Local Green Development Receives National Recognition

The Cedar Valley Ridge development in Long Lake Township of Grand Traverse County has been certified as a Four Stars Green Subdivision by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center in Washington, D.C. Cedar Valley Ridge is the first development in Michigan to be certified as a Green Subdivision by the NAHB and only the third in the entire United States. The Four Stars award is the highest level of Green Certification possible for a development from the NAHB and represents recognition of the best practices in sustainable development. Only one other development in the US has attained the Four Stars level of certification.

For a project to be certified, the developer must address a range of factors, including education of the development team, protection of wildlife and plant life during construction as well as for the life of the development, use of natural materials and indigenous species, and implementation of innovative practices in design, construction, and zoning.
The primary considerations for the developers, Dan Paulson and Susan Sherman, were protecting the environment, maintaining the natural beauty of the land, and creating a healthy, cohesive community in that environment. Cedar Valley Ridge consists of 35 lots on 177 acres of wooded hills with almost a quarter mile of Cedar Run Creek running through it, about eight miles west of Traverse City. The lots are sited on just over 25% of the property. The rest of the land, owned in common by the residents, is permanently protected as a private nature preserve. The design of the neighborhood was carefully planned to protect the beauty and natural attributes of the property, while making ease of connection with nature for the community members a first priority. Each lot has immediate access to six miles of trails within the development that are maintained year around for hiking and cross-country skiing. Restrictions are in place that ensure that the environmental integrity of the project will not be compromised.

This is a significant achievement for the developers as well as a credit to the Traverse City area, which is one of the leading areas nationwide in the promotion and implementation of green lifestyle. The Traverse Area Association of REALTORS® (TAAR) has achieved a national reputation, not only in developing a variety of Green education and verification services for their clients, but in developing partnerships with local builders to educate the public about Green issues. Likewise, the Home Builder’s Association of the Grand Traverse Area is one of the leading HBA’s in the United States in green building education through its Green Build Grand Traverse Program. The Green Build initiative was the brainchild of Max Strickland, who has worked tirelessly to promote green building in the Traverse City area for decades. Mr. Strickland is also a certified verifier for the NAHBGreen and LEED for Homes green building programs, and handled the certification of Cedar Valley Ridge for the current Four Stars award.

Cedar Valley Ridge, according to Mr. Strickland, “demonstrates that a development can be both Green and economically viable in today’s market place.”

For more information about Cedar Valley Ridge, visit http://www.cedarvalleyridge.com.

For more information about the NAHB Research Center and the Green Certification process, visit http://www.nahbgreen.org/WhoIsGreen/home_gallery.aspx

To view articles in the July 12, 2009 Traverse City Record Eagle, visit:
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