RURAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 231 



(«) Classifying land for use for residential purposes, fac- 

 tories, agriculture, timber reserves, etc., and adjusting the sys- 

 tem of taxation and the system of planning and constructing 

 local improvements to suit the kind of development permitted 

 under the scheme, to encourage the economic use of the land, and 

 to lessen injurious speculation. Under a scheme land could be 

 permanently dedicated for agricultural purposes and assessed 

 at its value for that purpose, to the advantage of the public and 

 owners alike. 



Every scheme can be prepared to deal with local conditions 

 on their merits under any skilled advice that may be employed with 

 the advantage of any local experience. 



To be successful, planning and development schemes have to be 

 flexible. One of their advantages is that it dispenses with the neces- 

 sity of stereotyped by-laws. Certain general principles, such as the 

 amount of space that must be reserved around buildings of different 

 kinds, the width of main arterial thoroughfares, etc., have to be 

 definitely settled, but matters of detail affecting individual properties 

 can be made subject to variation. 



One of the purposes of such schemes should be to transfer a 

 larger portion of the burden of making local improvements to the 

 owners of real estate who benefit from these improvements. Among 

 other matters w r hich might be dealt with in rural land development 

 schemes are: — 



Cancellation and re-planning of sub-divisions. 



Provision of private and public open spaces for recreation. 



Preservation of objects of historic interest or natural beauty. 



Planning of sewerage, drainage, and sewage disposal, light- 

 ing and water supply systems in advance. 



Extension of variation of private rights-of-way and other 

 easements. 



Planning of community centres and educational institutes. 



Protection of rural districts from noxious industries and Ugly 

 hoardings. 



It is only when these matters are dealt with in a scheme that 

 effective control of land development can be secured on economical 

 lines. When attempts are made to get improvements carried out 

 in respect of individual properties, such as the simple matters of 

 fixing a building line, or diverting a road, much opposition lias to 



