Coastal Services Center

Alternatives for Coastal Development: One Site, Three Scenarios

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What is the cost of development? How do you quantify a development's economic, environmental, and social impacts? While most people understand the benefits of developing with green space, scenic views, and other "natural" amenities, achieving the right balance between the natural and built environment can be a difficult task. This Web site illustrates three different development scenarios created for a residential area in coastal Georgia. Economic, environmental, and social indicators are calculated and compared for each scenario. This information will be useful to anyone (developers, citizens, local governments, etc.) interested in applying similar development design components in their communities.

This site features: Maps and details of three hypothetical design scenarios Conventional Design: Point Peter Estates Conservation Design: Point Peter Preserve New Urbanist Design: Point Peter Villages Comparisons of environmental, economic, and social indicators across the three scenarios Selected 3-D views of each scenario A detailed project methodology describing process steps, technical steps, and useful software tools Background information and satellite images highlighting useful tools to support decisions on growth and development

Three design scenarios (requires Flash® plug-in).

Coastal organizations have indicated that educational tools are needed to help communities address these questions and make decisions about growth and development along the coast. Since most growth and land planning decisions are made at the local level, the NOAA Coastal Services Center works to provide tools, information, and technology to coastal resource managers positioned to help address local level decision making.