Carara Bay Land Planning

CARARA BAY LAND PLANNING DESIGN WITH NATURE

CARARA BAY is a Project by Marina Carara LTDA, a Joint Venture between Grupo Carranza from Costa Rica and Carara Bay Marina Capital from California, USA.

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CBLP

CARARA BAY LAND PLANNING

CONTENTS

4

INTRODUCTION

7

METHOLOGY

8

OBJECTIVES

10

LOCATION

16

PROCESS-LANDMARKS

22

MASTER ZONING

32

MASTER LAND PLAN

34

RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

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Introduction: Carara Land Planning is a proposal for a mixed use development of in a 456,796 sq.m.(113acres) property located in Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

This sketch seeks to present a viable, logical and simple plan to strategically maximize the urban suitability of the land, working with the natural forces of the surroundings and respecting the site social and economic values.

METHOLOGY

To determine an appropriate planning of the area and respond to the developers’ interests, we study a model of three-step analysis: Step 1. Information: Previous studies and field visits.

Approach to place according to physical, natural and commercial variables. Discussion of ideas with developers and target strategies.

Step 2. Abstraction: It interprets the information gathered in search of the major patterns and characteristics that define the place.

By mapping and analysis of the variables, we obtained hierarchies and values that helped to define the type of intervention areas organized by a general concept of the project.

Step 3. Proposal We defined a model, a way to use the property in search of ecological, commercial and social balance.

Proposed land used is defined through zoning, necessary infrastructure, utility rates, profitability, and details of each of the areas.

OBJECTIVES

Start with a development model that seeks an optimal balance between profitability and environmental sustainability through a highly viable proposal.

Find the specific values of the land areas to generate zones with their own beauty.

Understanding the natural site conditions and uses them in benefit of the project, and understanding these variables in the designing process.

Work with densities and architectural concepts to guide and organize the land future development.

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Costa Rica is a relatively small country,

which is located between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. Its land mass is only about 51,100 square kilometers-roughly the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. Although small, Costa Rica boasts diverse natural features, with its mountainous interior, its Caribbean coastline in the east, and its Pacific coastline in the west. In fact, Costa Rica is considered to be one of the 20 countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world. Costa Rica is also unique in Central America due to the quality of its government (a stable democracy) and its long-term focus on the education and health of its citizens, making it an attractive place to visit and own a second home. Within Costa Rica, the Central Pacific Coast offers a very diverse array of natural features, with steep mountains; white and dark sand beaches, dense forests, and active volcanoes. The Central Pacific Coast is the transition zone between the semi-arid northern coast and the wet southern coast.

The air is generally more humid than in the north, but drier than the south. The interior region surrounding Carara Bay is home to a very unique forest ecosystem located in the transition zone.

Several of this region’s beaches are renown throughout the country, of these are two just south of Carara Bay. Playa Mantas and Playa Blanca are white-sand beaches, which have received “Blue Flag” awards for their pristine nature and overall quality. Some of the country’s finest beaches are also located on Coronado Bay, about 50 miles south. These beaches are framed by lush rainforest mountains, and include cliffs, pools, and waterfalls. The Central Pacific Coast is also a popular surfing destination, and large waves attract surfing enthusiasts from around the world. With respect to climate, the Central Pacific Coast features a warm and overall appealing climate from November or December through April. It is drier than the region to the south and wetter than the region to the north although the rainy season occurs between June and November.

The Central Pacific Coast also tends to have fewer insect problems than destinations further south. In general, Costa Rica is well protected from hurricanes, which have historically not struck this coastline.

Costa Rica’s most impressive national parks and biological preserves are Carara National Park, Manuel Antonio National Park, and Chirripó National Park.

Carara National Park is located just to the northeast of the subject site on the inland side of Highway 34. This 4,700 hectare park is set in the northernmost region of the Pacific rainforest where tropical forests and dry forests blend. The park features several kilometers of trails open to the public. Because vegetation is less dense than forests further south, wildlife is often easier to see. Carara National Park is most famous for its scarlet macaws. Manuel Antonio National Park is

located on the ocean side of Highway 34, about 52 miles south of Carara National Park. This park was Costa Rica’s first major ecotourism destinations and it is also one of the smallest parks comprising only about 680 hectares. It consists of dense rain forests and several pristine beaches. It is home to the endangered squirrel monkeys and three-toed sloth. Chirripó National Park is the Central Pacific Coast’s southernmost national park.

It is located on the east side of Highway 2 (the InterAmerican Highway), about 29 kilometers northeast of Dominical. This park is approximately 50,200 hectares in size and encompasses Mount Chirripó, Costa Rica’s highest peak at 3,759 meters (12,330 feet) in elevation.

Hiking trails extend to the summit where, on a clear day, one can see both the Caribbean Sean and the Pacific Ocean. The park is also home to a diverse array of wildlife, including the quetzal regarded by many as Costa Rica’s most beautiful bird.

Juan Santamaria International Airport is located about 11 miles west of downtown San Jose, in Alajuela. Juan Santamaria Airport is relatively large and offers direct flights to and from numerous U.S. cities.

Because it is located on the west side of the city, visitors to the Central Pacific Coast can drive to and from the airport without crossing through the often gridlocked downtown area.

Juan Santamaria International Airport is served by major U.S. carriers, including American Airlines, Delta, Frontier, Continental, United and U.S. Airways.

Direct flights to San Jose are available from the following large U.S. metropolitan areas with their flight times.

• Miami: 2 hours and 45 minutes • Ft. Lauderdale: 2 hours and 50 minutes • New York: 3 hours.

• Houston: 3 hours and 40 minutes • Dallas-Fort Worth: 3 hours and 55 minutes • Atlanta: 4 hours • Charlotte: 4 hours and 15 minutes • Newark: 5 hours and 20 minutes.

• Los Angeles: 5 hours and 30 minutes.

LOCATION

The travel time from the East Coast and the South is quite reasonable. For residents of places like Houston, Atlanta, and the New York metro area, it is much quicker to get to Costa Rica than to travel to Hawaii or even to many resort areas of Mexico.

The Carara Bay site is located on the west coast of Costa Rica within a region known as the Central Pacific Coast. The Central Pacific Coast extends down the west coast of Costa Rica, from the Nicoya Peninsula in the north to the Osa Peninsula in the south. Carara Bay is set on the northern end of this stretch of coastline approximately 62 miles from San Jose International Airport (Juan Santamaria International Airport) which is located to

the west of San Jose, the country’s capital.

The current drive time with the new highway connecting San Jose to the Central Pacific Coast and Carara Bay, generally ranges from about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

This new route is a major benefit to the overall marketability of the coastal region in general, and Carara Bay specifically, for it will allow future visitors and secondhome owners to access the property in less than an hour from the San Jose airport.

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The accompanying map illustrates the current ownership pattern and properties that have been assembled and comprise the proposed Carara Bay development. The properties are as follows and are indicated on the map.

1.

This 44 hectares parcel (108.72 acres) is owned by Marina Carara Limitada.

Carara

2.

Playa Blanca Beach Club Parcel This parcel of land, located to the south of Punta Leona consists of 1,354 square meters (14,574 square feet) is the proposed beach club sites on the ocean. It is owned by Progreso Desarrollo Empresarial PRODESA, S.A. and will be transferred to MCL for development.

3.

Limoncito80 This parcel is owned by “Limoncito Ochenta Realty Investment SA� and consists of 70.4 hectares (173.97acres).

MCL, and Grupo Carranza created a trust for this property, together with the Moto track parcel, with the principal beneficiary being Marina Carara Limitada.

The Carara Bay property consists of approximately 114 hectares (275acres) of land situated on the west coast of Costa Rica.

The property is bordered on the south by the existing resort and residential area of Punta Leona, on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north by the Agujas River. To the east it is bordered by a Forest of private land and El BambĂş, a recent development of small single family residential sites. Primary access to the site from San Jose is via Highway 3 or 27 to 10 Kilometers west of Orotina where it intersects with Highway 34 which heads south to Punta Leona.

Specific access to the property will be from the south and the north. Initially, during the first phase of development, Carara Bay would be accessed via the current gated entry and the existing access road to Punta Leona through exotic vegetation and terrain to the central lower portion of the property. Ultimately, a

secondary means of access will be provided from the north via a bridge over the Rio Agujas River.

More centrally located, to the north, lies approximately 44 hectares (105acres) of low land that abuts the Agujas River on the north. This lower and flatter portion of the property is less complex terrain having been extensively cleared with the exception of numerous specimen trees and lush pasture that remains.

Because of the dense vegetation and prominent western ridgeline, views of the Ocean from the low land are relatively limited and are primarily oriented to the north. This is not the case, however, from the higher portions of the property where ocean and sunset views are magnificent.

stream

A is a flowing body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks.

Streams are important as conduits in the water cycle, instruments in groundwater recharge, and they serve as corridors for fish and wildlife migration.

River as an expression of the Landscape

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Landscape can be described as the expression of social history and natural history in a specific time and place. “ The result of biophysical and socioeconomic driving forces, witch continually interacts in hybrid form on the territory, with a resulting dynamism and morphology.

A river is an expression of a significant fraction of social character and actions, of their interactions with the environment.

The riverside areas are defined as the strips of vegetation along the edges of rivers. Due to their proximity to the water, the plant species and the topography of riverside areas differs substantially from adjacent areas, as they are the interface between land and aquatic ecosystems, incorporating significant transitions of environmental factors

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The proposal Aims to strengthen the role of the river as a green corridor, a continuous, unitary element linking the entire project

The existing vegetation consists of different species. They are located mainly by the Agujas river and the stream running through the property. The mountainous area shows a dense forest.

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PROCESS

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LANDMARKS

Existing forest and vegetation

Scenic value (ocean views) 5000m2

Water surface

5% Slope, flat land 10% Slope 30% Slope 50% Slope Steep slopes

Slopes

Medium flow Low flow Seasonal water flow Seasonal flood plain

Stream and watermarks

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Land zoning and Land Sections

Pastures Mountain with Forest Mountain without Forest Stream Protected Area Wetland Stream and Soil

Stream and river protected area 48530.8m2 (10.62% Of Total area)

Urbanization area 408279.0m2

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Total land area 456795.8m2

Connectivity

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Common passive and active recreation suitability 90916.3m2 (22.26% Of usable land area)

Residential suitability 317362.7m2 (77.74% Of usable land area)

URBAN SUITABILITY AREA

Existing forest with complementary vegetation

Forest association value 3250m2

MASTER ZONING

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DESIGN WITH NATURE

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PROPOSAL

view 1

El bambú 2

El Bambú 2

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LAND1

view 2

El bambú 2

LAND1 El Bambú 2 area: 44 172.3m2 (11 acres) 9.6% Viable lot division similar to neighbor development El Bambú (1) 80 lots of 300m2 or 45 lots of 400m2

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El bambú 1 street access

view 3

el bambu 3

LAND2

El Bambú 3

El bambú 1 house model

El bambú 1 house model interior

LAND2 El Bambú 3 area: 83 374.5m2 (21 acres) 18% Viable lot division similar to neighbor development El Bambú (1) 120 lots 300m2 or 90 lots of 400m2

view 4

retirement land property

Retirement Community

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LAND3

view 5

mountain development ocean view and El bambĂş 3

LAND3

(see pg.34)

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Retirement community area: 86 588m2 (22 acres) 18.9%

Reference picture

view 12

Market and Community Plaza

LAND4

Market and Community Plaza

LAND4

Organic Market and Plaza

area: 4 679.9m2 (1.1acres) 1%

Reference picture

Mountain Development Ocean View

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LAND5

Reference picture

LAND5

Mountain Development Ocean View 12 lots of 800-1200sqm

area: 13 123m2 (3.25acres) 2.8%

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view 7

mountain development Ocean View

view 9

boutique hotel

A hotel boutique is integrated beautifully into the lush landscaping of the stream and beach uniqueness.

A rich offering of services and amenities including restaurant, bar and pool.

Unit-mix of villages with wide terraces and balconies.

Rooms with ocean view and beach access.

LAND6

Boutique Hotel

Beach Bungalows, Swimming Pool, Jacuzzi, Spa, Gourmet Restaurant

Scuba diving, Kayaking, Yacht charters, Windsurfing

view 8

Agujas beach

LAND6

Reference picture

Hotel 1200m2 Hotel Area

Boutique

area:10988m2(3acres)2.4%

view 10

from Land7

Ocean View Towers

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LAND7

view 11

Land7

Reference picture

LAND7 Ocean View Tower 6 lots of 3600sqm

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area:20970m2(5acres)4.6%

Condominiums with magnificent views of the ocean and mountains surrounding the project .

Reference picture

LAND8

Mountain Development

Reference picture

LAND8 Mountain Development area: 53 455m2 (13acres) 11.7% 33 lots of 1200-1500sqm

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MASTER LAND PLAN DESIGN WITH NATURE

PROPOSAL

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Suitable Urban Area

RETIREMENT COMMUNITY SCHEMATIC MASTER PLAN Marina Carara Limitada (MCL) is evaluating the opportunities for developing a retirement living community at the site.

The Central Pacific Coast is also home to some of Costa Rica’s best-known tourist destinations, including Jacó and Playa Herradura. The recently completed San JoseCaldera Highway has shortened the drive time from the capitol city of San Jose to Punta Leona to about 45 minutes. It is likely that this will have a significant impact on growth in the Central Pacific Coast area, given its rich environmental beauty and resources, and the increased access to major population centers.

Already on-line communities boast tens of thousands of members, are touting the access to Costa Ballena, the gold coast, which is about 23 miles south of Punta Leona.

MCL conducted a market analysis to measure the viability of some type of retirement living in the Carara Bay Project, to identify the types of services and programs that will meet market desires, and to quantify the potential size in terms of number of residential accommodations.

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According to the Migration Policy Institute: “In recent years, a steadily growing stream of Americans has been heading south to Latin America for retirement.” And as the baby boom generation ages, that stream is expected to gain speed. It will be carried along by rising medical costs, a reduced ability to rely on Social Security and pensions, and cheaper transportation and communications technology.

The Costa Rican government is expressing a strong interest in attracting retirees from other countries, particularly North America – the United States and Canada – as an economic strategy for the country. In 2010 the Government introduced legislation that could reduce taxes on personal items such as automobiles and furniture, and reduce barriers to gaining residency status. This legislation is not yet passed and there is no anticipated date for completion at this time. ProRetire has identified support and lobbying for passage as one of its key agenda items.

Land Geometry

36 / 37 Project Concept - Relationship between spaces

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Neighborhood concept

Connectivity Concept

Common areas concept

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Road Concept

There appears to be a strong desire for “community” among survey respondents who would definitely or probably consider moving to the development if it is built: (84%) said that they are “very interested” in meeting new friends.

There is also strong interest in a variety of services among survey respondents. In spite of the young ages: • Emergency call system 78% very important • Wellness clinic 65% • A single source of referrals to services 65% • Volunteer opportunities 63% Survey respondents who are in-movers appear to be seeking more than a condominium development.

Master plan the community to be developed in phases of 75 units each.

Community spaces should include: 􀂃 An outdoor pool. Consideration should be given to adding an indoor pool as the community expands in the future. However, at this time demand is strongest for an outdoor pool: 72% rated this as very important and 32% rated an indoor lap pool as very important. Changing rooms/lockers should be located in the community center, near the pool. 􀂃 A “clubhouse” with 3-4 offices for Administration,

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Existing forest with complementary vegetation

Concierge services, and other uses in the future, 4-6 small meeting/ classrooms, an informal café/deli, and small dining space to seat up to 50 people. This should be located such that it can be expanded in the future. 􀂃 Space for a clinic, expanded dining, and a large room that can accommodate 150-200 people for large gatherings should be planned.

Housing Mix: 􀂃 The residences should include a variety of types of buildings: - Single story, single family, which the survey showed to be in highest demand, - Quadraplexes or clustered housing, which increases the sense of community. At the same time, the increased density helps to retain open space, and allows more residences to be closer to the community spaces, which will be important over time as people age. Some residents will chose to stay in Costa Rica due to the costs of in-home help and health care if the necessary support services are in place. The small discussion group that was conducted early in the research indicated that the majority of that group would remain.

- Three-story buildings with elevators and 12 units in each.

Project Footprint

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Project Phasing

Amenities

Project Amenities organic gardens jogging course scuba diving kayaking yacht charters swimming pool bird sanctuary

Project Services

medical center shuttle to nearby services room service

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Neighborhood Concept

Retirement Community Schematic Master Plan

Suitable Urban Area Project Concept

Land Geometry

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Phasing

Existing Forest and Complementary vegetation Neighborhood Concept

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Road Concept Connectivity Concept

Project Footprint Common Areas Concept

RETIREMENT COMMUNITY SCHEMATIC MASTER PLAN

For information please contact

Leo M. Guevara admin-carara@grupocarranza.co.cr Tel: + 506 2282-2404/2368; 2203-4318/4254 Tel: + 1 (305) 395-4617 Fax: + 506 2282-2476 Peter Hurley peter@reecr.com US. 858-229-8388 CR.506-8369-8820 Fax US 775-317-0762

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