The following is a repost from my earlier post (September 4, 2009):

In the conservation subdivision River Valley, 34 houselots average 36,000 square feet (0.85 acres, just under one acre) each, on the 85 acre site, preserving 48.5 acres, almost two-thirds of the site, as permanently protected open space. Click image above for larger image.

I like Randall Arendt’s approach to conservation subdivisions: “Do It Backward”.

First, set aside land for conservation. This eliminates the left-over conservation areas that are traditionally created.

Last, divide up the land into parcels. This allows the developer to penpoint the prime developable area, while maintaining conservation areas.

According to Randall Arendt, “The term ‘conventionally designed subdivision’ refers to residential developments where all the land is divided into houselots and streets, with the only open space typically being undevelopable wetlands, steep slopes, floodplains, and stormwater management areas.”

“The term ‘conservation subdivision design’ refers to residential developments where half or more of the buildable land area is designated as undivided, permanent open space” at a neutral density (same number of homes) to existing zoning.

Let’s have more of the first, and less of the later. Planners (and homebuilders), are you learning and listening?

Note: The original site plan for River Valley called for a conventional subdivision of 34 house lots of 80,000 square feet (just under two acres) each on the 85 acre site, taking up all but the unbuildable land.

Text courtesy Randall Arendt, Conservation Design for Subdivisions (A GREAT book if you don’t already own it!). Images courtesy LandChoices, and Randall Arendt, Growing Greener: Putting Conservation into Local Plans and Codes, Island Press, 1999 (planners, this is a must read for ALL of you!)

Envisioning Better Communities, the new planning book by Randall Arendt, is a gem. (Full disclosure: Randall Arendt is a dedicated member of LandChoices. I’m a big fan.) 

This week I received a review copy of the book from the American Planning Association. I will review the book in a series of blog posts.

The subtitle, Seeing More Options, Making Wiser Choices, rings true. I’m a big believer in offering citizen planners better choices to avoid the kind of needless destruction that happened to my childhood town.

In the preface Randall Arendt says, “Part of the problem is that much change is incremental, gradually occurring one development at a time, making it difficult to perceive the cumulative impact.” So true.

The thing I like most about Envisioning Better Communities is that the book is “intended to supplement the meager training that local planning board members receive in most states…”  Written in a way that makes it easy for anyone without a formal planning background to understand, I think it will be a big hit with citizen planners. The book includes a wonderful chapter on conservation subdivision design.

I own and have read all of Randall Arendt’s books, and cherish each one for it’s practicality. This one is my favorite due to it’s simplicity.

“This is precisely the kind of tool local planners need,” author Bill Mckibben said in a testimonial to the book. I wholeheartedly agree. More soon.

Learn more about Envisioning Better Communities.

The following is a guest post by LandChoices’ friend Jordan Mercedes:

It’s not safe to care, but it’s good to care. Caring makes you walk on the edge of something burning strongly in your heart…and jump!

It’s scary to stand up when everyone else sits down. If we’re going to make a difference to save land, animals and do other good deeds, we have to make a decision to care.

Stand up for Natural Neighborhoods
If you are tired of seeing your open space, trees and animals disappear and conventional subdivisions emerge, stand up for natural neighborhoods (conservation subdivisions).

A crazy video is circulating on YouTube about kids at a park. One kid gets up and starts doing this wild dance. For a few minutes he’s all alone.

Create Your Own Vision Board
I’m launching my wild dance: The Biggest Vision Board Party in History to bring at least one vision board party to each state during Mother’s Day week, May2-9.  I’m passionate about seeing women and girls live their dreams.

I’m inviting you and your friends to host a vision board party to celebrate the dreams in your hearts. Paste photos,  images from magazines, and inspirational text to poster board to create your own vision board.

Will you do a wild vision board dance for the women in your state? Will you host a vision board party to promote natural neighborhoods? 

It’s Good to Care
So, the kid is out there dancing alone, soon another kid gets up, then another and another. We need to get a little unsafe and care, do good and dance…wildly dance.

I’ve got a lot of states to cover to make my wild dance dream come true. Do you want to dance?

Jordan Mercedes is an Artist and Creative Visionary. She’s passionate about living her dream and helping others do the same. You can contact Jordan at gallery@jordanmercedes.com to participate in the Biggest Vision Board Event.