Timnath goes beyond green to sustainability

By Dan MacArthur
Fossil Creek Current

While there's plenty of talk about sustainability today, Timnath wants to make it tangible by becoming the "sustainable community of choice in Northern Colorado."

That's the goal of a Sustainable Timnath Framework developed by the town to ensure that it grows green through development standards and guidelines aimed at providing incentives to developers and builders rather than heavy-handed mandates.

More than encouraging energy efficiency, alternative energy, water conservation and waste reduction, the framework also seeks to create a cohesive pedestrian-friendly Timnath with a diverse mix of housing within walking distance of stores, restaurants and offices.

"For green to work it has to be ingrained in people's lives," said Councilman Charlie Snider, an enthusiastic advocate of the effort. "We're on our way."

"If you take a step above green, it's sustainability," concurred Town Manager Becky Davidson.

The framework was drafted by a Denver-area consultant in concert with the town staff and consultation with local builders and developers. The effort earned praise from the Home Builders Association of Northern Colorado for its collaboration and flexibility in accommodating various building-science approaches while achieving the town's sustainability goals.

"Nobody has gone this far," said Jeffrey Schneider, the president of Armstead Construction and president for the home builders association. "They're kind of in the forefront of doing this."

Flexibility is indeed essential, Snider agreed, because building and energy efficiency standards are continually changing. What was considered state-of-the-art five years ago, he said, now is minimally code-compliant. "The standards just keep going up," he said.

"You use your creativity and see what you can come up with," said Davidson. "What we're trying not to do is lock it in."

The framework, among its dozen key sustainability principles, states that it seeks to "strike a balance between providing enough 'green marketing' credibility without being overly burdensome on developers and builders."

Instead, it offers a range of strategies for achieving 22 sustainability objectives that can be completed on the community and neighborhood level by next year.

Beginning in 2009, the framework will emphasize encouraging builders to incorporate a range of certified or recognized green-building standards into the homes they build. They would be encouraged to employ the most recent versions unless the changes would result in an "unreasonable cost."

Certification within the chosen green-building rating system would be encouraged but not required. Instead of certification, developers and builders also submit plans to the town for review by a certified professional to ensure they meet the town's sustainability standards. Those who don't meet the standards must take action to ensure that they do. Those who do meet the standards would also be eligible for the same incentives--replacing the traditional mandates--key to achieving the Sustainable Timnath Framework.

Incentives could include priority permitting and permit-fee deferral for those meeting the town's sustainability standards.

"The teeth is in the incentives," said Mayor Donna Benson. "We want to make it tough not to do it. What we want to do is not be stupid how we implement it."

She said additional incentives also are needed for encouraging residents of the original town to embrace the sustainability standards through landscaping and home improvements.

Following adoption, Benson said, the town staff will "sit down and put some of the specifics to it." Davidson estimated it could take three to six months for that process before the Sustainable Timnath Framework would be implemented.