Conservation Development

Conservation Development and Subdivision

Design Process

Lois Balin
Urban Wildlife Biologist
Photos by Lois Balin Texas Parks and Wildlife
Graphics by John Davis
Urbanization Effects on Ecosystems

• Soils
• Hydrology
• Flora
• Fauna
 Most People Value the Natural World

Affordable housing and land conservation are not

mutually exclusive
 Conservation development
can be applied to regional, county, municipal,
commercial, single family detached housing or even high
density apartment dwellings.

“A win-win” for developers, home

owners, and our natural
resources
Benefits for Developers, Homeowners
and Communities
• Lower costs and higher market and resale values
• Goals met without reducing density

•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
 • Protects uplands and floodplains
Ecological Benefits:
• Prevents soil erosion and pollutants
• Increases water recharge, nutrients
and wildlife habitat
 What is Conservation Development?

• Maintains region’s ecological integrity.

• Preserves best areas and develops areas

that are least impacted.

• Clustered development places open space

into permanent protection.
 Conservation Development Process

1. Analysis of Current Growth Practices

2. Protecting Open Space Through Conservation Planning

- Identify and Map Primary Conservation Areas (PCA’s)

- Identify and Map Secondary Conservation Areas
(SCA’s)
- Use overlays to connect resources

From Randall Arendt’s “Conservation Design for Subdivisions”

 Conservation Development Process

3. Conservation Zoning - A “Menu of Choices”

- Calculate site’s yield using traditional zoning

- Provide density/open space choices

4. Conservation Subdivision Design

Protecting Open Space Through Conservation Planning

Regional Example

Current City Limit

Future of the City/Region is being

planned….. ETJ
Existing Development

Agricultural lands

Transportation, Existing Development, and Agricultural

 Sand Scrub
Remnants

Arroyos and Floodplains

Desert Grasslands

Desert Scrub

Ecological
 Scenic Views

Cemeteries
Historic
Farmstead

Cultural and Recreational

Combine All Categories
“Open Space Map”
 Connected Network of
Linkages
Resources and Linkages

“Map of Areas to be Preserved in Future Development “

Facilitates
Movement
How Conservation Development could Work

High

Medium
Low

Density
Placement
Zoned for Overall Density of 2 Acre Lots
100 Acres = 50 lots

Prime Desert Habitat

 Fifty 2-Acre “Large Lot” Zoning Results

•Extensive “Fragmentation”
•Maintain 2 Acres, Access 2 Acres
•No Common “Good” (Trails, etc.)
 Development
1/2 can occur
Acre Conservation without
Development
obliterating our open
(Still 50 Lots… space
All with network
a Premium)

•Minimal Fragmentation
•Maintain 1/2 Acre, Access 75.5 Acres
•Common “Good” (Trails, etc.)
Protecting Open Space Through Conservation Planning

Base Map
• 50 Acres
• Mostly Desert Scrub
• Cultural Sites
• Arroyos (floodplain)

Arroyo Desert
Scrub Floodplain
Historic Sites Stone Wall
Identify Primary Conservation
Areas (PCA’s)

• Arroyos
• Floodplains
• Cultural Sites

Arroyo Desert
Scrub Floodplain
Historic Sites Stone Wall
 Identify Secondary
Conservation Areas (SCA’s)

• Stone Wall
• Natural Desert Habitat Areas
 Best Places to Build

•Determine the Buildable Land

•Design Your Project

Arroyo Desert
Scrub Floodplain
Historic Sites Stone Wall
 First Scenario – 50 Acres

25 homes on 2 acre lots

Pros:
• Avoids Most PCA’s
• Saves SCA’s
• High Density

Cons:
• More Fragmentation
• Many Arroyo Crossings
• No Common Amenities
 Second Scenario – 50 Acres

Conservation Development

Hik
25 homes on 1/4 ac lots

ing
Tra
Pros:

il
• Avoids most PCA’s and SCA’s
Gazebo
• 1 arroyo crossing
• Higher density, less breakup
• Access to ~ 44 acres
• Low infrastructure cost

Common
Cons: Open Space
• Smaller lot sizes
Conservation Zoning: A Menu of Choices

Calculate site’s
yield using
traditional
zoning

18
2-acre Lots

Randal Arendt
Conservation Zoning: A Menu of Choices

Option 1:

• Density Neutral
• 18 Lots
• Standard is a
required 50%
Open Space
Conservation Zoning: A Menu of Choices

Option 2:

• 25% Density Bonus

• 24 Lots
• 60% Open Space
Conservation Zoning: A Menu of
Choices

Option 3:

• 100% Density Bonus

• 36 Lots
• 70% Open Space
 Process of Subdivision Design

Density-Neutral
Subdivision
with
Minimum of 50%
Open Space
 Traditional Method of Subdivision Design
32 Homes
Density
determined on size
of entire lot

82 acres
 Conservation Subdivision Design

Primary Conservation Areas

Secondary Randal
Conservation
Arendt Areas
 Identify Development Area

Density determined
on size of buildable
land
 Home site Placement

Density
Neutral!!

Still 32
Homes

… Yet ALL Lots are Premium Lots

Randal Arendt
 Add Lot Lines and Amenities

Randal Arendt

Maintain less, but access to MORE!!

Conservation Development

Dis-Incentives for Anything but

Conservation Design Randal Arendt
 Guiding
Guiding Principles
Principles
AA thing
thing isis right
right when
when itit tends
tends to
to preserve
preserve the
the integrity,
integrity,
stability
stability and
and beauty
beauty of
of the
the biotic
biotic community.
community. It It is
is wrong
wrong
when
when itit tends
tends otherwise.
otherwise.
-Aldo
-Aldo Leopold
Leopold

For more information please contact:

Lois Balin, Urban Wildlife Biologist
Texas Parks and Wildlife
(915) 774-9603
Photo by Lois Balin
loisbalin@tpwd.state.tx.us