Conservation Subdivision

Conservation subdivision (CS) is one of a number of site-scale design approaches that address the well-documented environmental impacts of traditional subdivision in suburbia and exurbia. As an urban design approach, CS is often associated with the urban development philosophy known as New Urbanism (NU), but it has clear ties to the emerging [Page 117]philosophy of New Ruralism (NR). Perhaps the best-known example of CS in the United States is Prairie Crossing in Grayslake, Illinois, which features both NU and NR components. CS can be found in other parts of the United States, and it may be relatively common in some regions. At the same time, the approach has encountered economic and social-political barriers. In the few published empirical studies on the use of specific CS ...