Scenario D

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Here, scenario builders combine the input of participants in Reality Check and One Bay with an increased focus on protecting water resources and wildlife habitat.

 

Tampa Bay – the body of water that unites the region – was recently recognized by the World Resources Institute as one of only two urban estuaries in the US classified as “systems in recovery.” Regional efforts over the last 40 years have actually reduced water pollution in the bay even as the region’s population boomed. Maintaining that recovery will be even more difficult as the region continues to grow.

 

Development in this scenario will look much like that anticipated for Scenario B but with an increased emphasis on protecting lands that have environmental value. Scenario builders combined maps from state and local organizations that identified priority habitat, then overlaid them with wetlands maps.

Construction in areas defined as wetlands and priority habitat will be avoided, even in cases where it might increase conventional sprawl. Approximately 24,000 acres are targeted for redevelopment near downtown cores, with mixed-use communities serving a diverse group of residents. Overall density will be similar to that in Scenario B, with multiple housing options available.

 

Specific benefits of Scenario D will include:

• Less than 500 acres of wetlands and priority habitat will be threatened with development.
• Scenario D also anticipates the least amount of new construction in flood plains, minimizing harm to people, property and wildlife habitat.
• Changing land uses also has a significant impact on how we use other resources, like water and electricity. For instance, fewer large lawns and a more efficient use of reclaimed water mean Scenarios B, C and D are likely to achieve a 20% reduction in water use when compared to current trends. Homes in higher-density communities also create less wastewater and stormwater and use less electricity, resulting in cleaner air and water.

 

 

 

 

 

Indicators

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