Conservation Subdivision Design (CSD) is a development strategy that can help communities manage their growth and preserve open space and natural areas in residential housing developments. Unlike conventional subdivisions, CSD concentrates home construction on only a portion of a site in order to protect sensitive and valuable open space, habitat, and other environmental resources. Natural Lands Trust is a non-profit conservation organization that is a leader in the field of conservation design. Natural Lands Trust have developed Growing Greener: Conservation by Design ordinances that have been adopted by many communities in southeastern Pennsylvania.

The Smart Growth Project Database is an application that tracks a variety of noteworthy development projects throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region. The database focuses on three types of Smart Growth projects: development near transit, traditional neighborhood development (TND), and conservation subdivisions. These types of development were selected because they often embody several of the core principles of Smart Growth: Providing a mix of land uses, Creating a range of housing options, Preserving open space, farmland, and critical environmental areas, Creating walkable neighborhoods, and

Providing a variety of transportation choices. This database is meant to serve as a quick and convenient reference tool for planners, local officials, and citizens who are interested in Smart Growth. It includes projects that are proposed, in progress, and complete. The details of proposed developments are subject to change and projects will be updated and added as new information becomes available. The inclusion of any particular project within this application does not serve as an endorsement by DVRPC or its partner agencies. Furthermore, this application focuses on recent developments because they are the most relevant to today's real estate and economic climate.