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LEED v2009
Neighborhood Development
Smart location & linkages
Agricultural land conservation

LEED CREDIT

ND-v2009 SLLp4: Agricultural land conservation Required

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Requirements

For all projects
Locate the project on a site that is not within a state or locally designated agricultural preservation district, unless any changes made to the site conform to the requirements for development within the district (as used in this requirement, district does not equate to land-use zoning).

AND

Option 1. Protected soils not impacted
Locate the project development footprint such that it does not disturb prime soils, unique soils, or soils of state significance as identified in a state Natural Resources Conservation Service soil survey.

OR

Option 2. Infill sites
Locate the project on an infill site.

OR

Option 3. Sites served by transit
Comply with SLL Prerequisite 1, Option 3, Transit Corridor or Route with Adequate Transit Service.

OR

Option 4. Development rights receiving area
Locate the project within a designated receiving area for development rights under a publicly administered farmland protection program that provides for the transfer of development rights from lands designated for conservation to lands designated for development.

OR

Option 5. Sites with impacted soils
If development footprint affects land with prime soils, unique soils, or soils of state significance, as identified in a state Natural Resources Conservation Service soil survey, mitigate the loss through the purchase of easements providing permanent protection from development on land with comparable soils in accordance with the ratios based on densities per acre / hectare of buildable land as listed in Tables 1 and 2. Table 1. Mitigation ratios for projects in metropolitan or micropolitan statistical areas, pop. 250,000 or more

Residential density (DU per acre of buildable land available for residential use)

Residential density (DU per hectare of buildable land available for residen tial use)

Nonresidential density (FAR of buildable land available for nonresidential use)

Mitigation ratio (acres of easement : acres of project on prime, unique, or significant soil)

> 7 and ≤ 8.5

> 17.5 and ≤ 21

> 0.50 and ≤ 0.67

2 to 1

> 8.5 and ≤ 10

> 21 and ≤ 25

> 0.67 and ≤ 0.75

1.5 to 1

> 10 and ≤ 11.5

> 25 and ≤ 28.5

> 0.75 and ≤ 0.87

1 to 1

> 11.5 and ≤ 13

> 28.5 and ≤ 32

> 0.87 and ≤ 1.0

.5 to 1

> 13

> 32

> 1.0

No mitigation

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Cost estimates for this credit

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Addenda

7/19/2010Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Change title from "Sites without Affected Soils" to "Protected Soils Not Impacted"
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Global ACP
Description of change:
Table 1.
Add a second column, Residential density (DU per hectare of buildable land available for residential use), with the following values:
> 17.5 and ≤ 21
> 21 and ≤ 25
> 25 and ≤ 28.5
> 28.5 and ≤ 32
> 32
Table 2.
Add a second column, Residential density (DU per hectare of buildable land available for residential use), with the following values:
> 17.5 and ≤ 20
> 20 and ≤ 22
> 22 and ≤ 25
> 25

Under the mitigation ratio for a mixed-use project replace all instances of "square footage" with "area."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/19/2010Updated: 2/14/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Change title from "Sites without Affected Soils" to "Protected Soils Not Impacted"
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
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USGBC logo

© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

For all projects
Locate the project on a site that is not within a state or locally designated agricultural preservation district, unless any changes made to the site conform to the requirements for development within the district (as used in this requirement, district does not equate to land-use zoning).

AND

Option 1. Protected soils not impacted
Locate the project development footprint such that it does not disturb prime soils, unique soils, or soils of state significance as identified in a state Natural Resources Conservation Service soil survey.

OR

Option 2. Infill sites
Locate the project on an infill site.

OR

Option 3. Sites served by transit
Comply with SLL Prerequisite 1, Option 3, Transit Corridor or Route with Adequate Transit Service.

OR

Option 4. Development rights receiving area
Locate the project within a designated receiving area for development rights under a publicly administered farmland protection program that provides for the transfer of development rights from lands designated for conservation to lands designated for development.

OR

Option 5. Sites with impacted soils
If development footprint affects land with prime soils, unique soils, or soils of state significance, as identified in a state Natural Resources Conservation Service soil survey, mitigate the loss through the purchase of easements providing permanent protection from development on land with comparable soils in accordance with the ratios based on densities per acre / hectare of buildable land as listed in Tables 1 and 2. Table 1. Mitigation ratios for projects in metropolitan or micropolitan statistical areas, pop. 250,000 or more

Residential density (DU per acre of buildable land available for residential use)

Residential density (DU per hectare of buildable land available for residen tial use)

Nonresidential density (FAR of buildable land available for nonresidential use)

Mitigation ratio (acres of easement : acres of project on prime, unique, or significant soil)

> 7 and ≤ 8.5

> 17.5 and ≤ 21

> 0.50 and ≤ 0.67

2 to 1

> 8.5 and ≤ 10

> 21 and ≤ 25

> 0.67 and ≤ 0.75

1.5 to 1

> 10 and ≤ 11.5

> 25 and ≤ 28.5

> 0.75 and ≤ 0.87

1 to 1

> 11.5 and ≤ 13

> 28.5 and ≤ 32

> 0.87 and ≤ 1.0

.5 to 1

> 13

> 32

> 1.0

No mitigation

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