|
In an effort to launch conversations about site specific sustainable design criteria for new development
in the New River Valley, Sustainable Blacksburg and the New River Valley Planning District
Commission and its partners, developed a full-day “Sustainable Land Development Workshop” during
Sustainability Week in Blacksburg in October 2007. This workshop highlighted Green Infrastructure
planning concepts and conservation subdivision development through programs such as Earthcraft
Communities and LEED Neighborhood designs. The workshop was attended by local developers,
locality planning staff and other interested groups and had a total of 68 participants from around the
region.
At the close of the workshop, a smaller group convened to discuss how best to continue promoting
sustainable land development within the New River Valley within the context of the developing green
infrastructure assessment. Among the suggestions from this group was to partner with Southface
Energy Institute, who serves as administrator for Earthcraft Communities (a third party certification
program) and to explore using the NRV area as a pilot area for the development of a mountain region
Earthcraft criterion for the Southeastern United States. The local group from the NRV was also
interested in using a pilot project site plan to evaluate if it is feasible for developers to utilize a 3rd party
criteria program under current zoning/subdivision. These pilot projects present the opportunity to begin
identifying potential issues with current land use regulations in this region.
In May 2008, Sustainable Blacksburg, the New River Valley Planning District Commission and their
Green Infrastructure Partners contracted the Southface to facilitate the workshop. The workshop was
made possible by two grants from the Forest Headwaters Land Care Partnership and a private
foundation that wishes to remain anonymous. Using two developments in NRV that would become the
first certified Earthcraft Communities in the area, the workshop opened up the development process to
all stakeholders to help identify challenges and issues surrounding sustainable land development. The
workshop provided a valuable opportunity to understanding the certification process and to begin the
process of critically evaluating criteria for the region.
The full workshop report is available here.
|