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Environmentally FriendlyFirst green subdivision in Highland VillagePam KingPublished 08/06/2009 - 11:16 a.m. CST

L to R: Marnie Peterson, wife of Darrin Peterson, Vaughn Andrus, Texas Land Development, Victor Myers, Victor Myers Custom Homes,Sue Thompson, Community Development Manager, HV, Jack Oppel, Bud Bartley Homes, Patrick Davis, HV Councilman, Darrin Peterson,partner, Texas Land Development, Wayne Atkins, Sterling Brook Custom Homes, LLC, Mayor Dianne Costa, Jeff Crannell, Crannell,Crannell & Martin, Don Combs, partner, Texas Land Development, Robert Gravley, Gravley Construction, Janet Combs, wife of DonCombs and Michael Leavitt, HV City Manager.

On Tuesday morning, July 30, Texas Land Development Partners Don Combs and Darrin Peterson

hosted the Grand Opening of the latest Texas Land Development Community and Highland Villages

newest, premier subdivision, Highland Oaks (www.highlandoakshv.com). Even the early morning tornado-

strength winds and drenching rains cleared long enough for the developers, select builders, Bud Bartley

Homes, Sterling Brook Custom Homes, LLC and Victor Myers Custom Homes, as well as Highland Village

officials, business representatives, friends and family to enjoy the official ribbon-cutting, new home tours and

refreshments.

Highland Oaks, a 16-acre parcel off FM2499, north of FM407, at Saddlebrook Drive, is of historic value to

Highland Village. The property, owned and occupied most recently by Beverly and Ron Gibson, has been in

Mrs. Gibsons family, the Porter Family, since the 1880s. Wanting to develop the prized property with

distinction and integrity, Combs and Peterson designed the community around the natural contours of the

land and with an eye toward saving the stately oaks throughout the property. The community, when

completed, will hold some 40 new, custom homes, each tucked away within this enclave of century-old trees

and pleasantly curving streets that add to the seclusion and tranquility, yet adjacent to Highland Villages

Trail System. In fact, to ensure the continuity of the towns signature Trail System, Texas Land Development

donated 1.5 acres to connect the new community with the adjacent Trail System and seven acre park and

pond, on the west side of FM2499, at Saddlebrook.

Developers Combs and Peterson praised the parties involved in working with them to accomplish their

dream for the community. The City of Highland Village was extremely helpful in making this possible, said

Combs, noting with humor he was speaking as a business man and developer, not as Highland Village

Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem. It was a great joy to work with the engineering firm, Crannell, Crannell &

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Martin, Robert Gravley, who is managing construction, and JRJ Paving, for the great efficiency with which

they worked. Peterson added, We are also pleased to be collaborating with builders of such quality. Our

focus and commitment in choosing builders was to those of integrity, quality and the energy efficiency of

their homes. Highland Oaks is the first green subdivision in Highland Village!

Homebuilder Victor Myer spoke of the Green Built North Texas (GBT) initiative, launched by the Home

Builders Association of Greater Dallas in 2006, as the bottom line minimum protocol for todays energy

efficient building, by setting new standards for site development strategies, indoor air quality, materials

usage and homeowner education. Myer said such protocol increases not only the longevity of the home, but

can reduce energy costs by 40 percent or more. Builder Wayne Atkins, of Sterling Brook Custom Homes,

explained several of the new standards being used in Highland Oaks, including advanced framing

techniques and fully encapsulating the home with an, insulation envelope that includes the air conditioning

equipment. Atkins explained this not only better equalizes temperatures between living and attic spaces, but

also better seals in and improves the homes air quality. Atkins said the all-encompassing encapsulation

drastically reduces typical North Texas summertime attic temperatures from as much as 135 degrees, on a

100 degree day, to 80-85 degrees.

Highland Village Mayor, Dianne Costa, summed up the occasion calling the developers vision and

implementation, a bold step. Ms. Costa added, This is a community nestled in the trees, reminding us of

times past, yet close enough to the amenities Highland Village offers, to make it an enviable location.