Suburban areas are expanding outward, encroaching upon our natural environment and occupying land that could otherwise be utilized pragmatically. What is the answer to combating urban and suburban sprawl? Adopting Conservation Development may prove a promising, long-term solution to improvident land development.
A History of Conventional Subdivisions
Since the first suburb was built in the 1950’s, America’s demand for subdivision expansion has surpassed the point of moderation. According to Inside Game/Outside Game by David Rusk, the development of urban areas in the United States spread from 208,000 square miles to 585,000 square miles between 1950 and 1990. Due to ongoing growth, many of these suburbs eventually transitioned from residential communities to “Edge Cities” border lining urban areas. Edge Cities are normally equipped with their own shopping, entertainment, and business districts that compete with urban area city centers.
Just outside these Edge Cities are the “Exurbs” or commuter towns. These suburbs consist mainly of residential communities for the surrounding multifarious commercial businesses. Over the years, many of these communities experienced an accelerated rate of population growth due to conventional subdivision. A superb example is the residential land development in northern Virginia. Across Prince William and Loudoun counties, immense newly constructed subdivisions outline the horizon. Low density zoning also plays a crucial part in subdivision development. Certain districts only permit one residence per acre. This leads to single family homes built on wasted, over-sized plots of land.
Researchers have found the development of conventional subdivisions generate numerous environmental problems such as:
- Wasteful use of land and resources
- Destruction of forests, farmland, and natural habitats
- Excessive use of water and deadly fertilizer
The Solution
A viable method for regulating the rate subdivisions are constructed is by implementing conservation development. Conservation development assists with actively preserving our terrain, such as fields, natural wildlife habitats, and farmland. The goal of this method is to produce communities while sustaining the natural habitat. A study performed in 2008 documented the differences between 10 conservation development projects in the eastern United States compared to conventional subdivisions. The results indicated the territory established using conservation development largely surpassed subdivisions in maintaining local ecosystems.
Homes within these developments steadily increase in value. Researchers at Colorado State University noted a 20 to 29% higher listing price for homes in conservation developments compared to conventional subdivisions. However, home values in these developments are more inclined to appreciate faster than conventional subdivisions.
While land development is an inevitable force, how we progress from here will affect our environment regardless. George Mason University’s Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship advises the rising population growth rate and housing needs will continue putting pressure on the twenty-one local jurisdictions in the region. By implementing conservation development as a means for developing our land, we commit to constructing higher value communities while protecting our vulnerable ecosystem.
