establishing specific ordinances to guide the development and construction of residential clusters.
New ordinances require design standards and identify minimum open space and density standards.
These key changes have prompted some communities to opt for more descriptive terminology, including open space development or conservation subdivision design, for the more traditional cluster development. The usable open space created by a cluster development can meet a number of community goals. These goals sometimes conflict with one another. For example, the protection of wildlife habitat may be incompatible with the preservation of agricultural land. However, the key benefit is the availability of open space, space that has been preserved by clustering units on smaller lots.