Prioritize and preserve open space

Rationale: Ensuring that a percentage of a project’s land area is reserved for open outdoor space helps protect undeveloped land, contributing to improved air quality, increased access to nature, and higher levels of physical activity — which can reduce risk of chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Requirements

Demonstrate compliance with one of the options below:

Option 1 - 25% of Total Outdoor Surface Area as Open Space (Full Credit):

Demonstrate compliance with all the following requirements:

1. Designate a minimum of 25% of the site's total outdoor surface area as open space.

Qualifying open spaces may include but are not limited to the following:

• recreation areas
• walking trails
• bike paths
• gardens
• parks or plazas
• wetlands
• greenways.

Note that roads, rooftops, and parking lots do not qualify as open spaces.

Option 2 - 15% of Total Outdoor Surface Area as Open Space (Partial Credit):

The project may achieve partial credit by demonstrating compliance with the following requirement:

1. Designate a minimum of 15% of the site’s total outdoor surface area as qualifying open space.

Qualifying open spaces may include but are not limited to the following:

• recreation areas
• walking trails
• bike paths
• gardens
• parks or plazas
• wetlands
• greenways.

Note that roads, rooftops, and parking lots do not qualify as open spaces.

Option 3 - Open Space Preservation Plan (Partial Credit):

The project may achieve partial credit by demonstrating that the project has established an open space preservation policy that meets all of the following requirements:

1. Identify developed or undeveloped land within the project that will be preserved or reclaimed for qualifying types of open space(s) during future development or redevelopment.

Qualifying open spaces may include but are not limited to the following:

• recreation areas
• walking trails
• bike paths
• gardens
• parks or plazas
• wetlands
• greenways.

Note that roads, rooftops, and parking lots do not qualify as open spaces.

2. Ensure a minimum of 15% of the site’s total outdoor surface area will qualify as open space upon development or redevelopment of the preserved or reclaimed land.

3. Share the open space preservation plan with all occupants within the project through a minimum of one of the following methods:

• a digital platform, such as a website or digital application
• communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters
• on-site displays, such as posters or digital display screens.

Compliance Documentation

Types of compliance documentation required:

• Annotated design drawings
• Annotated plans
• Calculations 
• Certified statements