SOMO Village Spring 2011 Update

Now that the discretionary entitlements are in place, the Sonoma Mountain Village Development Team are working on the final master plan documentation and community infrastructure. One of the major initiatives at present is to craft the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R’s) which play a major part of any large-scale mixed use development. They are an important tool to ensure a harmonious lifestyle for all.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SOMO VILLAGE

When can I live at Sonoma Mountain Village?
Now that the discretionary entitlements are in place, the Development Team is working on the documentation, infrastructure and regulatory approvals to ensure we are prepared to break ground when the economy allows for new home building to begin. We plan to be ready by 2012. Please register your interest in buying or renting a home, apartment, or condominium on the website and you’ll be the first to receive announcements. And if you’ve already done so, thank you!

What is going to be in the community, and what’s mixed-use?
Mixed use development is the use of a set of buildings, or neighborhood, for more than one purpose. When jobs, housing, and commerical activities are located close together, a community’s transportation options increase. Mixed-use development provides a range of commerical and residential unit sizes and options. Sonoma Mountain Village will include homes for sale and rent, a town square, farmers markets, neighborhood parks, miles of walking paths, grocery and locally owned stores, small hotel, community civic center, fitness center, all-weather soccer field, public safety, electric vehicle charging stations, bike and car sharing programs, a One Planet Living Center and Lifestyle Concierge for networking, education and information about global best practices.

Why should I locate my business here?
To quote Comcast, “Comcast is constantly looking for ways to improve the lives of its employees and customers. Our service center at Sonoma Mountain Village is the first LEED certified facility in the Comcast Corporation nationwide and was certified at the highest level. We hope that our employees and customers will be encouraged to learn more about sustainability”.
As a business, if you want to delve deeper check out the Winter 2011 Research Report by MIT Sloan Management Review and The Boston Consulting Group. Entitled Sustainability: The ‘Embracers’ Seize Advantage it reveals two distinct camps: ‘embracers’ and ‘cautious adopters’ in how fast businesses are adopting sustainability-driven management.

How much does it cost and where’s the value in green building?
With so many variables at both ends of the spectrum – there is no clear cut answer. Are you evaluating life-cycle, materials and/or impacts? Incorporating green building techniques and materials from the start provides the best investment value. What values are most important to you as an individual, family, business or professional? A wealth of resource publications for Homes and Communities, Construction, Forestry, Framing, Paper, General, Business and Retail are available on the web at BioRegional. Determine the values most important to you to arrive at your own personal conclusion.

What’s different about Sonoma Mountain Village?
Sonoma Mountain Village is set to prove that we can address our planet’s biggest environmental challenges while living well and thriving. Can we have it all? They think so.