In communities around the country, there is growing attention paid to stormwater, wetlands, and groundwater protection. This sometimes translates into “NIMBY” (not in my backyard) fears in some communities and places greater scrutiny on the environmental sustainability of proposed development projects. Many communities, in Illinois for instance, have responded with beefed-up comprehensive stormwater ordinances. Some are encouraging or mandating conservation development.

Incorporating a Concept
In essence, conservation development employs a combination of creative land planning and innovative stormwater management practices to protect water and natural resources, preserve open space, and enhance wildlife habitat. Conservation development starts with a thorough review of the property to evaluate potential development constraints – such as wetlands, streams, woodlands, and steep slopes. But where the traditional land planning process would find ways to minimize and build through these areas, a conservation design seeks creative approaches to preserving and enhancing them.

The core tool of conservation design is “clustering” the same number of houses onto smaller lots. The results are less land grading and associated infrastructure construction, and more functional open space.

Sustainable water management is another key element of conservation development. To counter concerns about groundwater supplies, water quality, and flooding, conservation design provides the tools to put clean water back into the ground rather than flushing it offsite in storm sewers and wastewater pipes. These tools include “bioswales” in lieu of costly storm sewers, detention ponds designed to resemble wetlands and natural lakes, and land application of treated wastewater.

Another emerging element of good conservation development is planning for the long-term. Local land conservancies and park districts are working with the developers to manage protected open spaces for the long-term. As a tradeoff for smaller lawns to mow, homeowners are asked to provide a revenue stream for this management, which often includes controlled burning as Native Americans did for centuries before

Benefits to Developers
While the intended focus on conservation development is resource protection, it can also provide a great deal of flexibility to developers who may be looking to do something other than the traditional “cookie cutter” subdivision design.
In fact, conservation development can offer a number of potential advantages to builder/developers.

Save Money
The National Association of Home Builders and others have identified substantial savings in infrastructure costs.

Open space within a conservation development can provide a significant marketing advantage and generates the potential for lot premiums.

Conservation designs can reduce permitting hurdles for wetlands and floodplains, significantly reducing approval times and costs.

Some communities offer density bonuses as a reward for additional open space and other conservation design elements.

And, conservation development projects can minimize conflicts and opposition from local environmental and watershed groups. These groups can become allies in promoting good project-designs to local governments and permitting agencies.

An additional benefit relates to the evolving market for new housing. Some housing experts have identified growing markets for age-targeted and empty-nester categories. These individuals often prefer a smaller, low maintenance lawn but appreciate the amenities and views of adjacent open space. Even traditional home-buying families are seeing the benefits of reduced time mowing lawns and greater opportunities for their children to explore nature just beyond their backyards.

Making it Happen
Despite the obvious cost-efficiency and environmental advantages, conservation development is clearly not the norm for new residential projects in most places. One reason is that conventional “cookie-cutter” designs are still accepted and even preferred in most communities’ subdivision and zoning ordinances. Municipal engineers, planners, zoning boards, and plan commissions have developed a comfort level with the familiar. So, while conservation development can create some unique marketing advantages, most developers may be reluctant to fight city hall.

However, there are some emerging policies that are pushing for more conservation development. In Illinois, for instance, progressive countywide stormwater ordinances in DuPage, Kane, Lake, and McHenry counties are now requiring evaluation of innovative land planning and stormwater designs. A growing number of local governments are giving preference to conservation design and even offering incentives such as density bonuses.

Kane County has embraced conservation design principles in its “critical growth area“ and has approved conservation development projects like the 1,600+ unit Mill Creek development. The City of Aurora is promoting conservation development through its award winning Countryside Vision Plan.

The Village of Homer Glen and City of Woodstock recently adopted conservation development ordinances that identify requirements for preservation of open space and innovative stormwater best-management practices.

Cowhey Gudmundson Leder, Ltd. recently completed engineering, wetlands, and natural resources work for Kimball Hill Homes on Settler’s Ridge, a 1,300-acre lifestyle community in Sugar Grove. This community was featured in the fall 2006 Parade of Homes and was designed with national award-winning conservation land planner Randall Arendt and has been labeled “eco-friendly.” Conservation design elements include preserving more than 40 percent of the site as open space, designing stormwater facilities as naturalized lakes and wetlands, and planting native prairie vegetation in much of the open space.

The groundwork is being laid for a new direction in land development in northeastern Illinois and elsewhere in the country. Astute developers willing to take up the challenge are advised to assemble a project team experienced in creative conservation design approaches.

Land planners must work in concert with engineers, landscape architects, and ecologists to thoroughly evaluate a site’s natural constraints and opportunities.  The end product can not only be profitable but can make a positive contribution to a healthy environment and more livable communities. SLDT