SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Governor Schwarzenegger has bestowed one of his most prestigious awards, the Governor’s Environmental & Economic Leadership Award (GEELA), to Del Sur, a new master-planned community in north San Diego that exemplifies sustainable development practices and smart-growth planning. In a ceremony today at CalEPA headquarters in Sacramento, Fred Maas, president and CEO of Black Mountain Ranch LLC and developer of Del Sur, accepted the award honoring the new home community in the category of Comprehensive Land Use Planning. Earlier this year, the Ranch House information center at Del Sur earned California’s first Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification for a private-enterprise, new construction building from the U.S. Green Building Council. “This honor recognizes Del Sur’s commitment to developing socially responsible and environmentally friendly practices that promote environmental protection and economic growth,” said Linda Adams, California Secretary for Environmental Protection. “We applaud Black Mountain Ranch LLC for demonstrating an exemplary dedication to our families and community to protect our natural resources and environment for generations to come.” Del Sur was recognized in the category of comprehensive land use planning, which honors projects demonstrating “social equity and adequate housing; cost-effective infrastructure and transportation; water and energy efficiencies; and open space conservation to protect forests, agriculture, watersheds and other ecosystem values,” according to judging criteria.
