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I E HOME FRONT- si4 `"` �,JOURNAI. 1'
<br /> a=— .,. .
<br /> FRIDAY,NOVEMBER 30, t�
<br /> New Communities Make It Easy Bem* g Green
<br /> By STaFerr FeTSrs forests,mountain lions,eagles and other species.
<br /> Staff Reporter of TH[WALL Sr Wr JOLMNAL "IResidentsl must understand the risks and the joys and
<br /> the possibilities of living in a wildlife habitat—and definitely
<br /> have their eyes open,"says Jeffrey Froke,president of the
<br /> Gruxsl. ,ILL Santa Lucia Conservancy and a onetime park ranger.
<br /> HE EGRETS COME RIGHT UP THERE,"Carol SOnnenschein says,gestur- On Dewees Island near Charleston, S.C.,65%of the
<br /> »` ing toward the prairie grasses and sedges that roll into the lake a few feet
<br /> 1.200-acre ocan't lexceed 5,000 m permanent Cbuyerva must
<br /> square feet,and buyers must
<br /> a from her porch. Off to the right, she points to where red-winged blackbirds analyze the topography, solar orientation, prevailing
<br /> winds,soil and tree stands before building.Residents zip
<br /> blanketed a marsh in summer. Geese use the wetlands as a flyway, she notes around unpaved roads in electric golf carts.Lots fetch up
<br /> proudly,and at night coyotes can be to$475,000,and 11 homes are up so far,the
<br /> heard baying at the moon. priciest for 5$00,000.
<br /> Contrary to this bucolic picture, While eco-friendliness boosts construo-
<br /> tion costs,it also cuts long-term expenses.
<br /> though, Ms. Sonnenschein's home ./ - ` tj "When you don't build all these golf courses
<br /> isn't some rural retreat but a new community `` and don't have all these manicured land-
<br /> under construction in the increasingly . scapes and don't have all these paved roads,
<br /> crowded suburbs north of Chicago.The reason you end up with enormous reductions in in-
<br /> for the unspoiled views of native flora and l frastructure investment"and lower mainte-
<br /> co i is simple: In Prairie Crossing, as the � � � nonce costs,says John L Knott t chief
<br /> community is known,the environment is king. executive of Island Preserve Partnership,
<br /> rship,
<br /> Across the country,a growing number of the Dewees Island developer.
<br /> residential communities are seeking to bah , , It pays in other ways,too.The develop-
<br /> ance development and conservation. The ^ ers of Wildcat Ranch near Aspen, Colo.,
<br /> u market ranges from million-dollar tots at a where 9870 of 6,800 acres will remain unde-
<br /> California ranch set in a nature preserve to , veloped,changed its land-use plans from 35
<br /> an"open space subdivision"outside Philadeb lots of about 160 acres to 14 lots of about 500
<br /> phis where homes on half acre tracts start acres.While the number of sites dropped
<br /> around a env00• -V overall revenue increased,with lot sales av
<br /> _ While environmentally correct cornmuni r •` eraging$4.1 million.Farmview,a clustered-
<br /> ""' ties aren't new—think Walden—only recently housing development with 200 acres of pro-
<br /> have they become a bona fide market. The A& tested farmland in Bucks County,Pa.,has
<br /> reasons:growing disillusionment with subur outsold conventional subdivision-style
<br /> ban sprawl and a willingness to pay a pre- �' • homes that offer larger lots.
<br /> mium to live in a place that protects the land. In other words,people will sacrifice per`
<br /> "This is not a philanthropic project.It's a sonal space for protected land they share
<br /> business venture,"says George A.Ranney with neighbors. In a survey last year by
<br /> Jr., the president of Prairie Crossing's de- American Lives Inc.of San Francisco,78%
<br /> velopment company."It will have social out- of 800 consumers who bought or shopped in
<br /> comes we hope will be noteworthy and affect • planned communities cited"lots of natural,
<br /> public policy and business practice.We hope open space"as essential or very important.
<br /> other builders will say, 'Someone else has "Our lot size isn't big,but when you look at
<br /> done it,let's get into the market.'" the overall development,you've got a lot-df
<br /> z, Calling itself a "conservation commu- rum space.-says 3r-year-old Bob Flanary,the ex-
<br /> oity,"Prairie Crossing plans to develop just organic-meat wholesaler,who with wife Lisa,
<br /> m one-fifth of its 667 acres. When completed, 33,moved from Worthington,Ohio,to a four-
<br /> all 317 single-family hones,priced from around$200.000 bedroom house in Prairie Crossing.
<br /> to$400,000,will have long views.The rest of the property Eeo•Developments "We can wean people away from the idea that they
<br /> is devoted to farmland,organic gardens, a nature pre- need a large lot when they want to be in the country,"
<br /> serve and community space.The Washington-based Con- Some environmentally sensitive home projects: says Randall Arendt of the Natural Land Trust, a land
<br /> servation Fund holds an easement that will keep 150 acres ■EAGLE RM RESERVE Wbere•Bozeman,Mont; conservancy in Media,Pa. "Ultimately, if they have a
<br /> in farm use forever. Sim:800 acres;Price:39 lots from$150,000-5200,000 large lot,there's no country left."
<br /> More than 100 prospective buyers visit Prairie Cross• each;houses from$300,0004750,000 Still,the trend isn't spreading like prairie grass.Most
<br /> ing weekly. By year's end, 18 families will have settled developers, especially in high-end communities in the
<br /> in—including an agronomist,a biologist two landscape •FARRWIEW:Where:Lower Makefiekl Township,Pa.; West,remain addicted to miniestates of fenced-in proper-
<br /> architects, a former organic-Meat wholesaler and Ms. Sim:330 homes on 500 acres;Price:Homes for ties with big lawns and long driveways."The major mar-
<br /> Sonnenschein,a Loyola University sociologist whose dis- $250,000-S500•0 keting tool used by developers here is own your own little
<br /> servation concerned growth on Chicago's urban fringe. 0 PRESERVE AT HOUERS LANE Where:Attawa,Wis.; Piece of heaven," says Michael Scott of the Wilderness
<br /> The 19urcentury faun ho se-style homes are linked by 10 Sim-285 acres:Price: 41 lots,$80,000-$130,000; Society in Bozeman,Mont."What we tend to see is more
<br /> miles of crashed-limestone trails,not sidewalks.Residents cookie-cutter.single-acre development."
<br /> can receive a basket of homes$500,000-S1 million
<br /> organic Produce weekly or grow their And while some projects spring from principle,more
<br /> own. Yards must be landscaped only with native plants. ■SPIN ISLAND:Where:Near Hilton Head,S.C.;Sim: often than not they're spawned by legal battles.Prairie
<br /> Storm water drains naturally,not through pipes. 500 homes on 3,000 acres;Price:Average lot,$280,000 Crossing's land was purchased by a group of wealthy
<br /> "Where you have peer pressure,p wdadatly on the East sowm DAft~wnwzm~Law MWRM families in 1987 after a 15-year fight over its develop-
<br /> Coast,to have the best lawn,here you're going to have peer ment.In Washington's pristine Methow Valley,environ-
<br /> pressure to be the most responsible homeowner," says mentalists and citizens persuaded developers to forsake
<br /> Michael Sands,Prairie Crossing's environmentalist. ters and other creatures were mapped and protected. a downhill-skiing center for a lower-impact cross-country
<br /> Not all eco-developments are as tightly focused as One of the biggest—and ritziest—eco-projects is Santa skiing and golf resort:1.5%of property sales will support
<br /> Prairie Crossing.But such principles separate those that Lucia Preserve near Carmel, Calif. The 32-square-mile an environmental center.
<br /> practice environmentalism from those that just use site was purchased by a group of investors for$70 million That's the sort of deal today's new-breed environmen-
<br /> Mother Nature as a marketing tool. in 1990. Rather than inundate the old cattle ranchland talists are happy to make.The philosophy:Not all devel-
<br /> At 800-acre Eagle Rock Reserve outside Bozeman, with houses,the owners intend to develop just 107c of the opment is bad,and influencing development beats stand-
<br /> Mont., homes are banned from ridge tops and elk property—about 300 moderately clustered homes,a small ing idly by while the bulldozers roll.
<br /> ranges. At Rocking K Ranch next to Saguaro National hotel,a low-impact golf"trail"and a village center. "You can't save it all,"says Patrick F.Noonan,chair-
<br /> Park near Tucson. Ariz., a nonprofit environmental Lot prices will start at $1 million and should climb man of the Conservation Fund,which holds the Prairie
<br /> group monitors development. On Spring Island near quickly. The remaining land, scarred by 200 years of Crossing easement."You can't stop growth.You have to
<br /> Hilton Head,S.C.,the habitats of eagles,quail,river ot- overgrazing,will be set aside as a preserve of redwood understand it and work with it."
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