A. In designing a cluster or conservation subdivision within the Rural Residential Zoning District, the applicant shall be consistent with the Town of Henrietta Rural Development Design Guidelines document available from the Town. The applicant shall comply with the following in addition to this requirement:

(1) Public access shall not be required if the open space is held privately, for example, by a private landowner or private nature conservancy.
(2) The required amount of open space in either a cluster or conservation subdivision shall always be calculated based upon buildable acreage.
(3) Generally, designated open space in either a cluster or conservation subdivision must comprise lands that are buildable acres. However, constrained acreage may be designated as preserved open space, in whole or in part, but only upon the sole discretion of the Town Board as to whether it otherwise satisfies the open space and/or valuable resources definitions and said lands are considered to be of unique local importance, character, or exceptionally high quality. However, again, constrained acreage cannot be used towards calculating incentives, such as density increases - [except in the case of § 295-34.16D(1)(b)].
(4) Buffer zones shall be required between the residential subdivision and agricultural uses per Article XIV: Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, § 295-60E, Minimum transitional buffers, however, such buffers may be modified by the Town Board in relation to conservation subdivisions herein.
(5) Natural vegetative buffers shall be consistent with Article XIV: Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, § 295-60E. Additionally, transitional buffers are recommended to separate less dense residences and neighborhoods (e.g., five-acre lots) from more dense residential subdivision neighborhoods (e.g., 1/2-acre lots).
(6) Proposed site improvements shall be located, designed, and constructed so as to avoid or minimize the loss or degradation of healthy woodland areas as open space, to the maximum extent possible. Healthy woodlands along roadways, property lines, streams, swales, stone fences, and hedgerows shall be preserved as buffers and visual screening.
(7) Disturbance or removal of woodlands occupying environmentally sensitive areas or stabilizing steep slopes shall be undertaken only when specifically approved by the Town Board or authorized designee, and only upon a determination that such will be performed on a selective basis to minimize adverse impacts.
(8) Subdivision development and access is encouraged along primary and secondary roadway corridors rather than low-volume rural roadways, reasonably near public water and sewer, and with conservation parcels or open space areas concentrated along the back of development parcels that can connect to adjacent open spaces and conservation lands.