A Tale (and Tour) of Two Conservation Subdivisions

Rural West Vincent Township faced high development pressures but wished to conserve the community’s forested stream valleys and sweeping agricultural lands. Two approaches to conservation subdivision followed the "Growing Greener" approach of author and planner Randall Arendt and Natural Lands.

The first, a mixed-use village development with 65 percent conservation land, allowed the township to accommodate higher-density development within a network of interconnected open space. Although initially controversial, providing mixed-use development at the crossroads of the two highest-volume roads in the county proved successful. Tour this walkable community with internal open space and protected forests and stream corridors. See how conserving the farm at the tract boundary created a rural “edge.”

The second, interior tract of over 1,500 acres was developed to "limited development" standards, featuring large rural lots with more than half of the site permanently conserved as both a township park and a nature preserve that is owned and managed by Natural Lands, a regional land conservancy. Both the park and nature preserve are now open to the public at no cost.

The two approaches helped the township meet growth management and ecological goals of targeting growth near services and away from fragile ecosystems. Actionable planning methods: included:

Implementing mixed-use village design in a conservation subdivision pattern with open space that mitigates climate change and provides parkland for residents of both the development and township; and

Partnering with a land conservancy for conservation outcomes that address landscape management and public access.

Participants walk approximately one and one-half miles: one mile at Weatherstone and one-half mile at Bryn Coed.