Spotlight on Harmony, Florida

Posted by Homes & Land on May 11th, 2010 in General, Spotlight, Videos | 1 comment

People in Harmony with Nature

People live better when they live in regular contact with animals and nature.

We believe that human health and well being can be promoted through the interaction of people, animals and the environment, as advocated by the mission of the Harmony Institute, and we encourage a better understanding of the effectiveness of these practices through the Institute’s efforts to examine them at Harmony. Harmony welcomes pets through its dog parks, Pet Cafe, walking areas and park features and thereby support residents gaining the health benefits that pet ownership and interaction can bring.

Through compact development, Harmony is able to include viable habitat areas and parks within a short walk of every home. Backyard habitats for birds and butterflies are encouraged. A goal of keeping 70 percent of Harmony in open space assures the protection of meaningful blocks and corridors of habitat throughout the community. Miles of trails and nature-based amenities

facilitate the human-nature experience. A professional on-site conservation program assures that a quality environment and wildlife population is maintained and that people are allowed to enjoy them.

Small Footprint

Harmony subscribes to the principles of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle in its efforts to eliminate waste and promote alternative energy sources.

Efforts are made to reduce the amount of waste generated. This includes not only avoiding the purchase of excess or unneeded materials, but also using materials efficiently.

Any surplus or excess materials are reused where possible. Construction waste is considered and stored for reuse, surplus disposable products are avoided and even surplus buildings and other structures are examined for second uses.

Harmony supports Osceola County’s recycling program for household waste and provides space for a community recycling center. Landscape and mowing waste is either allowed to return to the soil where it was produced or collected for appropriate composting or other reuse.

Alternatives to petroleum-based energy sources are favored and encouraged. This includes such measures as supporting neighborhood scale electronic vehicles in community design and in preferential access and parking and the use of energy conserving equipment, appliances and operational practices. Capturing solar and geo-thermal energy is demonstrated through practical uses such as domestic water heating, community pool warming, and electrical generation.

Sustaining Resources

Harmony strives to sustain its natural systems so that our grandchildren can get the same benefits that we enjoy.

Buck and Cat lakes are managed in a hands-off style: the shorelines are protected in their natural conditions and the only artificial things introduced to them are access walkways, community owned boats and fishing lines.

A network of treatment ponds cleans street and yard storm runoff and protects the quality of our wetlands and groundwater. Irrigation controls on public and private lands are responsive to landscape growing conditions and conserve water resources.

Street lighting, residential lighting and commercial lighting are provided in a way that protects the darkness and starshine of our night skies.

Every home is built to Energy Star or better standards to conserve energy. Harmony is planned to provide a convenient mix of land uses so its residents will be able to realize the potential to meet most daily needs within a short distance of their homes. The goal is to make walking, cycling or neighborhood type vehicles a viable first choice for transportation.