n
the quest for sustainable communities, organizations and jurisdictions
are looking at ways to achieve provincial, regional, and local goals
for land development, considering principles of "Smart
Growth", "New Urbanism", and "Sustainable
Communities". In addition, developers are expecting profits and
communities are trying to protect their natural environment. Are these
goals compatible?
Conventional subdivision development
does not always achieve these various goals. With conventional
development, land is subdivided into residential lots and streets with
only un-developable land being preserved as open space. Most natural
areas are cleared, graded, and planted with non-native vegetation.
Stormwater is viewed as something to get rid of, rather than something
to be managed. Finally, there are minimal opportunities for community
life.
Conventional subdivision design
(Adaptated from: Arendt, R. G. 1996. Conservation design
for subdivisions: A practical guide to creating open space
networks. Island Press.)
Conservation Design for subdivisions
(also known as 'Sustainable Community Design' or SCD in New
Brunswick), is an innovative concept that meets most sustainability
objectives. While popular in the United States, the concept of
Conservation Design is practically unknown in Canada. The
main characteristic of Conservation Design is that about 50% of the
build-able area in a proposed subdivision is preserved, in addition to
normal environmental constraints such as flood plains, wetlands, and
endangered species areas. A subdivision designed according to
Conservation Design principles has been characterized as being a
"golf course subdivision," but without the golf course,
which is replaced by a conservation area.
Conservation design
(Adaptated from: Arendt, R. G. 1996. Conservation design
for subdivisions: A practical guide to creating open space
networks. Island Press.)
According to Arendt's Conservation
Design for Subdivisions (1996), "The basic steps involved in the
designing of residential developments…[are to] maximize open space
conservation without reducing overall building density." The
implementation of this concept creates many opportunities and meets
objectives regarding the reduction of greenhouse gases and action
against climate change. However, the concept must be tailored to the
local context and provincial jurisdiction.
In New Brunswick, the province, in
partnership with the City of Dieppe, and Charles Poirier, a local
developer teamed up to implement the concept in the project known as
"Le village en haut du ruisseau" ("The Village at the
Top of the Stream"). The team "…took the initiative to
pilot Arendt's approach in a growing area in order to promote not just
an enhanced tax base, but to achieve social and environmental benefits
as well." (Cathy Ascroft, Plan Canada, Winter 2005). In this
regard, the planning community in Canada perceives New Brunswick and
Dieppe as leading the pack when applying sustainable community
development principles to subdivision design.
This property is located close to
Dieppe's downtown area in a zone where there is pressure to develop.
The area is about 10 hectares and is zoned for low density development
(about five units for the whole property). However, the City wanted
revenue from the residential subdivision to pay for the services and
expenditures it would create. Possible options were developed through
multiple partners including the School of Planning at Dalhousie
University, Groupe Littoral et Vie from Université de Moncton, NB
Community College, and Grade 7 students at Anna Malenfant School. The
options explored through these partnerships enabled the number of
units to be increased to 100 while protecting 63% of the property as
green space.
So far in the planning phase, the
objectives and the general design of the subdivision have been
determined. Possible innovations with the approach are numerous. For
example, the project used a "traffic light colours" analogy
to determine where development will occur. The project will include
best management practices for stormwater management. Furthermore,
students from Anna Malenfant School have contributed by presenting to
City Council their design for an ecological park in the natural areas,
and the ways for future residents to deal with mosquitoes on the site
(i.e., the introduction of dragonfly larvae, frogs' eggs, and bats,
and the construction of bird houses to keep the mosquito population at
check).
 |
Environmental
Constraints |
Do
not build |
| Significant
Features |
Certain
infrastructure permitted |
| Buildable
Areas |
Building
can occur |
The project used traffic light
colours on maps to determine where development could occur.
(Diagrams: Daniel Savard)
The Dieppe project is moving toward the
implementation phase, including possible adjustment of local by-laws.
It is expected that in 2007, the first residents will live in this
subdivision in Dieppe. This showcase will help encourage its use in
other communities in the Province.
When people first hear about the
conservation design concept for subdivisions, they are often
skeptical. They believe the approach will cost more, or that the
unknowns will be prohibitive. In regard to cost, research in Delaware
has shown that the cost per lot for infrastructure (including
stormwater management) for a 142-lot subdivision from $17,325 per lot
for conventional to $6,259 per lot with conservation design.
Conservation design for subdivisions does not have a hidden agenda
because all aspects of the project (i.e., geography, biology, history,
culture, economy, and social components) are considered and presented
to the City Council and the public. The biggest obstacles to
implementation of Conservation Design concepts in New Brunswick are
that it is practically unknown and there are not yet concrete examples
in New Brunswick (and very few in the rest of the country), and that
it takes time to 'do the job right.' Furthermore, developers must
understand the characteristics of their sites and municipalities may
have to adjust by-laws to implement the concept. Finally, developers
and professionals in site development need to overcome the tendency to
repeat old inappropriate patterns and explore new opportunities to
build sustainable communities.
Conservation Design for subdivision is
a concept that requires education for all stakeholders and partners.
The entire team has to understand and agree on basic principles before
implementation. Therefore, the Sustainable Planning Branch of the New
Brunswick Department of Environment has developed a one-day training
module that explains the concept and its implementation. Without this
training and a committed team, implementation is unlikely to happen.
For more information:
Contact Daniel Savard, Senior Planner, Sustainable Planning Branch,
New Brunswick Department of Environment at 506-444-4391 or daniel.savard@gnb.ca.
Read the article "Designing for Conservation" in the Winter
2005 issue of Plan Canada, pages 27-30.
Visit http://www.dieppe.ca/dieppe_dev_en.cfm.
