Connecting Community at Devon Creek
Devon Creek Community is a neighborhood with a vibrant diversity of housing types in East Lampeter Township. Once construction is complete, residents will be able to enjoy the benefits of this smart growth community, including its walkability and the preservation of open spaces.
As a Planned Traditional Neighborhood Community, Keystone Custom Homes and our RGS team designed Devon Creek with a focus on community connection. The site master plan includes a community park with a playground, tot lot, pavilion, picnic area, and open fields.
The RGS team’s goal was to help the township offer a new neighborhood development option that encouraged efficient land use, connected open space, diversity of housing, and a commercial component, all centered around the preservation of a natural stream corridor. Throughout the evolution of the neighborhood design concept, guiding principles helped to emphasize the importance of streetscape, views, and the availability of public gathering spaces to strengthen the sense of community at Devon Creek.
Utilizing Smart Growth Principles to Allow for Targeted Density
The scale and complexity of the project required a team capable of working closely with various review agencies for zoning, land development and permitting approvals. RGS navigated and utilized a new and complex ordinance of the township for smart growth design and variety of housing. In utilizing the smart growth traditional development ordinance, our team was able to achieve targeted density of multiple housing types and commercial uses.
Preservation of Natural Features to Allows for Site Amenities
A stream bisecting the Devon Creek site gave RGS the opportunity to create a unique site amenity while also preserving a natural feature by integrating the stream into the open space for the community to enjoy. The series of open spaces throughout the community, including a community building situated along the stream, are connected by walking trails.
Devon Creek is also designed to generate natural interactions among residents. The community will feature an abundance of trees, meandering walking paths, and a common area known as The Green at Devon Creek, creating outside living as an extension of the home.
With the urban style of traditional development, the RGS team was tasked with creating innovative ways to manage stormwater using a combination of surface and underground stormwater detention below parking lots for efficient land use. Our team creatively designed the surface detention to double as open space for the community with walking trails and seating areas along its edges.
