Sky - Development for homeowners off the grid

[30ashopper]

Could it be possible that the beach is not a consideration?:shock:
I would love to hear your suggestions.

Tents with cots and a water well? :funn:

I sense this is another development conceived during the heady days of the bubble, odds are we'll never see it come to life.

 

[WestFLFriend]

I think eco-based living is an excellent avenue to pursue. In looking at the plan, I think most of it looks like a typical TND development. It has a European flavor to it.

I personally think it will take 25-30 years to fully implement this plan based on it's scale, density, and location. Based on it's proximity to the Ecofina Spring, I think one of the biggest challenges will be keep pesticides, herbicides etc. from the garding operations from entering the aquifer in that area.

Here is an ecological thought, why don't they place wind mills/generators in the garden areas to harvest wind energy too.

 

[Pirate]

http://www.waltonsun.com/articles/town_1007___article.html/white_allow.html

By Joyce Owen
March 12, 2008

I don't think a solar powered golf cart will make it the 50 miles to Publix. What a complete waste of public and private money. Let the thread die, because this project is doomed.

 

[Matt J]

For the record it is Econfina springs. ;-)

 

[TheSheep]

I don't think a solar powered golf cart will make it the 50 miles to Publix. What a complete waste of public and private money. Let the thread die, because this project is doomed.

The thread should die because you think a solar powered cart won't go 50 miles and the project might die?

 

[TheSheep]

I think eco-based living is an excellent avenue to pursue. In looking at the plan, I think most of it looks like a typical TND development. It has a European flavor to it.

I personally think it will take 25-30 years to fully implement this plan based on it's scale, density, and location. Based on it's proximity to the Ecofina Spring, I think one of the biggest challenges will be keep pesticides, herbicides etc. from the garding operations from entering the aquifer in that area.

Here is an ecological thought, why don't they place wind mills/generators in the garden areas to harvest wind energy too.

Wind is problematic in that region, in Florida in general. Small wind may make sense though.

Yes, towns grow and really never stop evolving, 25 years is a short time all in all.

 

[TheSheep]

So anyhoo - does anyone think that the current gas prices and food scares/prices have created more of a demand for places like Sky or is it a crazy idea?

High density, planned communities will flourish due to ever-escalating oil prices, the move to sustainability, and the states who will continue to support (as they did Seaside) concepts which lower the infrastructure costs. It is a given; now whether Sky is the or a right development remains to be seen. They are cutting a new demographic model in many ways.

There is also confusion from the website, press releeases, etc Who does the farming? Will there be local water by well? Dozens of others (I may have missed a few of the answers).

My thoughts. This

http://www.atsltd.co.uk/media/pictures/

could be the revolutionizing transportation solving problem solver, er, solution.

 

[scooterbug44]

Traditional neighborhoods are definitely the way to go - new studies are showing how living in them reduces your weight too, but if you're just using them as a new suburb design I think it defeats the purpose.

I think that affordable cars/vehicles w/ high mileage or that run on biofuels will be more of a solution than an expensive fixed transport device like that.

 

[TheSheep]

Traditional neighborhoods are definitely the way to go - new studies are showing how living in them reduces your weight too, but if you're just using them as a new suburb design I think it defeats the purpose.

I think that affordable cars/vehicles w/ high mileage or that run on biofuels will be more of a solution than an expensive fixed transport device like that.

The PRT systems, this one in particular, when planned into a new Xurban design, are the least expensive to operate considerng the cost of roads used heavily. The key is NOT to elevate them. The stations can be gridded to allow for no longer than a 1/4 mile max walk to each self-defined, one stop pod. Wait time is seconds, two minutes tops. Stops can be anywhere along any route such as individual store clusters, parks, schools, etc. 7.5 years of non tax abated passenger fares will pay the system off except ofr ongoing maintenance. If you replace buses and other forms of tax abated travel, tax abate the PRT, then the pax can travel for free or so cheaply that the PRT system is unbeatable.

Assuming this is true above, the impact is immense. People don't bike or walk great distances in hordes, 1/3 of the time weather is non permitting or invasive. Walk/bike systems have never been but partial answers and only for the ambulatory few. Retail will not allow anything else except near direct access.

I have no financial interest in PRT btw.

 

[TheSheep]

I am going to email Ms. Sanford and request a visit with her on the Sky site, I have interest and will report toward the mid-August moon the outcome of said visit.