Preserving Beauty Innovative Land Planning Awarded NORTH WALES, PA Westrum Development Co. can't take all the credit for a special recognition award for the innovative land planning presented by the Montgomery County Planning Commission. A beautiful site with woods, open fields, and a pond inspired the winning land plan at Wooded Pond, a small cluster development of 32 single-family homes outside Philadelphia in Lower Gwynedd Township, Pennsylvania. The award recognizes the design and dedication of open space in local communities. The builder/developer had to follow new guidelines for cluster development, as well as respond to the local municipality's strict tree preservation and replacement ordinances. Landscape Architect/Land Planner E. Van Ricker of North Wales, PA created innovative solutions to solve the site's constraints and maximize its natural amenities. For example, new plantings and existing woodlands buffer the 35-acre community from an adjacent paint testing facility and reduce noise from a nearby highway. Minimal earth moving and grading preserved the site's existing topography. "Our goal was to build around the environment, not through it," explained John Westrum, President of the Westrum Development Co. "We spent countless hours tagging over 4,000 trees and planting new ones." An enlarged pond serves as the community's focal point and incorporates a storm management facility. A gazebo near the pond provides a gathering place for residents. Future nature trail connections will link the community's open space with other township areas.