Green Living

The process of receiving Certified Green Development designation from the prestigious Florida Green Building Coalition involves a comprehensive green effort within six specific categories:

• Protect Ecosystems and Conserve Natural Resources
• Green Circulation System
• Green Practices
• Amenities
• Covenants and Deed Restrictions
• Provide Educational Information to Help Achieve and Promote Living Practices

Oakland Park has been designed to achieve the designation of Green Development Certification by the FGBC. The roads, the building areas, the utility placements were designed in such a way as to preserve as many significant trees as possible. In addition to tree preservation, an arborist was commissioned to oversee the relocation of a large number of mature trees, creating instant foundations to the many public park areas within Oakland Park. The expertise of The Friends of Lake Apopka and the St. Johns River Water Management District, as well as a number of private environmental firms were utilized in order to develop and implement a shoreline plant restoration plan along Lake Apopka and Lake Brim. A plan which will not only aid in the healthy recovery of the lakes but also provide the residents of Oakland Park with a community space to enjoy nature, walking, jogging or magnificent sunsets.

By using native drought tolerant plants, Oakland Park’s landscape design minimizes water, pesticide and fertilizer usage. Utilities such as reuse water lines and dark sky lighting were installed. Fiber optic cabling is in place in order to provide the residents with a technological infrastructure that minimizes the need for retrofitting for decades to come. Various “hot spots” will allow Oakland Park residents to stay connected while enjoying the great outdoors.

Community gardens, swimming pool, tennis court, parks, playgrounds, and event venues will provide the residents with an abundance of activities and events within walking distance from their homes. Currently Oakland Park requires all of the homes within the community to be built to FGBC green certification standards, ensuring that the community is earth friendly, affordable to operate, and pleasant to live in.

The Oakland Park Foundation has been established to foster the kind of local engagement and community pride found in small towns across the country. Environmental education and civic responsibility are chief among the goals of the foundation, reflecting the community’s great pride in the land and its spirit of preservation.

For more information on Green Developments, please visit the Florida Green Building Coalition website at www.floridagreenbuilding.org.

Greenwise Community^TM

• The Vision

• Green Living

• Founders
• About Castle and Cooke

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