The Distinguished Developments Scoring Sheet for Conservation Design

Abstract

This project was completed as part of the 2012-2013 Resilient Communities Project (rcp.umn.edu) partnership with the City of Minnetonka. Conservation development approaches encourage sustainable developments that protect natural environmental features, preserve open space, protect natural habitats for wildlife, and maintain rural character. This project examined the City of Minnetonka’s conservation development scorecard to assess its effectiveness in evaluating previous and proposed conservation developments. Project leads Susan Thomas and Jo Colleran worked with a student in ESPM 5242: Methods for Natural Resource and Environmental Policy, to analyze the scorecard. The analysis found that the scorecard was influential in encouraging conservation strategies as part of development projects, and recommended strategies for using the scorecard to increase social acceptability of conservation development, as well as implementing the tool through the city’s planned unit development ordinance. The student's final report is available.