"Ultimately Breckenridge had the vision to encourage the project by allowing unprecedented flexibility with respect to zoning and road standards,'' O'Neil says. "The town also created indirect subsidies such as waived development fees worth nearly $1 million. These bold moves are paying off for the community."

When completed, the Wellington Neighborhood will feature 122 homes with architecture inspired by historic Breckenridge. Eighty percent are reserved for purchase by people who work in Summit County. Some 50 homes have been built and sold. The neighborhood's first 120 residents include the town manager, a prosecutor, lawyers, hotel managers, town employees, a ski instructor, and numerous home businesses and stay-at-home moms.

"This neighborhood is helping to ensure that people who work here can afford to live here," says Mayor Mamula. "These people are both the economic engine and the soul of the town.""It's a new model for affordable housing in a resort community," O'Neil adds. "Previously workers had a choice between a bed and a parking space in town or a long commute over mountain roads. At the Wellington Neighborhood, they can enjoy a sense of community in a real neighborhood."

In 2001, The Wellington Neighborhood was named to the Colorado Public Interest Research Group's "Smart Growth Hall of Fame."

As the winner in the "Built Projects" category, the Wellington Neighborhood and Breckenridge are one of only four communities and public agencies honored in the EPA's inaugural award program. The EPA received nearly 100 applications from across the nation.