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Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Honors Three Florida-Friendly Communities
GAINESVILLE, Fla.—Florida Yards & Neighborhoods presented the second annual Outstanding Florida-friendly Communities Awards to three communities at the annual meeting of the Florida Green Building Coalition, held July 12 at the Southeast Building Conference in Orlando. This year’s recipients were The Hancock Place in St. Johns County, Pelican Preserve in Lee County and Connerton in Pasco County.
“More and more communities are making an effort to become Florida-friendly, and we’d like to see this effort grow throughout the state,” said Barbra Larson, Florida Yards & Neighborhoods state coordinator. “Our awards are meant to not only recognize these communities, but also raise awareness about Florida-friendly landscaping and gardening practices.”
Florida Yards & Neighborhoods is a University of Florida/IFAS Extension educational and outreach program that emphasizes gardening practices that are environmentally and economically sound. With techniques such as low-maintenance planting and responsible water use, the nine Florida Yards & Neighborhoods principles preserves Florida’s landscape while saving its residents time, energy and money.
The award-winning communities were selected based on their efforts to protect natural resources by incorporating these principles. Florida-friendly yards benefit the environments and our communities by decreasing stormwater runoff, conserving water, reducing water pollution and enhancing wildlife habitat.
The Hancock Place
The Hancock Place in St. Johns County is a 7-acre development that incorporates Florida-friendly principles into the design of affordable homes. Specifically, the development has incorporated “low-impact” design elements that reduce water, fertilizer and pesticide use while increasing groundwater recharge. Instead of allowing curbs to channel water into gutters, roadside swales provide visually appealing landscape contours that gather runoff water—thus allowing it to seep into an ecologically enhanced stormwater pond. In fact, all yards were designed to exist on rainfall. Homeowners must maintain Florida-friendly landscaping practices, and new residents attend an introductory class on Florida Yards & Neighborhoods. The St. Johns Housing Partnership is the developer for The Hancock Place.
Pelican Preserve
Pelican Preserve in Lee County consists of more than 1,000 acres, more than half of which are used for recreation and preservation areas including wetlands and wildlife corridors. In addition to attending Florida Yards & Neighborhoods training, many employees lead nature walks and bird-watching tours. Residents maintain an educational butterfly garden. Pelican Preserve is a WCI community.
Connerton
Connerton is an innovative “new town” community in Pasco County. The nearly 7,000-acre community includes extensive preserved areas, a town center, a park, wildlife corridors and pedestrian trails. Common space irrigation is controlled by a “smart” device that regulates when and how much water is distributed. Irrigation water is drawn from two ponds that hold reclaimed water. Brick pavers and permeable concrete make up pedestrian paths, driveways, sidewalks and parking areas. These surfaces can be penetrated by rainwater—reducing stormwater runoff. Every new homeowner also signs a pledge to protect nature and wildlife within the community. Connerton is a community by Terrabrook Development.
Five other communities were recognized as Florida-friendly communities: Mediterra in Lee County, Willow Chase in Sarasota County, University Groves in Manatee County, Veridian in Lee County and Lakes of Mount Dora in Lake County.
For more information about FYN, visit the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Web site.
Written by:
Sarah Graddy
Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology (352) 392-1831 x244
