Conservation Subdivisions (above right with just under 3/4 of an acre, 30,000 sq. ft., house lots) with the SAME number of home sites (55) on a 130 acre site. Preserve your community's property values, family values and community values. Which would you choose for your community? Advantages to communities Conservation subdivisions preserve *50% to 70% or more of the buildable land Conservation subdivisions preserve a much higher quality and percentage of land than "clustering" Protects clean water in lakes and rivers by eliminating or reducing storm water runoff and pollution Conserves groundwater and reduces flooding: Natural areas infiltrate water Clean air: Most trees and vegetation are left intact, helping combat climate change Creates community-wide interconnected network of protected meadows, fields and woodlands Saves money: Preserves land at no cost to your community Same number of home sites as conventional subdivision development Fair to developers and landowners: Proven more profitable, faster selling and less costly Beneficial to homeowners: Higher home appreciation rates Trails through natural lands: Children and adults exercise, improve health and connect with nature *In rural, suburban edge areas at densities of 5 to 10 acres per dwelling, easily 70% (or more) of the buildable land can be preserved, in addition to the unbuildable wetlands, floodplains, and steep slopes. Conservation subdivisions can be used in areas served by public utilities (sewer, water) where underlying density is higher, but open space percentages would be correspondingly lower. In urban, sewered, high density areas zoned at 2-3-4 units per acre, preserving 40% of the buildable land is the norm. Images courtesy Randall Arendt, "Conservation Design for Subdivisions", Island Press, 1996. Copyright 2010 LandChoices. You are welcome to share this document as long as you provide attribution to LandChoices. LandChoices, P.O. Box 181, Milford, MI 48381 www.landchoices.org www.downloadtheordinance.org Copyright 2010 LandChoices - All Rights Reserved |
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