Steve Nygren knew he had to protect the land that was his backyard, but he didn't yet know what that looked like. Always the hospitality man, Steve brought his neighbors together over dinners and homemade desserts to create the Chattahoochee Hill Country Alliance, which started the process of determining what everyone wanted and what their best option was for preservation and development. 

Questions Answered

What was going on globally, nationally in 2000?

When you knew you were going to build Serenbe, what kind of rules did you have to change?

How did you implement the 70-30 Development Rule?

How did you approve rezoning, development and preservation plans when Fulton County's approval departments were all separate and didn't make determinations based on other departments' needs?

What was the Public Works Department against the Chatt Hills development plan?

How does this environmentally-friendly way of developing allow for more housing than traditional sprawl division?

What does clustered development mean for the future?

Why was it important to incorporate Transfer Development Rights? How do they work?

People + Organizations Mentioned

Living Machines

Microsoft

Nature Conservancy

Quinn Nygren

South Fulton Parkway

Phill Tabb

John Todd

Toyota Prius

Ted Turner

University of Georgia 

Atlanta Public Works Department

Charles, Prince of Wales

Chattahoochee Hill Country Alliance

Environmental Council of the States

Jane Fonda 

Fulton County Economic Development

Fulton County Planning Department

Georgia Conservancy

Al Gore

iPhone

The new book, Start In Your Own Backyard, is out and available for ordering. 

Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!

Learn more about Serenbe and see our Events Calendar. Order your copy of Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense by Serenbe founder Steve Nygren.