Planning services at Rolling Raven, LLC are a bit out of the box. Our approach is sustainable, and our unique services show it. We have designed a ground breaking sustainability analysis that is specific to planners, developers and decisionmakers at the project level. Included with this anaysis is a decisionmaking matrix that matches community needs with developer objectives. You won't find this service anywhere else.
We also offer land use analysis and land suitability analysis in the tradition of Ian McHarg. These methods are invaluable to the land use planning process and don't require a expensive mapping programs to produce.
We firmly believe in designing with nature and have found that when we work closely with nature sustainability happens.
Our Approach
Our sustainability work is based on a European model of sustainability that includes 5 principles (or goals). This model dovetails nicely with McHarg's work. Below are the 5 goals and a brief explaination of each. Learn more about the model and the way it is used by clcking here.
Our Planning Services Include
- Land Use Planning
- Environmental Planning
- Evironmental Impact Analysis
- Sustainability Analysis
- Land Use Analysis
- Land Suitability Analysis
- Decisionmaking for Sustainability
A few planning links:
American Planning Association (APA)
Cyburbia: The Urban Planning Portal
New Urban News
Planetizen
Urban Land Institute
Land Development Today
Smart Growth Network
Town and Country Planning (UK)
UN Sustainable Development
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For development to be sustainable, there are 5 goals that should guide all decisions concerning future development and in persuit of which effective policies need to be developed.
5 Principles (goals) of Sustainability
- Resource Conservation: To ensure the supply of natural resources for present and future generations through the efficient use of land, less wasteful use of non-renewable resources, their substitution by renewable resources wherever possible, and the maintenance of biological diversity.
- Built Development: To ensure that development and use of the built environment respects and is in harmony with the natural environment, and that the relationship between the two is designed to be one of balance and mutual enhancement.
- Environmental Quality: To prevent or reduce processes that degrade or pollute the environment, to protect the regenerative capacity of ecosystems, and to prevent developments that are detrimental to human health or that deminish the quality of life.
- Social Equity: To prevent any development that increases the gap between rich and poor and to encourage development that reduces social inequality.
- Political Participation: Change values, attitudes and behaviiour by increasing participation in political decisionmaking and in initiating environmental improvements at all levels from the local community upwards.
