Coastal Services Center

Conservation Design: Point Peter Preserve

The conservation design scenario illustrates recent trends in residential development that protect contiguous open space by clustering homes on lots that are slightly smaller than conventional lots. Developed lands, including roads, are sited specifically to avoid sensitive natural resources. This scenario is characterized by distinct neighborhoods of primarily single-family units targeting a range of incomes and surrounded by open space and recreational trails. Amenities include community docks, a public boat lift, two neighborhood commercial areas, an extensive trail network, parks, and forest. Conservation measures go beyond those that are required by law, including vegetated buffers and swale drainages along roads. Follow this link to learn more about conservation design.

Quick Facts	Site Design	Site Legend
Majority of lots adjacent to open space Habitat corridors provided through connected open space Nature trail network Neighborhood parks Vegetated buffers (100-feet) along waterways Variety of housing types and lot sizes Community docks Houses and lots complement natural environment Traffic calming Scenario Details Scenario consists of 720 single-family residential units on 698 lots; 22 estate homes include an additional carriage house on the property. At build-out, the total floor area of all housing units in this scenario will be approximately 1,079,750 square feet. The average residential lot size is 0.2 acres, and 469 acres across the site are preserved as open space. View a table of housing types for this scenario.		Bike Paths Docks Trails Roads Sensitive Areas Maritime Forest Parcels Land use Commercial Marsh Open Space - Natural Open Space - Park Paved Parking Residential: Housing Types Coastal Cottage Estate Home Fishing Village Forest Enclave Park Home Townhome
Interact with the Site Plan The conservation site plan is available in Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG) format. This format allows you to zoom in and out and move around the site. A plug-in is required. Step 1: Download plug-in at Adobe's Web site to view this information. Step 2: Follow this link to access the SVG Conservation Approach Scenario Map.

References and Resources

ConserveOnline is a one-stop public library of conservation tools, techniques, and experience made available by the Nature Conservancy in partnership with other conservation organizations.

The Center for Watershed Protection provides many resources on watershed management, including a codes and ordinances worksheet that compares how the local development rules in your community stack up against model development principles outlined in better site design. The Center is a nonprofit that provides local governments, activists, and watershed organizations around the country with the technical tools for protecting streams, lakes, and rivers.

Haines, Anna. 2002. "An Innovative Tool for Managing Rural Residential Development: A Look at Conservation Subdivisions." The Land Use Tracker, Vol 2. Summer 2002.

McMahon, Edward T. and Michael Pawluskiwicz. 2003. "The Practice of Conservation Development: Lessons in Success." The Conservation Fund. Urban Land Institute.

Scenic America provides resources and tools for conservation and visual assessment free for communities. Scenic America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the scenic character of America's communities and countryside.

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