The empirical data regarding the overall density of Southern Village is misleading and does not accurately reflect the developments overall density. The inclusion of civic uses such as the elementary school and the church in the development lead to a lower overall density yield of 3.8 units per acre for the 312-acre development.
The development has been able to achieve the sustainable goals of creating a compact and consolidated community through the implementation of its progressive design strategy.
The inclusion of multi-family housing options is the main contributing factor to the developments ability to achieve a higher density. In addition to the multi-family housing options, the lot sizes for the single-family homes have been greatly reduced in relation to the coverage of the residence itself.
The mixed-use core is an additional factor that leads to an inaccurate density-yield calculation. The mixed-use core features a large portion of the transportation system, parking areas, community open space and 350,000 square feet of office and retail space that causes a lower density calculation to be reached.
Diversity of Use
The design of Southern Village provides for a diverse range of uses that are available to the residents of the community. Through the implementation of a diverse mix of housing-types, an integrated open space system, the development of a mixed-use core and the siting of various civic uses within the development, Southern Village achieves a comprehensive and complimentary development strategy with regards to the diversity if uses in the community.
The different uses throughout the development are sited in a manner which provides each member of the community access to the uses.
Throughout the multiple portions of the residential areas, small pocket-parks have been created to ensure that each neighborhood will have access to community open space.
The elementary school is located within the confines of the development and is easily accessible from any of the complimentary land uses situated throughout.
The greatest range of diversity in the development is achieved through the implementation of a diverse mix of housing-types. Southern Village provides affordable alternatives to single-family detached housing in the form of townhomes and apartments.
The apartments are located in close proximity to the mixed-use core as well as the elementary school. The townhomes, situated in close proximity to the mixed-use core as well, are equivalent in cost to a single-family detached home in a traditional sprawl-driven neighborhood.
The diverse mix of housing types in addition to the diverse range of land-uses throughout the development help to ensure the community’s sustainability.
Extent of Use
The location of Southern Village provides the development with natural and man-made features that help define its edges. These features allow the community to form into a contained and consistent development, thereby enhancing the overall sustainability of the community.
Existing natural areas that have been preserved or protected through the extensive open space network contain a large portion of the development.
The greenway trail network has been integrated into these natural areas and designed to have a minimal amount of impact on the environment.
The southeastern edge of the development is bounded by a major thoroughfare that is currently being re-adapted to accommodate the population growth of the area and to facilitate access to the mixed-use core of Southern Village.
Beyond the preserved natural buffers, the development is contained by existing residential neighborhoods and civic uses. The contained and consistent boundaries of the development enhance the ability of the community to sustain itself throughout the development’s lifecycle.
“The Federal Government, directly and indirectly, through the laws it writes, the programs it enacts and the regulations it issues, has contributed more than its share to the ugliness of our landscape.” -Sen. Harrison Williams (1919-2001)
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