The selection process was tough. The field of candidates for the 2008 Land Development Visionary Award was deep with projects of the highest caliber. In the end, the Sustainable Land Development International (SLDI) Awards Committee reduced the field to five finalists, which were announced at the Land Development Breakthroughs Best Practices Conference in Austin, Texas.

Outlined briefly here, each of these projects will be featured in project-profile articles over the coming months, with the winner to be featured in the November/December issue of Sustainable Land Development Today.

Herewith, the finalists presented in alphabetical order:

Project: Dos Lagos
Location: Corona, California
Owner/Developer: SE Corporation/Ali Sahabi
The success of Dos Lagos is a testament to the vision that turned an abandoned silica mine into a high-end, mixed-use community in suburban Southern California.

The project began with a visionary approach to master planned communities in 1996. The project was at the forefront of environmentally sensitive development, incorporating Brownfield redevelopment, habitat preservation, and wetland restoration.

The 543 acres of land, scarred by years of mining, featured crumbling buildings and industrial infrastructure covered in graffiti, and dying orange groves. It has been transformed and now features two lakes, a unique bridge designed to connect LEED certified offices, mixed-use residences, condos with restaurants and shopping.

Two huge, abandoned mining pits that exposed groundwater to polluted runoff were filled and sealed, and converted into the “Heart” of Dos Lagos, a public space made up of the lakes and bridge as well as an amphitheater and other amenities.

Nearly choked at one time with mine tailings and debris, Dos Lagos revitalized the Temescal Wash that runs south to north through the project. Today, it is filled with native plants and animals and provides habitat for endangered species.

The landscaping is watered with non-potable, nitrate-rich water from local wells that are fed by up stream, wastewater treatment plants that dump effluent into the Temescal Wash. The pollutants are absorbed into the plants and soil, cleaning the water as it percolates into the aquifer. The project is also built to incorporate recycled water.

After being annexed into the City of Corona in 2000, a Redevelopment Area was established that included the old mining area. An agreement and subsequent amendments allowed the use of tax increment from the project to support Tax Allocation Bonds that financed the remediation and the construction of the Dos Lagos “Heart.”

The tax increment generated from the Dos Lagos project at full build-out is significant. The starting tax base (assessed value) was only $5 million for the 543-acre site. At full development, the projected tax base (assessed value) is expected to reach close to $1 billion.

As the result of this public/private partnership, this project represents the pride of the City of Corona Redevelopment Department. The site is host to some of the highest end retail and housing opportunities in the area.

Project: East Beach
Location: Norfolk, Virginia
Owner/Developer: East Beach Renaissance, LLC; Leyland Allinace, LLC; City of Norfolk, Redevelopment and Housing Authority; East Beach Company, LLC
This extraordinary, 100-acre waterfront site was a severely blighted and crime ridden area of Ocean View, within the City of Norfolk, on a peninsula between the Chesapeake Bay and Pretty Lake Harbor. Today, East Beach is a traditional neighborhood development, designed by New-Urbanist Master Planner Duany Plater-Zyberk.

Accomplished through a pubic/private collaboration with the City of Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA) and East Beach Company, LLC, the private developer, the master plan was crafted to preserve and enhance natural features of the site.

East Beach promotes a human connection with the Chesapeake through a network of pedestrian-scaled streets and public parks, paths and bay front greens. With 65 percent of the neighborhood’s single family homes built, future plans include retail shops and restaurants. Completion is expected in 2011.

Today, homes in East Beach are selling for 32 percent more on the average than the typically-designed adjacent subdivision development. Even in a slow market, properties in East Beach are selling for the highest price per square foot of any neighborhood in Hampton Roads. The redevelopment has created momentum and has transformed the entire north-east portion of the City.

A total of 15 percent (15 acres) of the East Beach neighborhood has been dedicated to parks and programmed open space resulting in over 70 percent of the homes having a view of a park.

Existing stands of mature trees were protected and carefully integrated into the master plan. Streets were shifted to bring the stands of live oaks and other tree canopies, which were previously in backyards, to the front near the street. This created a walkable environment, where pedestrian activity is greatly increased and dependence on automobiles is decreased, hence reducing airborne pollutants.

Because of the risks involved with redeveloping a blighted area for the City and East Beach Company, an agreement was reached to protect both. The project was divided into seven phases. The developer also has an option on all phases, but each party must agree to proceed to the next phase. Either party can stop the development.

Project: Old Greenwood
Location: Truckee, California
Owner/Developer: East West Partners, D.B.A Old Greenwood, LLC
Old Greenwood is a private development located on 871 acres, east of the town of Truckee, California. Located on the eastern slope of the Sierra-Nevada, it sits 5,850 feet above sea-level amongst stately Jeffery Pines and large open meadows populated by sage bush and wild flowers.

The development has received certification from Audubon International as a Gold Signature Sanctuary.

To minimize the impact on the surrounding environment East-West Partners developed a plant to cluster homes around the perimeter of the 100-acre18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, which meant a large amount of the property was left undisturbed.

Upon completion, Old Greenwood will consist of 99 private homes on 56.53 acres and 74 fractional ownership cabins along with several fractional owned town-homes situated on 50.95 acres. A natural trail system connects all parts of the property, and in the near future will link with an existing trail to Truckee. Buffers and corridors of undisturbed natural areas are located throughout the development to allow freedom of movement for animals. A 252-acre parcel was deeded to a local land trust to ensure it would remain undeveloped.

A stream and six ponds were constructed, which provides water for mammals and birds, as well as establishing a new environment for many invertebrate species and plants.

The developers instituted comprehensive water conservation and monitoring programs that includes recycling equipment wash water and monitoring ground and surface water. Street runoff drains to sumps and wet-wells. No wastewater leaves the property, and all water is either treated in a sump or wet-well that flows to a vegetative swale or retention pond.

The project has the very first LEED® certified golf maintenance facility. All commercial buildings are constructed following LEED program standards.

There is a comprehensive recycling program, and as part of the Audubon International certification, the development is has incorporated a comprehensive community education\outreach program which included staff.

Throughout the approval stages of the project, the developers worked with the community to help eliminate concerns or objections to this new resort community.

Financially, the initially development launched 99 home sites in late 2003, eighty-two sold on the first day, the remainder sold by summer 2005 at an average price of $400K and has seen continued success. Old Greenwood has been recognized as the top fractional sales project for the last four years running by ARDA (American Resort Developments Association).

Project: Tallyn’s Reach
Location: Aurora, Colorado
Owner/Developer: Carma Colorado  
Tallyn’s Reach is situated on the northern boundary of the Black Forest, which is one of Front Range Colorado’s last remaining old growth forests. It is primarily a residential community of approximately 965 acres and is planned to contain over 2,000 residences, two elementary schools, a 77,000 square foot regional police / fire / library complex, neighborhood commercial and retail development, and close to 300 acres of parks and open space.

Development began in 1998 and is near completion. Upon build out, it will contain over 200 acres of natural open space.

Innovative land-use design, public/private cooperation, strategic land dedications, creative site planning, tree-friendly construction techniques, forestry management practices, and performance-oriented design guidelines are being used to preserve and reinforce the existing stands of trees at Tallyn’s Reach. Carma helped to write a “Tree Protection Ordinance,” which specifies the treatment of trees that may be disturbed during development. As a result, more 2,000 old growth ponderosa pine trees have been preserved, while more than 5,000 new trees have been incorporated into the development.

Every builder in Tallyn’s Reach has contractually agreed to comply with the guidelines of the Colorado Built Green program.

During planning and landscape design, natural contours were preserved along with the existing gulches and drainage ways to take advantage of mountain views.

Extensive protection and water quality was maintained through engineered drop structures, detention ponds, and application of the latest BMP’s in accordance with the City of Aurora and the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. Meanwhile, maintaining native grasses and plantings throughout the development has resulted in significant water savings for the community and its residents.

The community as a walkable, self-contained series of neighborhoods offers residents plentiful open space with pedestrian and bicycle trail connections to schools, community meeting spaces, day care facilities, pools, parks and public services such as library, police and fire can be found within the boundaries of the community.

Immediately adjacent to the overall community are local and regional shopping opportunities, office and regional recreational facilities. Residents of the community enjoy priority access to a community intranet that allows them to keep track of community events, discuss topics of community concern and follow development activities within the community.

Project: Verandah
Location: Fort Myers, Florida
Owner/Developer: Bonita Bay Group
Located along a 1.75-mile scenic stretch of the Orange River in Fort Myers, Florida, Verandah was created as an environmentally sensitive and sustainable community with single-family, model homes certified by the Florida Green Building Coalition.

Sales started in 2003 – before green building became a national buzzword – the development was designed to accommodate the natural features on the site, much of which had been altered for farming. Bonita Bay Group planned Verandah to re-establish historic flow ways that had been interrupted by agricultural use, undertook a comprehensive inventory of the site’s ecosystems, and reworked the community’s neighborhoods, roadways and amenities to impact as few trees as
possible.

Conservation areas were preserved and restored to provide habitat for wildlife and to return the land to a more natural state. Nearly 1,000 of Verandah’s 1,456 acres have been set aside as open space, including natural preserve areas, parks, wetlands, lakes, golf course and a riverfront conservation buffer. Verandah has more than nine miles of walkways, paths and fitness trails. The developer also included a commercial component with a supermarket, banks and other businesses, minimizing residents’ commute for groceries and services.

Instead of a large clubhouse, Verandah was designed with four amenities buildings nestled under a hammock of live oaks. Trees impacted by development were relocated elsewhere on site. There is also a conservation buffer along the Orange River.

Planning for Verandah began in 1999. Sales launched in February 2003. As of March 2008, nearly 50 percent of Verandah’s estimated 1,700 homes have been sold.

The developer involved members of the community in the planning process. The resulting surveys and assessments were assembled into an 11-page “Green Commitments” document that outlined the steps the company would take at Verandah, including responsible site development, conservation and green building.

Verandah’s landscaping was also designed with drought-tolerant plants that require less water to maintain.

In early 2004, Verandah was recognized by Firewise Communities USA as one of the first communities nationally to take steps to reduce its wildfire threat. In 2006, it was named the Florida Association of Realtors Environmental (ENVY) Award winner for proving that development and nature can coexist. SLDT