Site Scale Planning for Sustainable Forestland Development Lands for Tomorrow June 29, 2011

Four Levels of Sustainable Forestry Planning 1.Region – Green infrastructure 2.City/County – Tools to conserve the working landscape 3.Neighborhood – Conservation subdivision design – HOA/covenants/neighborhood associations 4.Site – Low Impact Development (LID)

Level 3: Neighborhood What Is Conservation Subdivision Design? During planning process, the development on a parcel is rearranged to set aside as least half of the buildable land as open space Same or even larger number of homes as conventional, but smaller lot sizes, more compact and clustered together

Level 3: Neighborhood What Are the Benefits of Conservation Subdivision Design? Preserves rural character Expands open space for a variety of uses Retains important ecosystem functions of original natural features Offers improved aesthetics and ties to area history Creates privacy for residences Enhances property values

Level 3: Neighborhood How Does Conservation Subdivision Design Relate to Sustainable Forestland Development? Forest fragmentation is a significant issue Design process provides opportunities to locate and map important forest resources Resulting subdivision retains a greater percentage of contiguous forest, maintaining original wildlife habitat and ecosystem functions like stormwater management and local climate control

UndevelopedConventional Design Conservation Design Level 3: Neighborhood How Does a Conservation Subdivision Differ from a Conventional One?

Level 3: Neighborhood Conventional Subdivision

Level 3: Neighborhood Conservation Subdivision

Level 3: Neighborhood Options for Open Space in a Conservation Subdivision Cultural preservation Natural preservation Community land functions Commercial applications

Level 3: Neighborhood Open Space Options: Cultural Preservation Lakeland Green Lakeland, TN Ancient woodland footpath used by Native Americans Discovered during on- site walk Small-lot design allowed flexibility to design around this feature

Level 3: Neighborhood Open Space Options: Natural Preservation Centerville Tallahassee, FL Wiregrass and longleaf pine habitat retained on a subdivision Preservation effort did not deter buyers: 86 of first 87 lots were sold on first day offered

Level 3: Neighborhood Open Space Options: Community Lands/Commercial Applications Farmstand Fields of St. Croix Lake Elmo, MN Community-supported agriculture (CSA) run by farmers leasing land from home association CSA members pay membership fee to collect weekly share of produce

Level 3: Neighborhood Open Space Options: Multiple GreenWay Conservation Subdivision near Lexington, VA Eight acres of forest and wildlife habitat Pasture and conservation land Community gardens

Level 3: Neighborhood Keys to Conservation: Conservation Subdivision Design 1.Identify land for permanent protection in conservation areas i.Primary conservation areas ii.Secondary conservation areas 2.Locate house sites in development area 3.Align streets and trails 4.Draw lot lines

Conservation Subdivision Design Step 1, part 1 Identify Primary Conservation Areas Pre-identify areas on community-wide Map of Potential Conservation Lands Conduct detailed site analysis to precisely locate features Identify all constrained lands, e.g., wet, flood- prone, steep

Wetlands Steep slope >25% 100 year floodplain Step 1, part 1

Conservation Subdivision Design Step 1, part 2 Identify Secondary Conservation Areas Special features usually not protected under current code, but that enhance property value and are most vulnerable to change E.g., mature woodlands, greenways and trails, river and stream corridors, prime farmland, hedgerows, individual trees or groups of trees, wildlife habitats/travel corridors, historic sites and structures, scenic viewshed

Meadows Woods Rock outcrop Stone walls and hedgerows Historic cemetery and ruins Step 1, part 2

Conservation Subdivision Design Step 1, part 3 Designate Potential Development Area Taking into consideration the findings from parts 1 and 2 of Step 1, draw boundaries around remaining areas appropriate for development

Potential development area avoids most important natural and historical features identified earlier Step 1, part 3

Conservation Subdivision Design Step 2 Locate House Sites in Development Area Situate houses for best views of open space Maximum number of houses possible depends on density permitted within zoning district, shown on a Yield Plan

Parcel’s maximum allowable number of houses sited within the potential development area Step 2

Conservation Subdivision Design Step 3 Align Streets and Trails Add streets to serve houses in potential development area Add informal trails throughout other areas of parcel

Step 3 Streets connect houses Trail network extends into conservation areas

Conservation Subdivision Design Step 4 Draw Lot Lines Draw lot lines around houses in development area

Step 4 Lot lines added

Level 4: Site Low Impact Development (LID) EPA’s definition: “Land development that works with nature to manage stormwater as close to its source as possible” Preserves and recreates natural landscape features for functional and attractive drainage Treats stormwater as a resource instead of as a waste product

Level 4: Site Low Impact Development (LID) Conventional development alters the natural flow of water through a site Impervious surfaces (e.g., asphalt,rooftops) replace absorbent and porous surfaces (e.g., trees, grasslands) Stormwater drains off highly-developed sites more quickly, reducing groundwater and causing flooding

Level 4: Site Low Impact Development (LID)

LID Practices Bioretention Stormwater ponds Constructed wetlands Filtration Infiltration Conveyance and open channels

Level 4: Site Low Impact Development (LID)

Most LID is located on private property, so maintaining its effectiveness is the responsibility of property owners or homeowners’ associations Maintenance can include: mowing grass swales, remulching/revegetating water retention areas, and vacuuming permeable pavement

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