Central Keystone Living Spring 2017 - 14
Sunflower Fields
S
unflower Fields is a Development Supported Agriculture workforce housing
development which will provide 35 single family detached homes for rent,
including four fully accessible homes. This unique development concept is the
culmination of a variety of partnerships and effective land use planning strategies
utilized to promote sustained livability with long-term affordability.
The developers of Sunflower Fields include Monarch Development Group, LLC, and
Affordable Housing Associates of Dauphin County, Inc., an IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization (and affiliate of the Dauphin County Housing Authority). The developers
began their search for an appropriate development site by recognizing the need to
educate lower income households about the importance of healthy living, including
where food comes from; how to garden successfully; the crucial role of pollinators;
food preparation and cooking strategies to eat healthy and to maximize the use of
food crops; canning and preserving foods; outdoor exercise through gardening; and
community involvement.
Fortunately, the developers were able to secure an 18.9-acre parcel of land in an
amenity-rich location in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County. The site is an infill
parcel, the last remaining fragment of what was once a much larger farm which has
been subdivided and developed and is now surrounded on all sides by moderate to
high value residential development.
Sunflower Fields was designed in full compliance with the zoning ordinance as a
Conservation Subdivision, a permitted use which allows for relatively small lot sizes
in exchange for setting aside a portion of the site for permitted conservation uses
(open space, horticultural, recreation, etc.). The Conservation Subdivision zoning is
well-suited to incorporating the community garden, educational programming, and even
a viable habit for pollinators. The majority of the site is in the conservation area, with
the remaining portion to contain 3 one-bedroom, 3 two-bedroom, 25 three-bedroom,
and 4 four-bedroom single-family detached homes on individual lots. Renters will
have the ability to purchase their home at the end of the initial 15 year compliance
period, a programmatic requirement of the Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit
program. The single family detached homes and a Community Building have been
intentionally designed to evoke "agricultural"/farmhouse themes, including front
porches, cultured stone accents, PVC roof brackets, decorative vents, and spindrels,
as well as a cupola, weathervane, and trellis on the community building. The homes
will be highly efficient, achieving a 55 HERS rating.
The "centerpiece" of Sunflower Fields is the Community Building and Community
Garden, both of which will work to support the personal well-being of its residents
via a variety of initiatives. Whereas the Development Supported Agriculture approach
has generally been applied to moderate and upper income homes, the gardening aspect
of Sunflower Fields will offer lower-income residents the ability to eat healthy, "farm
to table" meals on a low or fixed budget.
14
Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2017
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Central Keystone Living Spring 2017
Central Keystone Living Spring 2017 - 1
Central Keystone Living Spring 2017 - 2
Central Keystone Living Spring 2017 - 3
Central Keystone Living Spring 2017 - 4
Central Keystone Living Spring 2017 - 5
Central Keystone Living Spring 2017 - 6
Central Keystone Living Spring 2017 - 7
Central Keystone Living Spring 2017 - 8
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Central Keystone Living Spring 2017 - 19
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Central Keystone Living Spring 2017 - 21
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Central Keystone Living Spring 2017 - 39
Central Keystone Living Spring 2017 - 40
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/CentralKeystoneLiving/CentralKeystoneLivingFall2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/CentralKeystoneLiving/CentralKeystoneLivingSpring2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/CentralKeystoneLiving/Fall2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/CentralKeystoneLiving/Spring2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/CentralKeystoneLiving/CentralKeystoneLivingFall2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/CentralKeystoneLiving/Spring2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/CentralKeystoneLiving/Fall2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/CentralKeystoneLiving/CentralKeystoneLiving
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