LandChoices: Enhancing Subdivision Value by Randall Arendt

Land Choices: Changing Development in America

Enhancing Subdivision Value Through Conservation Design
Introduction
Features

The 4 Steps
Indentify Areas
Locate House Sites
Align Streets
Draw Lot Lines

Enhancing Subdivision Value
Through Conservation Design By Randall Arendt

Introduction Features Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Next Page >

Determining Density
The aerial drawing below (Fig. 1) shows how a partially wooded property looks before being developed at the full two-acre density allowed under local zoning on this 85-acre parcel, which includes 68 acres of upland without any building constraints and 17 acres of unbuildable wetlands and steep slopes. The density is calculated either on the 68 acres of buildable land or according to a common-sense “Yield Plan” demonstrating the maximum number of two-acre Following the principles of conservation design, two thirds of the property could be preserved including all 17 acres of highly constrained soils and slopes plus half of the remaining land.

Retaining Special Features Through Conservation Subdivision Design
Notable elements of the site which, if designed around and saved, would add measurable value to the new neighborhood include the roadside meadow with its border of redbuds, the small orchard along the country road, the rustic stone wall, the historic house and its outbuildings, the two small interior fields, the central pasture, the stream valley habitat and parts of the woodlands. A new breed of development known as “conservation subdivisions” makes it possible for developers to preserve these value-enhancing features and for communities to protect municipal open space networks improving everyone’s quality of life At the heart of this new approach is a four-step process for laying out developments around the special elements of each property.

Enhancing Subdivision Value Through Conservation Design						Next Page >
Introduction	Features	Step 1	Step 2	Step 3	Step 4