Monday, February 25, 2008
Abstract Outline
The purpose of this report is to analyze the development of Tobiano and identify ways to make it more sustainable. Case studies, such as Southeast False Creek, Burnaby Mountain Community, and East Clayton, will be used as comparisons to see how well the developers used aspects of sustainability in designing Tobiano.
The analysis of sustainability is based primarily on the “Six Overarching Principles” of sustainability as well as “The AIA Principles for Livable Communities”.
Services within the village in Tobiano are assessed as to how well they meet the residents’ day to day needs. Availability of local services reduces the need for people to travel away from the site for services, and thereby increases the project’s sustainability. For example, Tobiano contains a grocery store that will meet most daily needs of anyone living in the development. Plans for Tobiano also include coffee shops, retail stores, and restaurants. More services could be added to ensure that all basic needs of people are accounted for within Tobiano.
Encouraging people to leave their vehicles and move about their surrounds by foot, or by non-enclosed vehicle assistance, not only reduces fuel consumption but also creates a friendlier, more neighborly environment. Tobiano has many walking/golf cart paths throughout the village and residential areas that encourage people to interact with one another. However, the paths are not extensive enough to allow people to be completely independent of their automobiles within the development.
Once people are outside and moving around, socializing and interacting with each other, they need to have a purpose for being there. People will not move about a development if there is nothing in that development for them to do or use. Tobiano is targeted at an older market, the retired or semi retired, and is attracting them to the area with a golf course and equestrian activities. Most of the residential area is situated around these attractions which encourages citizens to leave their homes and use these facilities, in turn, promoting social mixing and interaction.
Waste management is a crucial aspect of sustainability for any community of any size. What goes in must come and out, and what comes out must go somewhere. Minimizing wastes that are produced within a development is vital for creating a healthy community. Reducing garbage waste by utilizing local recycling and composting programs is becoming more common throughout
In summary, this project examines key aspects of sustainability for Tobiano and identifies opportunities for increasing the level of sustainability.
Updated Planning Outline
Method: In order to determine if Tobiano is a sustainable development, aspects of the project will be looked at:
- Transportation: Are people encouraged to move around without greenhouse gas producing vehicles? Are there paths and routes available for people to move about in electric vehicles (ie golf carts/segways) or bikes?
- Waste management: What happens with wastes generated from the houses? ie recycling, garbage, compost.
- What sort services are located in Tobiano? Can people meet all their daily needs without leaving the development?
- What has been done to preserve the Agricultural Land Reserve that the land was on?
- Who is the target market for this development and will that have an effect on the sustainability?
- Numerous case studies around British Columbia will be looked at to compare what the developers have done and what they could have done to make Tobiano sustainable.
Also:
Clientele: Will a sustainable development be important to the people who will be using these facilities? How much pressure is being put on the developers to make it sustainable?
Money: Have developers cut costs by cutting corners and making Tobiano less environmentally friendly?
Analysis of Tobiano - Planning Outline
Method: In order to determine if Tobiano is a sustainable development, aspects of the project will be looked at:
- Drain water management: What have the developers done to ensure that any drainage off the development does not affect the aquatic environment in
- Golf Course management: Is the golf course using current “green” practices or is there room for improvement? Are herbicides, pesticides and other toxins being used?
- Energy management: Is Tobiano going to be self sufficient? If not, what could be used on site to generate sustainable energy? Are the outdoor lighting schemes designed to minimize light pollution and maximize efficiency?
- Coexistence with the nature around Tobiano: Is the development intrusive to the environment around it or does it harmonize? For example; does the landscaping on site make use of local species or have foreign species been introduced?
- Coexistence within Tobiano: How do people live and move around the development? Do home design, street layout and the location of common facilities encourage social interaction as well as a sense of community? Do the neighborhoods have a “front porch” atmosphere?
- Transportation: Are people encouraged to move around without greenhouse gas producing vehicles? Are there paths and routes available for people to move about in electric vehicles (ie golf carts/segways) or bikes?
- Tourism: What effect will tourism have on the development? Will it affect the sustainability in any way? What has been put in place to keep it sustainable with many different people coming and going on and off Tobiano?
- Residences: What kind of restrictions are in place for each individual home? Are there restrictions for aesthetics, water and energy management, and/or landscaping to minimize environmental impacts?
- Maintained Sustainability: What provisions are in place to ensure that the sustainability goals of the Tobiano development will be maintained over the long term?
Special Problems: One of the main problems for this project is information. A substantial portion of the information required to write this will come from individual people who have worked on this development. They will need to be tracked down early in order to ensure adequate resources.
Also:
Clientele: Will a sustainable development be important to the people who will be using these facilities? How much pressure is being put on the developers to make it sustainable?
Money: Have developers cut costs by cutting corners and making Tobiano less environmentally friendly?
5 comments:
Nice Blog! I spoke with Keith Fransson at Urban Systems and he said he would be more than happy to assist you with your information gathering. I also spoke with Vince Boire, he is the lead designer on this and he will also give you a hand. In addition I have a poster for you and they are working on getting you some intresting pictures of the area. You can contact them both at 374-8311.
It sounds like you have some good leads from Nicole! I suggest you contact them ASAP. Also, keep in touch with John about this as well as David and Steve. Each of them should have something to offer.
Kevin,
Found this report talking about the existing problems/pollution in Kamloops Lake, you might be able to related this to Tobiano and whether they do/do not reduce the impact on the lake. Large salmon runs will migrate thru the lake and up to Adams Lake every year.
http://www.ilec.or.jp/database/nam/nam-54.html
Hi Kevin,
I found this book on sustainable golf courses which could be useful (maybe?)
http://www.amazon.ca/Sustainable-Golf-Courses-Environmental-Stewardship/dp/047146547X
Hey Kevin, I have found a great site about sustainable golf courses that I hope can help your research.
http://www.enviroperfectsolutions.com/Pages/GolfCourses.php
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