(1) Independence, private property rights and freedom from government intrusion are strongly valued within the RPC planning area. Land use regulation should incorporate these values and only compromise them when: (a) highly significant objectives essential to the public health, safety or welfare cannot be attained in any other manner, or (b) the other beliefs expressed herein cannot be furthered in any other manner.

(2) Development should be encouraged and facilitated by land use regulation that is simple, user friendly, and inexpensive in application for both government and property owners.

(3) The rural character of the RPC planning areas should be encouraged.

(4) Regulations that reduce the value or use of private property shall be minimized. All land owners shall be fully compensated for any such regulation.

(5) Proper planning should promote the efficient construction and use of capital facilities.

(6) Large development projects can place a strain on municipal services to the detriment of other users. Large developments should mitigate these impacts.

(7) Segregation of land uses into generally defined and flexible Residential, Commercial and Industrial zoning classifications is a desirable means of preventing incompatible adjacent land uses and stabilizing property values.

(8) Home-based industries are an essential part of the economic vitality of the planning area and should be permitted in all zoning classifications to the extent compatible with surrounding land uses.

(9) Land use regulation should not impose burdens upon existing land uses due to the subsequent development of adjacent, incompatible land uses.

(10) The “grandfathering” of land uses is fundamental to the protection of private property rights and is of the highest importance to the people of the RPC planning area. Existing land uses shall not be rendered invalid nonconforming uses by changes in land use regulation.

(11) Public lands make up a large part of the RPC planning area. How this land is managed impacts the citizens and communities of the area significantly. Local citizens shall be entitled to full participation and representation on the uses of public lands in their region in order to help ensure a more stable economy and environment for the local communities to preserve the local culture, heritage and customs.