Benefits of Conservation Development

More than Just Open Space Land Planning

Watching the deer along the tree line at dusk, strolling through the walking trails amidst coneflowers, or simply listening to the fall breezes flow through the prairie grasses as you sip your cup of coffee on the patio…those are the sights and sounds of conservation development. From embracing the natural elements of a parcel of land to ensuring wildlife and natural vegetation are protected for generations to come…that’s the Siepmann Difference. It started with early PUD’s (Planned Unit Development) like Willaura in Brookfield and Woodfield Village in Merton and evolved into modern developments along the Ice Age Trail like Hawksnest in Delafield or the Preserve at Hunters Lake in Ottawa. Our approach to conservation development embraces Southeast Wisconsin’s finest natural resources.

Explore the interactive image to the right or keep reading to find out more about our Conservation Style Land Development.

Aerial view of a Siepmann conservation style development
Aerial view of a Siepmann conservation style development

Creative & Artistic Approach to Land Planning

The Benefits of Conservation Development

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Enjoy the View Because You “Own” It

Buy a half acre, but own 50 acres. When you choose a Siepmann community, the conservation space is yours to enjoy and use. Included in the cost of your private lot, you’ll appreciate the immense value of Siepmann conservation style development.
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Maintain Less, Enjoy More

A sense of space that makes sense for your life. You don’t have to own 20 acres to feel like you live in the country. Spend less time mowing, weeding, and trimming your giant lot. Enjoy more time on the things you love in life.
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Enhanced Property Value

Conservation development can enhance property values and resale appeal should you ever wish to sell your home. Future buyers appreciate the privacy and open conservation buffers between homes when considering a purchase in a Siepmann community.
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Less Construction Impact

Development and construction can be tough on natural surroundings. Our erosion control oversight and stormwater management throughout each development seeks to minimize that impact. Regular site visits by John ensures that erosion is kept in check and natural areas are protected.
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Attractive Roadways & Fencing

To follow the natural topography of the land, we often use curvy rather than linear roads. While this allows for fewer lots, it adds significant curb appeal, interest, and value. Decorative fencing and other landscape elements are added to clearly define common areas from private homesites.

“Nature Created It. We Just Made it Home.”

Conservation Design…Taking Green Space Much Further.

Lots for Sale With More Than Just Open Space

Many developers tout the concept of open or green space in their subdivisions. While embracing this principal is a good concept, Siepmann neighborhoods set the bar higher. At Siepmann Realty, we believe that the concept of open space must extend further, conserving natural elements of the land itself, while developing areas for plant and animal wildlife to thrive in and around the community. Here’s some of the key differences:

Other Developer’s Open Space Plan

Siepmann Realty Conservation Design

Streets & Lots First

Subdivision design starts with street locations, lot placement, and recreational areas, viewing green space as an element that fits between or around the homesites as an added value.
VS.

Streets & Lots Last

Our Conservation style planning starts with the natural features of the land by identifying topography, vegetation, woodlands, wetlands, and other elements that should be preserved, then homesites are positioned between or around these elements.

Water Management

Stormwater retention ponds are designed after the streets giving them unnatural geometric shapes with sterile vegetation manicured to the waterline.
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Water as a Resource

While more complex to construct and manage, our stormwater management facilities are also designed as complete biosystems for ongoing wildlife and natural water management, not just stormwater.

Unmanaged Vegetation

While “natural” vegetation could be considered good, it can also include many invasive species, which if not managed, can become a nuisance to the biosystem.
VS.

Managed Vegetation

We prefer the use of the term ``managed vegetation,`` protecting existing trees and fostering the growth of prairies, wildflowers, and grasses which add value instead of runaway, invasive growth in our communities.

Over Manicuring

Manicuring of entire open spaces is labor intensive and costly to the environment as chemical applications are left unchecked and released into environmentally sensitive areas.
VS.

Minimal Maintenance

Minimized manicuring allows for less chemical application and more natural areas. A win-win. Less costly to you, the homeowner, and the environment.

Nature as an Afterthought

Natural features of the land are destroyed in conventional developments because they were not incorporated into the land plan.
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Nature is at the Center

While it is more costly, conservation development values our natural resources and protects the overall property value over time.

Inaccessible Neighborhood Facilities

Community facilities are located an inconvenient drive from the neighborhood.
VS.

Community Gathering Areas

Common amenities like rec centers, pathways, and playgrounds are attractive gathering areas which alleviate the need for the municipality to purchase and develop these facilities plus these are great places to meet your neighbors.

Conservation Design…Taking Green Space Much Further.

Lots for Sale With More Than Just Open Space

Many developers tout the concept of open or green space in their subdivisions. While embracing this principal is a good concept Siepmann neighborhoods set the bar higher. At Siepmann Realty, we believe that the concept of open space must extend further, conserving natural elements of the land itself, while developing areas for plant and animal wildlife to thrive in and around the community. Here’s some of the key differences:

Other Developer’s Open Space Plan

VS.

Siepmann Realty Conservation Design

STREETS & LOTS FIRST

Subdivision design starts with street locations, lot placement, and recreational areas, viewing green space as an element that fits between or around the homesites as an added value.
VS

STREETS & LOTS LAST

Our Conservation style planning starts with the natural features of the land by identifying topography, vegetation, woodlands, wetlands and other elements that should be preserved, then homesites are positioned between or around these elements.

WATER MANAGEMENT

Stormwater retention ponds are designed after the streets giving them unnatural geometric shapes with sterile vegetation manicured to the waterline.
VS

WATER AS A RESOURCE

While more complex to construct and manage, our stormwater management facilities are also designed as complete biosystems for ongoing wildlife and natural water management, not just stormwater.

UNMANAGED VEGETATION

While “natural” vegetation could be considered good, it can also include many invasive species, which if not managed, can become a nuisance to the biosystem.
VS

MANAGED VEGETATION

We prefer the use of the term “managed vegetation,” protecting existing trees and fostering the growth of prairies, wildflowers and grasses which add value instead of runaway, invasive growth in our communities.

OVER MANICURING

Manicuring of entire open spaces is labor intensive and costly to the environment as chemical applications are left unchecked and released into environmentally sensitive areas.
VS

MINIMAL MAINTENANCE

Minimized manicuring allows for less chemical application and more natural areas. A win-win. Less costly to you, the homeowner and the environment.

FEW COMMON AMENITIES

To be competitive, corners are often cut in other areas such as community amenities, plant quantity and landscaping quality.
VS

COMMUNITY GATHERING AREAS

Common amenities like rec centers, pathways and playgrounds are attractive gathering areas which alleviate the need for the municipality to purchase and develop these facilities plus these are great places to meet your neighbors.

Embracing Conservation Development

Our Land Planning Process

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    DISCOVER NATURE:

    Developer and Land Planner walk the land to inventory each and every feature: natural resources, soils, topography, vegetation, and historic features on the property.

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    PLAN OPEN SPACES:

    Integrate the natural resources into protected open spaces in an initial sketch of the neighborhood layout.

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    PLAN AMENITIES:

    Plan for community amenities based on natural and recreational opportunities.

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    CIVIL ENGINEERING:

    Engage a civil engineer to design roadways and utilities, stormwater and grading plans.

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    FINALIZE DESIGN:

    Finalize development, landscape design, and homesite placement based on developer, land planner, and civil engineer input.

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    APPROVALS:

    Gain appropriate government and regulatory entitlements for development.

Shelly Basso – Homeowner & Home Builder

“Siepmann developments bring “HOME” to a community. As a homeowner and a builder, I love to be part of a Siepmann community. The details they put into their subdivisions are second to none! We love the fact that Siepmann strives for the very best architectural standards, because homeowners alike are ensured that the home built next door to them will be of the same high-quality architectural caliber that you come to expect in all Siepmann subdivisions.”

Randall Arendt – Conservation Planner and author of Rural by Design

“Using progressive design techniques, Siepmann Realty has achieved its development goals according to local ordinances, while creating much greener neighborhoods where residents can enjoy trails, woodlands, meadows, ponds, and much more. These park-like settings and environmental habitats have stood the test of time, maturing very beautifully and creating great places to live for many future generations to come.”

Randall Arendt – Conservation Planner and author of Rural by Design

“In my long experience across the country, I believe that Siepmann Realty is absolutely unique among residential developers in terms of its deep commitment to, and continuing implementation of, its philosophy of conserving quality upland (not just the unbuildable areas) through the subdivision process. While some other firms state this kind of approach among their corporate goals, the leadership and staff at Siepmann Realty take this very seriously, as one of its core guiding principles. This is not idle talk and promises – the proof has been in the pudding, so to speak, with more than 1,700 acres permanently preserved as common open space over the past several decades — much of which would have been converted to suburban lawns by most other developers.”

Jan Farber – Realtor, Realty Executives

“I have had many successful transactions with Siepmann Realty in my 27 years as a Realtor. I can always count on good communication, attention to detail on contracts, and great negotiating skills. Siepmann developments hold their value and are sought-after places to live. It is always a pleasure to sell a lot or a home in a Siepmann development.”

Quentin – Homeowner

“When my wife and I were looking to build our “dream home,” we spent a lot of time looking at various properties and found Siepmann’s developments to be unmatched in the use and amount of open, natural spaces, and high-quality design and construction of common elements. If we were going to build our dream home, then we wanted it to be in our dream neighborhood, which we found with Siepmann. We loved that we could chose our own builder, and we wanted to avoid the “cookie cutter” look that we saw with other developers. Aside from the great layouts and abundance of open space, we chose Siepmann because of the great features they tend to include in their projects, such as paved walking trails, ponds, and clubhouse and community pool. Last, but not least, we wanted to protect our investment by building in a high-quality development, and Siepmann’s developments are recognized as some of the best in southeastern Wisconsin.”

Our Conservancy Efforts in Southeast Wisconsin

Conservation Values & Family Legacies

Considering Selling Your land?

Our goal is to foster relationships with local landowners so that we may develop neighborhoods to be proud of. It’s about respecting a property that has passed down through generations and the hard work that has come with it. When that chapter ends, it’s about embracing the old farm house, silo, or barn in our conservation style of land development. Conserving history, conserving natural areas, and conserving the family legacy are paramount to our land plans.

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Our Work With the Waukesha County Land Conservancy

The mission and passion of the Waukesha County Land Conservancy is to protect environmentally significant lands in Waukesha County. Like his father, Ron, one of the founding members of the Conservancy, Jim knows his responsibility for our environment goes far beyond his role on the Board of Directors at the Conservancy or his work at Siepmann Realty Corporation. Partnering with the Waukesha County Land Conservancy, we have voluntarily established many easements which cooperatively protect lands with significant agricultural, historic, scenic, and wildlife habitat value to our region.

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Want to lean more? Contact our team to learn more about our process!

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