About
the South Village Community

Aiken Street Flats is nestled within the quaint South Village community, located off of Spear Street in South Burlington, Vermont.

South Village is a model community in northwestern Vermont demonstrating in living proof how careful and well thought out development strategies can combine community, land stewardship and sustainability.

The neighborhood has three key elements that work together to bring this about:

  • South Village is an ‘Agrihood’
  • South Village is a ‘Conservation Community’
  • South Villages is a ‘TND’, which is short for a community of Traditional Neighborhood Design.

An ‘Agrihood’ is a development which is centered on an agricultural feature or hub. South Village has at its center an Organic Farm of roughly 13 acres.

The Farm is operated through a partnership with Common Roots; a non-for-profit local organization supporting food security locally. Common Roots employs a full time Lead Farmer, a seasonal full time farmer, interns and volunteers all who farm the land and grow produce for an on-site Farms Stand. Residents support the Farm by purchasing fresh produce grown at the Farm 8-9 months of the year. Resident programs include rearing chickens and gardening in raised beds on the farm with voluntary enrollment.

A ‘Conservation Community’ begins with the initial design of the neighborhood; taking into consideration all of the natural resources on site and the impacts development will have both on and off site in the layout of the site.

The neighborhood’s Bylaws govern the land and its use to perpetuate land conservation. South Village has over 130 acres of combined upland, meadow, forests, ponds, and marshes held in conservation in perpetuity. All storm water from homes in the development flow into ponds and streams on site through grass swales established with careful planning. The use of fertilizers and pesticides are forbidden in the Bylaws, hence the water quality in the streams and ponds is viable habitat for many species of wildlife. The 130 acres of conservation land is actively managed by a Stewardship Board funded through a .05% contribution from every home sale that occurs in the neighborhood. The funds are used to support agriculture and open land conservation measures including the control of invasive growth and habitat restoration for local species. The open land is a great resource for quiet pursuits of walking, x-country skiing and snowshoeing. Pets are not allowed in conservation land for its preservation.

A ‘TND’ has a design structure that includes homes set close together, connected by a network of streets, alleys sidewalks and recreation paths.

This type of layout encourages a walkable neighborhood. A Design Review committee ensures all homes are designed with neighborhood friendly features, such as open front porches & gracious welcoming entries. The proximity of homes to sidewalks combines with architectural features creates the opportunity for neighbor-to-neighbor connection. Shared green spaces located within the neighborhood are additional places for gathering and recreation. On any visit to South Village, it’s very common to see neighbors walking and stopping to catch up with one another. A mix of homes types, styles and values are offered at South Village; including custom Single Family, Cottages, Townhomes, Condominiums and Apartments. The style and variety of homes creates a diverse demographic with something for everyone of various stages in life.

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