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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Alternatives for Coastal Development: One Site, Three Scenarios

Economic Indicators

These economic indicators are used to estimate variations in costs attributable to design differences in the three scenarios. Unique costs to develop each design are measured against estimates of potential revenue from the sale of all planned residential units.

Is it economically feasible to consider alternatives? Do the numbers add up? Judge for yourself in the table below and on the net revenue calculation worksheet.
Site Tip
Each indicator name in the table is linked to a page of additional information and resources for learning more about that specific topic.
Indicator Conventional Conservation New Urbanist Description
Cost to Develop Roads $4,894,062 ($5,113/DU*) $3,297,842 ($4,580/DU*) $5,102,438 ($5,445/DU*) Total road cost in each scenario based on widths and lengths of streets and a standard cost per square foot.
Cost to Develop Sewer $2,162,780 ($2,259/DU*) $1,858,892 ($2,581/DU*) $1,995,763 ($2,129/DU*) Total sewer cost of sewers in each scenario based on length of pipe estimated from road layout and a standard cost per linear foot.
Cost to Develop Water Lines $1,853,811 ($1,937/DU*) $1,593,336 ($2,212/DU*) $1,710,654 ($1,825/DU*) Total water line cost in each scenario based on length of pipe estimated from road layout and a standard cost per linear foot.
Cost to Develop Paths, Trails, and Sidewalks $1,249,898 ($1,306/DU*) $736,435 ($1,023/DU*) $777,636 ($830/DU*) Total length of paths in each scenario based on length present and cost of surfacing. Note that different scenarios specify different surface types (concrete, asphalt, or mulch).
Cost of Land Clearing $697,801 $292,222 $344,068 Total clearing costs in each scenario based on varying amounts of land cleared for different lot sizes and types and a standard cost to clear per acre.
Potential Net Revenue Estimate $38,986,928 $44,124,259 $46,210,793 Considers cost and potential income variations across scenarios. See full calculations on the net revenue calculation worksheet.
*The cost to develop roads, sewers, water lines, and paths, trails, and sidewalks indicators are also reported relative to the total number of dwelling units (DU) in each scenario. More information on reporting results per dwelling unit is available in the Scenario Dwelling Units section.
Other Potential Costs and Benefits Not Calculated in Net Revenue, but May Be Significant Conventional Conservation New Urbanist Description
Minus (-) dollars refers to costs, and plus (+) dollars refers to savings. The more dollar signs, the greater the estimated costs or savings.
Potential for Rapid Return on Developer Investment 0 +$$ +$$ Benefits to developer associated with highly marketable design.
Remediation Costs to Meet Environmental Water Quality Standards -$$$ 0 -$ Cost to developer for potential stormwater management requirements, dependent upon scenario designs.
Cost of Services Provided by Local Government -$$ -$
(due to clustering)		 -$
(due to clustering)		 Other costs to local governments or public not borne by developer.
Insurance Burden of Number of Units in High Hazard Zone
(% of total)		 57% 45% 55% Percent of total units located in high-risk flood zones as depicted on FEMA flood maps.

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