We shouldn’t need LEED-ND, but we do

For over four years as a Core Committee member representing CNU, I participated in the drafting of LEED-ND. It was mind-numbing, complicated, and tedious. All the time I thought to myself we shouldn’t need a rating system to design a good neighborhood.

But as I fly around America looking down at the disintegrated, disagregated, dysfunctional patterns of sprawl destroying this beautiful land, or as I sit in public hearing after public hearing listening to disjointed and disingenuous diatribes against sensible development I realize that though I wish we didn’t need LEED-ND, we do.

• LEED-ND is a shield for right-minded developers because its standards for compact, high-density development will protect them from NIMBY’s masquerading as environmentalists.


• LEED-ND is a beacon for homebuyers looking for real neighborhoods because it will differentiate them from phony subdivisions wrapped up in marketing hype.


• LEED-ND is a filter for public policy makers and approval authorities because it will enable them to tell good development from bad.


• LEED-ND is an accellerant to speed adoption of new urbanism across a broader market.


• LEED-ND is a bonanza for qualified new urbanists because it will make our expertise and skills valued.

I urge all CNU members to VOTE YES on LEED-ND.