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Land Development Magazine Celebrates 20th Anniversary
Land Development magazine is celebrating 20 years of comprehensive coverage of the development industry with a special issue that looks at the evolution of the industry and considers its future.
Produced by NAHB’s Land Development Services Department, the publication is closely affiliated with NAHB's Land Development Committee, with information from the association’s membership and staff giving it a decided edge over the competition.
“Nobody else covers residential land development the way we do. Nobody can cover it the way we do,” said Debra Bassert, NAHB’s assistant staff vice president for land development. “We have direct access to the top sources of information about land use and environmental policy. And some of the best land planners in the business are active members of NAHB.”
Land Development uses its direct access to NAHB staff resources in regulatory policy, economics, legal affairs and other areas to cover a wide range of issues, including:
- Environmental regulations and compliance
- Land use regulations
- Trends in zoning codes and development regulations
- Legal issues
- Sustainability and green development
- The land entitlement process
- Infrastructure finance
- Community design
Some of the most knowledgeable professionals in the business write the articles that appear in Land Development, and they do so with an emphasis on best practices that can make a difference in the daily business of development.
“I read Land Development because it includes great success stories,” said Bruce Boncke, president of BME Associates in Fairport, N.Y. “I prefer success over fighting against the alternative. I like reading about win-win success stories. The magazine provides insight into the tough issues we live with day in and day out.”
The magazine is read by development professionals around the country. Roughly 38% of its readers are developers and 24% are builder-developers. Another 27% are single-family and multifamily builders, and the balance — 21% — are other professionals involved in the land development process.
“Development is central to our members' businesses,” said Bassert, who has served as the magazine’s editor-in-chief since 2000. “Whether it’s raw land on the exurban fringe or infill redevelopment, preparing land for residential development is a challenging process. That’s why Land Development magazine is so important. The magazine offers valuable information about the business of development, the land planning process, environmental regulations and the entitlement process. It offers best practices that help developers improve the bottom line.”
The 20th anniversary edition of Land Development includes articles about overlay zones, transit-oriented development, green building and trends in residential development. It presents findings of research on the relationship between growth and quality of life indicators and on the state of the nation’s forest resources. The anniversary edition also looks back on the history of the magazine itself, including a review of its “Landmarks” column, which showcased some of the nation’s most historically important development projects.
A Best-Kept Secret at NAHB
“It’s one of the best-kept secrets at NAHB, and it shouldn’t be a secret. It’s time to get the word out,” said Boncke, who served as chairman of the Land Development Committee in 2003. “At the price of $40 a year, it’s a bargain.”
“Last year I bought subscriptions for four towns in this area,” Boncke added. “All four are towns that don’t think highly of new development. So I got out my credit card and I bought all four a one-year subscription in the name of the town supervisor. We’ve gotten very good feedback from all four of those towns that received the magazine. They saw it as a high-quality, professional representation of the ‘other side of the equation’ in the growth debate.”
In its 20 years, Land Development has had just three editors — Michael Shibley, Joe Molinaro and Bassert. Shibley, who now serves as NAHB’s group vice president for Member Services and Education, is retiring this month after 28 years with the association.
“I’m proud of what all of us have contributed and I am very happy with the way the magazine has turned out,” said Shibley, who got the magazine off the ground in 1988. “I think it’s a great publication.”
The magazine that Shibley started when Bassert was a new employee at NAHB is going strong and getting better. “I feel good about Land Development’s proven track record,” Bassert said, “but I’m most excited about its future.”
 'Land Development, 10th Edition' Available at BuilderBooks.com
"Land Development, 10th Edition," available through BuilderBooks.com, is the comprehensive resource for land developers.
Author Daisey Linda Kone helps readers acquire a complete knowledge of the interrelated factors that contribute to a successful land development project. The 10th edition contains the latest details concerning major environmental regulations that affect land development, emerging demographics for targeted marketing and new innovations in housing types.
To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
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