As urban areas expand, communities want to preserve open lands and environmentally sensitive areas, and mitigate environmental problems related to development. Clarion has developed land preservation strategies and environmental mitigation plans for communities, and worked in cooperation with government agencies throughout the country. Here are brief descriptions of some of these projects: Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse Collaborative Planning Process - Colorado Department of Natural Resources In 1997, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service initiated a one-year process to list the Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse as an endangered species under the federal Endangered Species Act. Clarion Associates led a team of nine consulting firms to coordinate response to the proposed listing and to develop collaborative planning for habitat protection. The goal was to negotiate a flexible plan to protect habitat while reducing regulatory burdens on Colorado land owners and residents. Client: State of Colorado High Plateau Conservation Study, Douglas County, Colorado In one of the fastest growing counties in the country, residential development is moving onto ranch lands and highly-visible bluffs and plateaus. Clarion Associates led a consulting team to address the issue by soliciting citizen comments, conducting environmental and visual analysis, evaluating future development patterns, developing preservation strategy alternatives, and drafting site-specific recommendations. Client: Douglas County East Metro Area Open Space Plan Colorado is known for its wide-open spaces; so various government agencies have worked to preserve open lands east of Denver. Clarion and a team of other consultants developed plans to preserve more than 17,000 acres of property that is owned by several public entities and quasi-public agencies in two different political jurisdictions. We evaluated legal problems, developed a master plan, drafted intergovernmental agreements, and set an implementation plan. Client: Colorado Open Lands Sensitive Lands Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan and Growth Management Strategy, Park City, Utah In the high-alpine and desert environments of northern Utah, the residents of Park City were intent on preserving wetlands, stream corridors, ridgelines, and other natural resources. Clarion Associates drafted an ordinance to protect sensitive areas. The ordinance won a statewide award from the Utah Planning Association. Subsequently, we were hired to rewrite the city's comprehensive plan which is focusing on growth management techniques. Client: City of Park City Sensitive Lands Protection Standards, Salt Lake County, Utah Salt Lake County extends from the high mountains of the Wasatch Range to the Great Salt Desert and contains a wide variety of environments. Clarion Associates developed sensitive lands protection standards for the region, including strategies for wildlife habitat preservation. Client: Salt Lake County Feasibility Report on Transferable Development Rights, Blaine County, Idaho Fast-growing Blaine County is home to the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, numerous national forests, and the resort communities of Sun Valley and Ketchum. To provide new strategies for land preservation, Clarion Associates conducted a study to determine the feasibility of implementing an innovative Transferable Development Rights program. We studied local real estate markets, including potential demand for high-density housing, county population and employment projections, and applicable land-use regulations. Working closely with county planners and a citizens' advisory committee, Clarion determined TDRs were feasible. Client: Blaine County