Conservation Development MTR Trail

8/9/2019 Conservation Development MTR Trail

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Conservation Development

Lois Balin

Urban Wildlife Biologist

Texas Parks and Wildlife

The Conservation Development and Subdivision Design Process


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Most People Value the Natural World

Affordable housing and land conservation are notmutually exclusive


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Soils

Hydrology

Flora

Fauna

Urbanization Effects on Ecosystems


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Conservation developmentcan be applied to regional, county, municipal,

commercial, single family detached housing oreven high density apartment dwellings.

A triumph for developers, homeowners, and our natural

resources


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Benefits for:

Higher property and re-sale values Lower water and energy bills Permanent natural resource amenities

Improved air and water quality

Reduces heat island effect

Economically attractive to businesses

Lower costs and higher market and resale values Goals met with neutral or higher densities

Developers

Homeowners

Communities


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Ecological Benefits:

Protects uplands and floodplains Prevents soil erosion and decreases pollutants

Increases water recharge, nutrients andwildlife habitat


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What is Conservation Development?

Maintains local regions ecological integrity

Preserves best areas, develops in areas ofleast impact

Clustered development places open spaceinto permanent protection


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Conservation Development Planning Objective

EcologicalLand Stewardship Economical

Viable development

CulturalLivable communities


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The thought of what this placewill soon look like just gives me

the creeps.

The Far Side

Why Should You Care

About Conservation Development?


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1. Analysis of CurrentGrowth Practices

2. Protecting Natural Open Space Through Conservation Planning

- Identify and Map Primary Conservation Areas (PCAs) andSecondary Conservation Areas (SCAs)

- Use overlays to connect resources

Conservation Development Process

From Randall Arendts Conservation Design for Subdivisions


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3. Conservation Zoning - A Menu of Choices

- Calculate sites yield using traditional or conservation zoning

- Provide density/open space choices

4. 4-Step Conservation Subdivision Design

Conservation Development Process


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Current City LimitCurrent City Limit

ETJETJ

Regional ExampleRegional ExampleFuture of the City/Region is being planned

Protecting Open Space Through Conservation Planning


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Transportation, Existing Development, PCAs andAgriculturalTransportation, Existing Development, PCAs andAgricultural

Prime Agricultural Lands

Existing Development

ArcheologicalArcheological


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EcologicalEcological

Arroyos and FloodplainsArroyos and Floodplains

Desert ScrubDesert Scrub

Sand Scrub RemnantsSand Scrub Remnants

Desert GrasslandsDesert Grasslands


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Scenic ViewsScenic Views

HistoricHistoric

RecreationalRecreational


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CombineAll Categories

Open Space Map

CombineAll Categories

Open Space Map


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LinkagesLinkages


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Connected Network of

Resources and Linkages

Connected Network of

Resources and Linkages

Map of Areas to be Preserved in Future Development


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Facilitates

Movement

Facilitates

Movement


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Density

Placement

Density

Placement

HighHigh

MediumMedium

LowLow

How Conservation Development could Work


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Zoned for Overall Density of 2 Acre Lots

100 Acres = 50 lots

Prime Desert Habitat


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Fifty 2-Acre Large Lot Zoning Results

Extensive Fragmentation

Maintain 2 Acres, Access 2 Acres

No Common Good (Trails, etc.)


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Conservation Development

50 - 1/2 Acre Lots All with a Premium)

Minimal Fragmentation

Maintain 1/2 Acre, Access 75.5 Acres

Common Good (Trails, etc.)


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Development can occur withoutobliterating our open space network


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50 AcresArroyos (floodplain) Mostly Desert Scrub

Cultural Sites

Arroyo Desert

Scrub

Historic Sites Stone Wall

Floodplain

Protecting Open Space Through Conservation Planning

Base Map


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Arroyo Desert

Scrub


Floodplain

Identify Primary Conservation

Areas (PCAs)

Arroyos

Floodplains Cultural Sites


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Identify Secondary

Conservation Areas (SCAs)

Stone Wall

Natural Desert Habitat Areas


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Arroyo Desert

Scrub


Floodplain

Design Your Project

Determine Acreage of Buildable Land


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Arroyo Desert

Scrub


Floodplain

Best Places to Build


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Pros:

Saves SCAs

High Density

Cons:

More Fragmentation

Numerous Arroyo Crossings No Common Amenities

25 homes on 2 acre lots

First Scenario 50 Acres


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Gazebo

Common

Open Space

Common

Open Space

Pros:

Avoids most PCAs and SCAs

1arroyo crossing Same density, less breakup

Access to ~ 44 acres

Low infrastructure cost

Cons:

Smaller lot sizes

25 homes on 1/4 ac lotsConservation Development

Second Scenario 50 Acres


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Site using traditionalzoning to calculatedensity yield

18 2-acre Lots

Randal Arendt

Conservation Zoning: A Menu of Choices


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Option 1:

Density Neutral

18 Lots

Standard is arequired 50%

Open Space



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Option 2:

25% Density Bonus 24 Lots

60% Open Space



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Option 3:

100% Density Bonus 36 Lots

70% Open Space


Dis-Incentives for Anything but Conservation Design


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Subdivision Design

Minimum of 50%Open Space


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32 Homes

Traditional Method of Subdivision Design

Densitydetermined on size

of entire lot

82 acres


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4- Step Conservation Subdivision Design

Randal Arendt


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Identify the Land to be Preserved

Randal ArendtSecondary Conservation Areas

Primary Conservation Areas


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Identify Development Area

Density determinedon size of buildableland


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Home site Placement

DensityNeutral!!DensityNeutral!!

Still 32Homes

Yet ALL Lots are Premium LotsRandal Arendt


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Add Lot Lines and Amenities

Maintain less, but access to MORE!!

Randal Arendt


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Dis-Incentives for Anything but Conservation Design


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Which subdivision would you rather live in?


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Guiding PrinciplesGuiding Principles

A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity,

stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrongwhen it tends otherwise.

-Aldo Leopold

A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity,

stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrongwhen it tends otherwise.

-Aldo Leopold

For more information please contact:

Lois Balin, Urban Wildlife Biologist

Texas Parks and Wildlife

(915) 774-9603

[email protected]

Documents

Conservation Development MTR Trail