Conservation Design Resource Manual: Language and Guidelines for Updating Local Ordinances

"This manual presents model ordinance language and guidelines to help communities effectively update local plans and ordinances to be more amenable to conservation design practices for protecting natural resources in new and existing developments. Examples include providing buffers for wetlands and streams, minimizing the amount of impervious surfaces, and clustering home sites together to preserve more open space. The lack of such guidance is commonly cited as the principle constraint to permitting good conservation designs in many communities. The manual explains and presents the economic benefits of conservation design; explains how to update comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances, subdivision ordinances, and other ordinances; and presents principles and practices for implementing conservation design. Principles and practices covered include: lot size and density, arrangement of development lots, building setbacks, natural area protection, natural landscape preservation, natural landscaping, natural area management, road design, parking lot design, vegetated swales, walkways and driveways, and managing stormwater. The manual also provides some information on incentives and financing conservation design." [from NIPC webiste SCUFRI]

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