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deemed consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Consistency of this detailed plan with the previously <br /> approved conceptual plan assures that this application complies with the applicable Marion County <br /> Comprehensive Plan policies. Additionally, for the reasons set fort below, the Board finds that the <br /> application complies with the applicable Marion County Comprehensive Plan policies. <br /> Rural Residential Policies <br /> 1. Marion County will cooperate with the Marion County Housing Authority and other agencies to <br /> develop programs and funding sources to increase the level of support for maintenance and <br /> rehabilitation of existing housing in rural areas. <br /> 2. Marion County will cooperate with governmental agencies and housing authorities within the <br /> region to promote unified housing policies and to ensure an equitable distribution of assisted housing <br /> units throughout the County. <br /> These county policies are intended to ensure an adequate supply and mix of housing types in rural <br /> areas. The Board finds that the proposed development provides a type of housing not otherwise met in <br /> Marion County. The Board also finds that these policies do not create mandatory approval criteria in <br /> any event. <br /> 3. Marion County will attempt to keep development requirements to a minimum so that the cost of <br /> rural residential housing can be kept as low as possible consistent with public safety and health <br /> requirements thereby helping to make rural housing a viable housing choice available to low and <br /> moderate income families. <br /> The Board finds that the proposed development is consistent with this policy. For the reasons <br /> explained in Section IX of these findings, the resort can only be developed on the proposed site, as <br /> previously approved by the county. As also explained in Section IX of these findings, water service <br /> for the resort is feasible, and the Board has conditioned its approval on the applicant's ability to provide <br /> an adequate water supply and to obtain the necessary permit for a well. The Board finds that for the <br /> reasons stated elsewhere in these findings, the proposed development does not require the extension of <br /> costly utilities to the site, and does not impose inordinate additional net costs on public services such as <br /> police and fire protection. <br /> 4. Marion County will encourage rural residential housing that takes maximum advantage of <br /> renewable energy resources and use of innovative technology in order to make rural housing as <br /> energy efficient and self-sustaining as possible to reduce the public cost of providing basic utility <br /> services to rural housing. <br /> The Board finds that this county policy is not stated as mandatory approval criteria, but creates <br /> aspirational goals directing the county to "encourage" rural residential housing that takes maximum <br /> advantage of renewable energy resources; as such, this general planning policy designed to <br /> "encourage" use of renewable energy and "green" practices in a certain location cannot be relied upon <br /> by the county as a means to deny the present subdivision application. In any event, the Board finds <br /> that the proposed development will be self-sufficient as to its water and septic needs and will not <br /> impose inordinate additional net costs on public services. <br /> 5. Marion County considers rural residential living a distinct type of residential experience. The rural <br /> life style involves a sacrifice of many of the conveniences associated with urban residences and the <br /> acceptance of lower levels of governmental services, narrow roads and the noises, smells and hazards <br /> -17- <br />