|
The development of a site comes with a requirement for some level of
utility infrastructure. The provision of these services and the
associated elements can create substantial impacts to the landscape
and affect the functioning of the natural ecosystem.
Sustainable development of the infrastructure embodies the principles of
reducing scale, dispersals of facilities, and the use of terrain or
vegetative features to visually screen intrusive structures.
Adopting a design that embraces grouping and density of facilities
will reduce installation and transmission costs. Mixed use
development is also beneficial as this balances the demand for
utilities over the day and night and throughout the year.
Sustainable site planning and design principles must be applied
early in the planning process to choose systems and a layout that
will have the least negative affects on the environment and support
established natural systems. Sustainable design concepts related to
utilities and waste systems include:
- Address odor and noise issues through proper location and
buffering.
- Utility lines should be buried near other corridor areas that
are already disturbed, such as roads and pedestrian paths. Placing
lines under boardwalks eliminates ground disturbance for
installation and maintenance.
- Overhead lines should not be located in desirable
viewsheds or over landform
crests.
- Consider low impact alternatives for utility lines such as
shielded conduit placed on the ground or on low pedestal mounts.
- Engage the water authority about alternative proposals of
greywater treatment, in
order to streamline the approval process.
- Consider ways to reduce
blackwater through peat moss drain fields, constructed
wetlands, or
aerobic treatment systems.
| 
