No public water and wastewater infrastructure in the City!!

Paola, SLLp1 only requires that a project be located within publicly-operated existing or planned water and wastewater service areas, not that it necessarily has to be connected to those systems. The project's actual water and wastewater service can be provided by any combination of on-site or off-site technologies approved by local authorities. So it's a question of being located in a combined water/wastewater service area, not of being connected to those systems. Note that if it's a planned service area, the commitment to extend service to that area must be legally adopted by the system operator.
Eliot

Hi Paola,
I'd like to add one thing in regard to your comment about an official response. Your case sounds like it would be best served by submitting a CIR to GBCI so that you can have a formal answer to the question (which can't be provided on LEED User).
Meghan

- Hi Paola, how did you sort out your question? I am curious.

- Hi Eliot, I also have a similar issue related with Smart Location.
But in my case, there are nearby developments, so I would like to consider the adjacent sites with connectivity. But not sure how to interpret/calculate the intersections. There are actually two nearby developments (less than 1km distance). Can I count both sites for the total number of intersections? I am not sure about the boundary measurements though (its not very clear). Also, this is the first approach, not yet planning to register for LEED ND certification, so I believe it will not be possible to submit a CIR to GBCI. Would appreciate a better clarification regarding this possibility.
Thanks & regards
Rita

Rita, to calculate connectivity for Option 2, first identify a segment of the project boundary that's adjacent to previous development, and has a segment length that equals at least 25% of the total boundary length. Second, delineate the area extending outward 1/2 mile perpendicularly from the boundary segment (a GIS buffer). Third, determine the land area of the external buffer, and subtract from that amount the area of any features listed in the definition of connectivity that can be excluded, such as water bodies. Fourth, count the number of eligible intersections in the buffer area using eligibility criteria in the connectivity definition (USGBC staff have also interpreted ineligible intersections to include those leading to freeway ramps, and alley-to-alley intersections; and they've interpreted eligible intersections to include ped/bike through-connections with cul-de-sacs, along with intersections leading to such cul-de-sacs and at the other end of such through-connections). Fifth, flip the 1/2-mile buffer to the inside of the project boundary and perform steps 3 and 4 for any existing internal intersections that weren't built or funded by the developer within the past 10 years. The sixth and last step is summing the eligible internal and external intersections, summing the net internal and external buffer areas, and dividing total eligible intersections by total net buffer area to see if the minimum 90 intersections/sq mi is achieved. Any portion of the two nearby developments you describe that fall within the 1/2-mile external buffer may have eligible intersections in those portions counted.
Eliot

Thank you so much Eliot.
I think actually more than 25% of the boundary is adjacent to the neighborhood development, now the question is: I am not yet sure about the neighborhood plan, as is not completely built yet, and it's from different developers. In this case being in a more advanced stage, does it count as existing neighborhood?

Rita, sorry but when you ask if it counts as an existing neighborhood, I'm not sure which piece of geography you're referring to: 1) the ND project inside the boundary, 2) the external previous development immediately adjacent to the boundary, or 3) the half mile buffer area.
Eliot

HI Eliot,

I'm referring to the external previous development immediately adjacent to the boundary. But is not built yet, it's under construction. But it's from a different developer.
I'm afraid is a gated development, with security points. So this might make difficult the connectivity (even being adjacent), or impossible, right?

Rita, so you have two items in play, the adjacent development that must abut at least 25% of your boundary, and the street intersections in that development that must reach 90 per sq mile. Both the development and the intersections must be "existing," which is defined in the rating system as being in place on or before the date of ND certification submission. External intersections that are not publicly accessible due to gating may not be counted. So once the construction you describe is complete, you'll be able to consider the adjacent development to be 'previously developed,' but you can't count any intersections behind gates.
Eliot

Thank you Eliot... Understood!

HI Eliot,
Now there is another development, in this case the new development is a peninsula, but is connected to the mainland. Is the water possible to consider "no land", and so the little connection is the 100% that is connected? Or should the water count as "land"?

Rita, water can't be considered land under any circumstances, but I'm not sure I understand your question.
Eliot

This is what I meant... http://www.dubaimaritimecity.com/
So projects like this one can never be LEED-ND in any circunstances?

Thanks,
Rita

Rita, it's definitely a unique geographic situation that probably can't qualify for Option 2, but you could always try a CIR given the unusual circumstance. Or you could try another international neighborhood rating system that may offer more location flexibility, like BREEAM Communities, DGNB for Urban Districts, HQE for Urban Planning, or Pearl Community.
Eliot