LEED-ND Zoning to Accelerate Sustainable Development
Makeover Montgomery
April 15, 2011
Silver Spring, MD
Eliot Allen, AICP, LEED AP-ND, CNU-A
Criterion Planners
Portland, Oregon
eliot@[Link]
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LEED for Neighborhood Development
Neighborhood
Features
Points
Efficient location &
resource protection
27
Compact & complete
land-use
22
Multi-modal travel
system
22
Green infrastructure
& buildings
29
100 = Platinum
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Why Are Local Governments Critical?
Land-use control.
Transportation responsibilities.
Building code implementation.
Major consumers of
energy/water/materials.
Quicker to act and innovate.
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ND Policy Scope
Location-efficient growth.
Sensitive resource protection.
Compact and complete land-use and
multi-modal travel.
Social equity and public health.
Energy efficiency and climate
protection.
Water efficiency and resource
protection.
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Scoring Depends on Vicinity
ND
Project
Points
Vicinity
Points
Developer
+
Local Govt.
ND Project
Total
Points
Shared
Sustainability
Gains
Source: Norman, ASCE, 2006
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Why do Neighborhoods Matter?
CO2 savings
available during
neighborhood
planning
Source: Norman, ASCE, 2006
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ND Neighborhoods = Jobs
Stores
Retail/services
Food production
Buildings
Green construction
Recycled materials
Transportation
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Bicycle sales/service
Transit operations
Energy
Renewable power
District energy
Infrastructure
Stormwater mgmt.
Wastewater reuse
Natural Resources
Biology/botany
Hydrology
Job Creation by Transportation Mode
Employment per $1 million expenditures
16
12
Jobs
Less
LEED-ND Points
More
Garrett, University of Mass., 2010.
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ND Neighborhoods & Tax Revenues
Asheville, N.C. Land-Use Revenues - $/acre
250,000
$/Acre/Year Property Tax
200,000
150,000
100,000
500,000
Less
LEED-ND Points
More
Minicozzi, APA, 2010.
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Approaches to ND Coding
Leverage As Is.
Use of the national ND rating system largely as is. Fastest and leastcost approach, will be regularly updated with USGBC expertise and
funding.
Adapt ND.
Locality selects a subset of ND standards and modifies them for local
use. Expense and effort of creating/maintaining unique local criteria.
Hybrid.
Mix of leveraging and adaptation, portions of ND combined with local
measures.
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Coding ND Geography
An overlay zone.
Maps and describes uses and standards at the outset of ND
leveraging; calls attention to opportunity sites.
A floating zone.
Describes, but does not map, uses and standards. ND-eligible areas
only become known if and when a project is proposed.
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10
Inventory Eligible Locations
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Infill
Adjacent & Connected
Transit Served
Walkable Amenities
11
ND Overlay Zone Map
The NDO map only has
authority for this ordinance, and
inclusion or exclusion of a
parcel on the map is not a
warranty by the [city/county]
that a parcel is or is not eligible
for ND certification.
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12
An Ideal ND Zone
Mixed-use: minimum 7 DU/acre and/or 0.5 FAR.
Block length under 300 ft., long axis solar-oriented.
Minimal building set-backs.
Minimum 1:3 BH-SW ratio on main streets.
Off-street surface parking at side or rear.
Sidewalks both sides of streets.
All transit stops: shelter/bench/lighting/route info.
Bike parking on multi-family & non-residential sites.
Renewable power generation allowed.
Dark skies exterior lighting design.
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13
Model ND Ordinance Contents
Purpose.
Definitions.
Responsible official.
Creation of the ND map and local code
alignment.
NDO administration and incentives.
Updating and expansion of the NDO.
Relationship to other regulations.
Exemptions.
Compliance and enforcement.
Appeals.
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ND Ordinance Features
Stipulated processes.
Ordinance establishment and
maintenance codified.
Variable requirements.
What projects are covered? What are
their obligations?
Variable incentives.
Increase with higher certification levels;
target geographically.
Accommodations of ND stages.
Gauge requirements according to ND
stage.
Long-term goal of NDO expansion.
Grow eligible areas and vicinity attributes.
Local autonomy.
Opt out or modify ND requirements.
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Define Covered Projects on Eligible Parcels
Minimum acreage of land development.
Minimum dwellings and/or non-residential [Link]. of construction.
General planning action, e.g. zone change.
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Covered Project Requirements
ND Project Stages
1. Pre2. Post3.
Entitlement
Entitlement
Constructed
Documentation
Consideration memo
GBCI equivalent documents
GBCI official forms
AP preparation
Preapproval/Certification
No minimum
Minimum level
Credits/Points
No minimum or credits or points
Specific credits
Minimum points
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17
Matching Local Priorities With Credits
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18
Align Local Code With ND
Land-use.
Transportation.
Public works.
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19
Local Code Alignment
SLL Section
SLLp1: Smart
Location
Affected Local Agencies
Water; wastewater; transit;
transportation (ped network)
SLLp2: Imperiled
Species and
Ecological
Communities
Conservation
SLLp3: Wetland
and Water Body
Conservation
SLLp4:
Agricultural Land
Conservation
State fish & wildlife; state
natural heritage program
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Local LandUse Type &
Density
Standards
NA
NA
Local Development
Standards
Water and wastewater
service extension;
commitment procedures
for planned transit;
sidewalk widths and
surfacing.
Fish & wildlife protective
measures.
Corps of Engineers; state and N/A
local water resource agencies
Wetland/water body
protection standards
Agricultural preservation
Ag pres
district (independent service
district regs, if
district, not a zoning
any
classification); NRCS; agency
administering TDR program
Ag pres district regs, if
any; ag land loss
mitigation stds
20
Local Code Alignment continued
NPD Section
NPDc1: Walkable
Streets
Affected Local Agencies
Local LandUse Type &
Density
Standards
NPDc2: Compact NA
Development
10+ DU/acre
& 0.75+ FAR
NPDc3: MixedUse
Neighborhood
Centers
Requires
mixed-uses
among
parcels if not
bldgs
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Transit
Local Development
Standards
Bldg setbacks, bldg entry
locations, bldg facades,
on-street parking,
sidewalks, dwelling at
ground elevation, BH-SW
ratio, traffic speeds,
driveways across
sidewalks
NA
Local commitment
procedures for planned
transit.
21
Local Code Alignment continued
NPD Section
NPDc4: MixedIncome Diverse
Communities
Affected Local Agencies
Housing authority
NPDc5: Reduced NA
Parking
Footprint
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Local LandUse Type &
Density
Standards
NA
NA
Local Development
Standards
Affordable housing
policies & regulations,
e.g. income thresholds,
years of affordability
commitment.
Off-street parking lot
design; bike parking,
storage & showers;
carpools, shared vehicles
22
Grow Eligible Areas
The NDO map only has
authority for this ordinance, and
inclusion or exclusion of a
parcel on the map is not a
warranty by the [city/county]
that a parcel is or is not eligible
for ND certification.
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References
John Nolon, Climate Change and Sustainable Development: The Quest
for Green Communities (2009).
Sarah Schindler, Following Industrys LEED: Municipal Adoption of Private
Green Building Standards (2010).
Global Green, Developing Green Building Programs: Step-by-Step Guide
for Local Governments.
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Tools
Criterion Planners
Local government leveraging workshop: [Link]/documents/[Link]
Method for identifying eligible lands: [Link]/documents/[Link]
USGBC
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A Local Govt. Guide to LEED-ND: [Link]/neighborhood
25
ND Zoning Outcomes
1. Completion of a jurisdiction-wide eligible lands inventory.
2. Aligning/leveraging, become known as an ND-ready jurisdiction,
where ND certification happens with:
More certainty.
At a faster speed.
With less work and expense.
Producing higher certification
levels.
3. A goal for growing ND-eligible areas
and increasing vicinity-based
scores; and a blueprint for reaching
that goal.
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