NOW CommunitiesSmart, sustainable living.

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THE MARKETS (and most zoning ordinances) HAVE

BEEN PROVIDING MOSTLY ONE IDEA OF THE

AMERICAN DREAM

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Growth, but not very smart

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Car centered design

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THESE PATTERNS CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT

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Our Goals:

Sustainability

• Build not-so-big homes that are easier to own and operate

• Design homes that require less nonrenewable energy

• Use renewable, nontoxic materials

• Pursue a development model that supports municipal land use objectives, requires less infrastructure/ services and creates greater tax revenue per acre (smart density)

Community

• Locate communities walking distance to a town center

• Separate cars from residents

• Cluster the homes around a shared green

• Create “Real” front porches for people to hang out on

• Include useful public amenities

• Create central mail boxes

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Concord RiverwalkWest Concord, MA

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What we learned from Riverwalk

• ZNE Possible is costly but within reach

• Buyers are interested in connected communities

• Density, if well designed, is acceptable

• Connected communities are not for everyone

• Buyers: empty nester, single prof & young families

• People like living in a mixed age community

• Community gardens help build community

• Residents like living next to open spaces

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What’s next?

• Find new sites

• Reduce cost of building homes

• Work with towns to change zoning

• Make more people aware of our communities

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What carried forward to EG

• Energy efficiency priority

• Pedestrian centric, walk-able site design

• Well designed density

• Smart sized easy to maintain homes

• Quality over quantity

• The importance of progressive minded muni

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Devens’ Newest NeighborhoodNOW Communities

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live mindfully.

thesong thesunday thegarden thefirefly thehammock

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3 BR + study, 2.5 bathsthe sunday

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3 BR + study, 2.5 bathsthe sunday

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2 BR, 2.5 bathsthe hammock

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2 BR, 2.5 bathsthe hammock

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A closing thought

• Sometimes it’s worth trying something new before you take a vote to change the regulations.

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The future of housing is

NOW

Now Communities

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Devens Innovative Residential Development

Neil Angus, AICP CEP, LEED AP BD+C, NDEnvironmental PlannerDevens Enterprise Commission

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

• 35 miles outside Boston

• 4400 ac. former base

• Superfund Site

• 1993 Sustainable redev.

Devens Overview

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Devens Overview• 5.5mil. sq.ft. of dev.

• 4,500+/- jobs created

• Top economic development site

• 400 residents

• 1800 ac. open space

• Work and Play….Live?

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

The Problem:• Outdated residential regulations from

1993

• Typical subdivision and street standards

• Sustainable redevelopment directive

• Bylaws forward thinking – Innovation

• Many regulatory options but what works best for Devens?

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

(Part of) the Solution: • 2011 Pilot housing project (8 &12)

• Showcase sustainable technologies and Res. GB practices

• State goal - ZNEB by 2030 (assist with market transformation)

• Alt. to traditional Single and multi-family housing types

• Social equity (not just for those who can afford it)

• Financial feasibility

• Aesthetics/fit with existing neighborhood character

• Replicability - construction for 21st century

• Educate - ease of env. sensitive site design, GB, WE & healthy IAQ

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Cluster Open Space

Existing Open Space

DEC Reg. Review 2011• Regulation audit/barriers

• Red. lot size/frontage

• Typ. cluster/density bonus

• EE, WE & IAQ Req.

• Carrot/Stick

• Adding to open space

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Partners/Roles:• MassDevelopment – Landowner

• State Economic Development Agency

• Owner/Manager of Utilities and Infrastructure

• DEC – Regulatory/Permitting Authority• Planning and Zoning

• Conservation

• Historic

• Board of Health

• ZBA

• Licensing Authority

• Transformations, Inc. and Metric Corp.• Designers, Builders

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Pilot Location/Context:• Brownfield redevelopment• Reuse existing infrastructure• Accessibility & Services:

• Sidewalk connections• Multi-purpose trails• Bike lanes• School• Daycare• Restaurants• Playgrounds/recreation fields• Industrial Park (jobs!)

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Showcase EE, WE and IAQ:• MD Selecting the right Developer

• Double-wall construction

• Triple glazed windows

• Low/no VOC materials

• Air sealing and IAQ (build it tight!)

• EPA Water Sense Plumbing Fixtures

• Stronger, more resilient buildings (climate mit./adaptation)

• Typically higher building material costs, but….

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Cost neutral:• Open floor plan/daylighting• Passive solar• No central heating/cooling• No duct work• Tankless hot water heating

• Affordable construction ($200-$350K)

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

More elements of efficiency and affordability:• East-west long axis - maximize active solar• Passive solar – south facing windows/roof solar shading• Passive survivability (consistent internal temp. control)• “Right-sized” homes (1,000 sq.ft. to 2,200 sq.ft)

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Pilot Results: Exceeding expectations

• HERS index:

HERS -36 single family home. Generates enough excess power an EV for 30,000 miles/yr.

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

LID strategies:• No gutters• Pervious walkways• Rain gardens• Reduced lawn areas• Street trees• GI & UHI reduction

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

• Universal accessibility/age in place• Educational sessions, tours and case studies throughout project• Sold out in 2013

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Multi-family Project Elements:• Energy efficient (HERS 30-40)

• Solar PV ready

• LID

• Complete Streets

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Pilot Follow-Up:

• Seeing is believing! - Pilot helped gain public support & justify additional reg. updates in 2013

• A step further than Pilot – focus on neighborhood design for people first!(LEED ND)

• Mix of incentives and requirements:-Reduced lot size, frontage and setbacks

-Min. EE, WE and IAQ requirements -LID and Green Infrastructure-Higher density: 7-20 DU/acre (transit supportive)

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Accommodating the missing middle: • 1940’s to today – auto dependent development• Shifting demographics – Unmet and growing demand for mm• Walkable context (key!)• Doing more with less (smaller, well-designed units, less maint.)• Helps keep dev. costs down (making housing available to a larger

segment of population).

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

DEC 2013 Reg. Updates:• Homes framing the street(form)

• Max. block length (walkability)

• Connected/Complete streets

• Mix of housing types

• Proximity to OS (health/active)

• Building Resiliency:-EE, WE (lower GHG)

-durability-passive survivability-LID

Creating neighborhood character

devensec.com/

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Grant Road Neighborhood Redevelopment• Former military housing neighborhood• 124 unit mix of 1,2,3,4 unit NZE homes and townhomes & 2x20 apts• Affordable (25% deed restricted low-moderate)• Higher density (7-20 UPA)• EE & WE in and out• Connected/accessible, walkable

• Live, work, play community

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Expanding an existing neo-traditional neighborhood

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

New Grant Road Neighborhood Redevelopment • Neighborhood scale - designed for people first!

-homes framing the street-Trail connections, dedicated bike lanes

• Healthy/active socially engaging neighborhood-sidewalks on both sides-community gardens and active parks

• Green Infrastructure• Phase 1 underway in 2015

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Great, but how can we do it in our town?• Building consensus: education and awareness

• Seeing is believing - showing how it can be done

• Balance of regulations and incentives that facilitate smart, energy efficient, healthy growth

• Guidelines and developer assistance to do the right thing

• Climate mit. AND adaptation strategies (UHI, GHG, resiliency)

• Market transformation (increased demand for a better product)

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Why should we do it?• Changing demographics and consumer demand

• Smarter, Healthier, more attractive natural and built environments

• Connecting people with places - multi-modal options (transit-supportive densities)

• Setting a new standard for the future of neighborhood development and home building

• Triple Bottom-Line approach – Fulfilling Devens Master Plan objectives

• Collaboration – can’t do it alone

Innovations in Neighborhood Design – 2016 CPTC Conference

Thanks!

Neil Angus, AICP CEP, LEED APneilangus@devensec.com www.devensec.com