Summary: The Communities by Design team recently completed a Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) report in Virginia Beach. Over the course of the three-day visit, the team worked with community members, city officials and staff, and local stakeholders to address a wide range of issues, from the preservation of local agriculture to the creation of a more sustainable regional transit system.

This detail from the SDAT Report shows planning to accommodate pedestrians and bicycles in concert with motor vehicles

The national team of experts included Wayne Feiden, FAICP (team leader); Susan Hickey, AIA (urban design); Aaron Helfand (visioning); Matt Mayrl (green economy); Keith Wilson (transportation and transit); and Michael McGrath, AICP (agriculture).

Virginia Beach’s dedication to sustainability was recognized recently with their designation as a Virginia Municipal League Green Certified Community, which is a statewide, nonprofit, nonpartisan association of city, town, and county governments that assists local governments through legislative advocacy, research, education, and other services. Earlier this year, Virginia Beach’s initial application to the SDAT program signaled their desire to continue this commitment to sustainability through proactive community-wide planning for the future, and the SDAT program was excited by the opportunity to help the city meet this challenge.

A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the team's findings and recommendations is available on the Communities by Design Web site. The final report from the SDAT will be available within the next few months. For more information on the SDAT program, e-mail Erin Simmons, director, AIA Design Assistance.