Conservation Design for Subdivisions

by Arendt, Randall; Harper, Holly; Natural Lands Trust; American Planning Association

• ISBN13: 9781559634892
• ISBN10: 1559634898
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1996-06-01
• Publisher: Island Pr

Summary

In most communities, land use regulations are based on a limited model that allows for only one end result: the production of more and more suburbia, composed of endless subdivisions and shopping centers, that ultimately covers every bit of countryside with "improvements." Fortunately, sensible alternatives to this approach do exist, and methods of developing land while at the same time conserving natural areas are available.In Conservation Design for Subdivisions, Randall G. Arendt explores better ways of designing new residential developments than we have typically seen in our communities. He presents a practical handbook for residential developers, site designers, local officials, and landowners that explains how to implement new ideas about land-use planning and environmental protection. Abundantly illustrated with site plans (many of them in color), floor plans, photographs, and renditions of houses and landscapes, it describes a series of simple and straightforward techniques that allows for land-conserving development.The author proposes a step-by-step approach to conserving natural areas by rearranging density on each development parcel as it is being planned so that only half (or less) of the buildable land is turned into houselots and streets. Homes are built in a less land-consumptive manner that allows the balance of property to be permanently protected and added to an interconnected network of green spaces and green corridors. Included in the volume are model zoning and subdivision ordinance provisions that can help citizens and local officials implement these innovative design ideas.

Author Biography

Randall G. Arendt is vice president of conservation planning at the Natural Lands Trust, based in Media, Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

Preface: Why This Handbook?
Introduction. Natural Lands: Special Places in Your Community
How This Handbook Can Help You	p. 1
Conventional Layouts versus "Conservation Designs": Comparisons and Contrasts	p. 5
Advantages of Conservation Design	p. 9
Roles and Responsibilities of Various Parties	p. 17
Steps Involved in Designing Conservation Subdivisions: A Straightforward Approach	p. 27
Linking Conservation Lands in Future Subdivisions to Create an Interconnected Open Space Network: A Greener Vision	p. 49
Creating Conservation Subdivision Designs on Seven Different Sites	p. 57
Regulatory Improvements	p. 113
Management Techniques for Conservation Lands	p. 119
Toward a New Land Ethic in Your Community	p. 123
Summary of Conservation Statistics for the Seven Sites Described in Chapter 7	p. 127
Results of Citizens' Design Exercise at Poconos Workshop	p. 135
Detailed Houselot Designs at Higher Net Densities	p. 139
Sample House Designs for Compact Lots in Open Space Layouts	p. 143
Economic Benefits of Open Space upon Real Estate	p. 155
Sample of Real Estate Ads Mentioning Proximity of Homes to Greenways	p. 159
Sample of Newspaper Articles Related to Conservation Design Issues	p. 161
Model Ordinance Provisions	p. 165
Recommended Further Reading	p. 177
Index	p. 179
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.