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How to Develop a Win-Win Situation
Sometimes the focus of a developer, or government, and its project can be at odds with the interests of a community. As a society, we have become outspoken on topics that directly concern us. Especially when it affects our neighborhood.
Ecos Environmental Design, Inc. has been involved in numerous community meetings to bridge the gap between the interests of the developing body and the neighborhood. Sometimes for parkland, sometimes for urban development, the outcome is almost always a win-win for everyone.
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Recently Ecos was brought in on a multi-family development In the Decatur, Georgia neighborhood of Sagamore Hills, where a contentious battle had formed between the developer and the residents. The development site fronts a commercial area, but abuts single-family residential streets on two sides. The original developer proposed locating a large stormwater retention facility to face the single-family residences, with the outfall aimed into their backyards. The resulting community protest led to changes!
The earlier development team sold their “entitled” project to Richport Properties, a local residential developer with a reputation for building high-quality projects that respect their contextual surroundings. Aware of the community’s reservations (and, in some cases, outright hostility) to the previous project, Richport retained Ecos to assist them in redesigning the project. Through a series of community meetings, the project was able to address the concerns of all.
Working with community groups requires more listening than talking, with responsiveness that addresses the interests of both the development and the neighborhood. In the unique setting of the Davis Oaks development, with its mix of residential and commercial siting, restructuring the plan was required.
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The revised site plan repositioned the units to face the streets, creating a more appealing streetscape. After studying the site percolation, Ecos designed two infiltration basins that more closely emulate the natural, pre-development conditions. The infiltration ponds will be landscaped to become an aesthetic garden setting.
The result will be an attractive addition to the neighborhood. By working with the community, the development team was able to turn activism into a winning proposition for all.
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