& What This Could Mean for Aging Infrastructure

Developers and Homebuilders are seeing increased demand from home buyers seeking the benefits of Master-planned communities throughout the nation. As a result, master-planned (also called ‘complete communities’) are gaining favor with municipalities and Delaware residents. Why? Aren’t they just like any other neighborhood? The answer is a resounding NO. Let’s start at the beginning with what a Master-planned community is.

What Is A Master-Planned Community?

Master-planned communities are designed to simultaneously enhance the lives of residents within and outside of them. Master-planned communities work like small governments and help ease the burden of local municipalities by allowing the homeowners to be responsible for their designated small piece of heaven, better known as the community. Master-planned communities are effective because several professionals in various vocational fields and expertise bring the best of community development innovation, experience, and knowledge to the table to plan the community.

Lately, the world has been inundated with the concern of aging infrastructure and the cost of labor, parts, and materials it will take to remedy and maintain clean water management and extend urban water management to areas that do not have access. Master-planned communities assist with this cost with shared responsibility and responsible governance. The word planning effectively means to be proactive. When members of a community are invested and proactive participants, it ensures a sustainable economy inside and outside of the community.

According to the Delaware Office of State Planning Coordination, 

“Master Plans are collaborative undertakings among jurisdictions, agencies, service providers, and infrastructure providers.  Master Plans are more detailed than comprehensive plans because they include buildout calculations, identification of infrastructure needs and costs, and the phasing and coordination of infrastructure provision with development.” 

Collaboration and public ideation are essential when putting together a master-planned community which is why there are several venues for public outreach and engagement during the planning process. The public is encouraged to voice opinions and become involved and invested in the outcome. There are usually several meetings before finalization to allow every voice to be heard and to analyze community feedback. One of the details future residents will want to be hammered out is what the amenities will look like.

Access to Master-Planned Amenities

Master-planned communities are known for the concept of bundling aesthetics, amenities, and beautiful homes into exceptional value for home buyers. The focus is to live the experience of recreation and less running errands. Residents can walk the neighborhood and take in the local shops, immaculate parks, and Norman Rockwell-type ambiance with small-town flavor in the largest metropolitan area. Master-planned communities offer the best of both worlds. The atmosphere is welcoming; recall that the residents are invested, and the public was invested before the plan came to fruition. It is the epitome of neighborliness. A recent poll showed the top amenities in demand and found in Master-planned communities are:

• 78% Parks
• 73% Pools
• 71% Trails
• 57% Playgrounds
• 38% Schools
• 36% Fitness Facilities
• 23% Golf Courses

Attractive amenities capture homebuyers’ attention and highlight value and stature. A 2019 report from Realtor Magazine revealed almost 73 million Americans call over 351,000 master-planned communities home – and that number is growing. Why is this important? It is important because:

Over $96 billion is collected annually in homeowner assessments which funds essential maintenance, including infrastructure, in master-planned communities.

Read that again. The staggering contribution of master-planned communities relieves city and state governments (and taxpayers) from fiscal hardships. Master-planned communities are self-sufficient in maintaining roads, removing trash, maintaining common areas, and ferreting funds in reserve assessments for capital improvements, infrastructure, and those beautiful amenities such as parks. Master-planned communities empower the government to capitalize on resources that enhance the quality of life. Many local governments require home builders to create a master-planned community. Building new home developments change the landscape, so part of a comprehensive master-planned community addresses urban stormwater management and infrastructure; that is where we can help.

Infrastructure & Stormwater in Master-Planned Communities

Master-planned communities offer a robust network of builders at the helm, steering developments that align with the good life and balancing work and home. This complex task includes transportation, infrastructure, and stormwater management, which are things seldom thought about by home buyers distracted by amenities. Instead, the job is left to the home builders, developers, and city ordinances, to protect residents’ lives and community assets. The Western Planner emphasized:

“[…] Public entities are placing a greater emphasis on creating master plans to address the health and safety and regulatory requirements associated with the management of stormwater, as well as the ongoing financial considerations that result from the construction and maintenance of storm drainage systems. The planning profession is well-suited to add value to these planning efforts.”

A point of consideration is reducing toxins that flow from urban lawns, through streets, by curbs, and into the drainage system to be received by a lake, stream, river, or another water source. This flow is untreated. Disturbing the land by constructing developments changes the landscape on many levels. This short video by Practical Engineering explains the effects in detail.

Trenchless Technology & Low Impact Development Save Money for Homebuilders of Master-Planned Communities

The brilliance of master-planned communities is the infrastructure, drainage, and stormwater management are optimized in detailed plans that allow trenchless technology to shine and save considerable money. Low-impact development utilizes natural spaces such as ditches to guide runoff and control water flow. Trenchless technology works with low-impact development strategies by preserving the environment’s integrity.  
Standard Pipe Services helps developers plan efficient, cost-effective, trenchless methods to achieve low-impact development goals. Contact us today to assist in developing your project with geotechnical surveys, infrastructure strategy mapping, and best practices for your master-planned community. Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and join the conversation!