Conventional community planning in the U.S. has neglected the long-term environmental, economic, and social impacts of development. As awareness of the importance of balancing these impacts with society’s housing needs has grown, there has been increased demand for sustainable development. Our client, The Limoneira Company, has incorporated environmental stewardship into its latest project, the development of East Area 1, a 508-acre community in Santa Paula, California.

Limoneira asked us to join their team of planning and design professionals as sustainability experts. We provide specific recommendations of actions to make East Area 1 a sustainable community. Our group conducted site visits to East Area 1 and Santa Paula, consulted with experts, performed a literature review, and used calculations and models to provide 19 recommendations in six sectors:

~ Building Materials
~ Energy
~ Landscape Management
~ Solid Waste
~ Transportation
~ Water

We also make three additional recommendations addressing sustainable development as an ongoing process.

This endeavor is the first of its kind at this size for Ventura County, and can be a role model for future sustainable urban development projects. Constructing and operating a sustainable development is a dynamic process, and we hope these recommendations are continually evaluated to meet the needs of future generations.

Layout of East Area 1 ___________________________________ Sustainability Recommendations ___________________________________ Final Report Project Brief   ___________________________________ For More Information ___________________________________ Maps of East Area 1 East Area 1 www.eastarea1.com/index.html Limoneira Company www.limoneira.com City of Santa Paula www.ci.santa-paula.ca.us County of Ventura portal.countyofventura.org __________________________________ Group Project Members limoneira@bren.ucsb.edu

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