Rose Hill - Fairfax, Vermont

A Model for Low Impact Development

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Rose Hill is a “Green” neighborhood development project that maintains the rural integrity of the landscape with minimal impact on the surrounding habitat.  This development is comprised of ten residential building lots situated on 32.8 acres of gently sloping hillside in Fairfax, VT. Historically, the property was used for logging and a gravel pit with little regard for environmental preservation.

It is our belief that a housing development can be designed and built to lessen the impact on the environment and still allow the residents to lead enriched lives. To accomplish this, we have developed Rose Hill as model for low impact development. The following describes how that philosophy has been applied to both site design and housing considerations:

Site Layout – Low Impact Site Design Features:

• Minimize disturbance of natural areas by using and improving existing logging roads for subdivision access roads;
• Establish clear cutting limits around each house site, as well as selective thinning areas for views and to enhance solar orientation of houses;
• Environmentally sensitive rural development (ESRD) credit to minimize the impact of stormwater runoff on the existing natural environment. The peak runoff from the site after development will be lower than the existing peak runoff due to improved site grading and vegetation. The stormwater design features include:
• grass lined swales (instead of rip-rap stone ditches),
• rooftop disconnects that direct runoff from houses away from other impervious areas,
• rain gardens, and
• dry detention ponds to control the discharge of runoff from the site to the stream outfall.
• Establish a 50 foot stream buffer to preserve natural habitat and establish a healthy streambank riparian corridor;Designate more than 50% (about 17.6 acres) of the property as contiguous common land to be used by all property owners for recreation including walking, agricultural and other activities;
• Utilize a community wastewater treatment and disposal system. This includes an Advanced Wetland Treatment System® that will be used to remove pollutants from the wastewater prior to onsite inground disposal.

Housing Site Features:

• Each site is located on a south facing hillside
• Housing locations have been specifically chosen to optimize solar orientation and allow for the use of passive solar design to maximize energy efficiency through the use of daylighting and passive solar heating and cooling;
• House sites are staggered to prevent structures from obscuring views from uphill residents;
• Specific clear cutting limits have been established to preserve privacy, vegetation and the rural aesthetic of this planned community;
• Rain gardens at each house for stormwater treatment, as well as intentional landscaping;
• Wastewater treatment and disposal is included;
• Individual wells are required for potable water.

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For More Information Contact:

David Whitney

ecoSolutions LLC

315 Plains Road

Westford, VT  05494

p - 802.598.6297

f - 802.878.7464

dave@ecosoldesigns.com