*** THE ORIGINAL RULING HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY APPEALED on 12/22/05, as follows: The applicant is requesting that CIR ruling dated 9/19/05 be revised to allow an adjacent sports stadium to be excluded from area density calculations. The previous ruling had indicated that stadiums cannot be exempt from the SSc2 calculations based on the definition of public open space. After careful consideration, the Technical Advisory Group has decided to overturn the 9/19/05 ruling and exempt sports stadiums, including their exterior plaza spaces, from credit calculations on the condition that the stadium itself contributes to the existing urban fabric. To justify the exemption, the project must document how the stadium contributes to the vitality of the neighborhood. In this case, the stadium must be located in a pedestrian-friendly urban area, close to mass transit and provide connectedness with surrounding retail, restaurants and offices. Parking lots and structures associated with the sports stadium are not exempt from density calculations. As noted in CIR ruling 9/19/05, and in previous CIR ruling dated 12/23/02, the USGBC has recognized that the 60,000 sf/acre density goal is not necessarily appropriate for existing communities working to channel development into existing urban development cores. If your project meets the occupant density requirement within the building, but the surrounding area does not meet the density requirement, it is recommended that you apply for this credit under the alternative compliance path outlined in CIR ruling 12/23/02. --------------------------- ORIGINAL RULING, 9/19/05: The baseball stadium must be included in area density calculations for this credit. As noted on page 21 of the LEED version 2.1 Reference Guide, undeveloped public areas, such as a park or body of water, can be excluded. While a stadium is a public space, the vegetation is typically manicured lawn and does not fit the LEED definition of open space (page 47 of the Reference Guide says "open space must be vegetated and pervious, thus providing habitat and other ecological services."). In previous CIR rulings, including the ruling dated 12/23/02, the USGBC has recognized that the 60,000 sf/acre density goal is not necessarily appropriate for existing communities working to channel development into existing urban development cores. If your project meets the occupant density requirement within the building, but the surrounding area does not meet the density requirement, you may apply for this credit under the alternative compliance path outlined in CIR ruling 12/23/02. Applicable internationally.