Unanimous Approval

How does a builder win unanimous city council approval for a new master plan? For McStain Neighborhoods of Boulder, Colo., getting such an approval from the leaders in Longmont meant meeting the city's demand for environmentally sensitive development. McStain's plan for West Grange, - a 600 single and multifamily-home TND neighborhood on the western edge of town that is scheduled to break ground in mid-2006, - will:

• Limit impact on public services with low-impact landscaping to reduce water consumption.
• Designate 45 of the 160 acres as open space.
• Connect residents via pedestrian trails to walking-distance retail and commercial spots.
• Comply with Energy Star and Colorado's Built Green programs.
• Reserve 25 percent of the homes for low-income and entry-level buyers.

In getting the town to annex the land and approve its plan, McStain also banked on the successful track record it built into its Meadowview development, near closeout, also in Longmont.