Serenbe Stories

After Steve Nygren brought small and large land owners in Chattahoochee Hills on board his development plan, it was time to take the project to the state. Three state foundations and a few private citizens had pledged money to invest in the project, and Governor Barnes was ready to push legislation through to allow Chattahoochee Hill Country to change land rights in the region. When Barnes didn't get re-elected, most of these investments disappeared. One person stayed in, and that money was used to buy the first TDRs from two land owners. This was only the beginning of Steve’s journey through state government bureaucracy. Each time he wanted to incorporate an environmentally-friendly option, be it for wastewater treatment or putting in roads, he encountered pushback from the various state departments that oversee them. Steve continued to ask questions and pursue what he knew to be right.Questions AnsweredWhat were the steps you had to take to start building Serenbe?What are land rights?How do transfer development rights work?What is the most photographed place in Serenbe?Why are chain link fences always around conventional waste water treatment facilities?Why should we choose to build in a new way?How is balanced development possible?Why are government departments so siloed?Why does Serenbe have unique streetlamps?People + Organizations MentionedMichael OgdenReed HilderbrandRobert RauschSerenbe DevelopmentTurner FoundationUGA Law DepartmentWoodruff FoundationChattahoochee HillsChattahoochee Hill Country ConservancyEnvironmental Protection DivisionGeorgia Association of County CommissionersGovernor Roy BarnesThe Hill RestaurantMado Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.

Steve Nygren knew he had to protect the land that was his backyard, but he didn't yet know what that looked like. Always the hospitality man, Steve brought his neighbors together over dinners and homemade desserts to create the Chattahoochee Hill Country Alliance, which started the process of determining what everyone wanted and what their best option was for preservation and development. Questions AnsweredWhat was going on globally, nationally in 2000?When you knew you were going to build Serenbe, what kind of rules did you have to change?How did you implement the 70-30 Development Rule?How did you approve rezoning, development and preservation plans when Fulton County's approval departments were all separate and didn't make determinations based on other departments' needs?What was the Public Works Department against the Chatt Hills development plan?How does this environmentally-friendly way of developing allow for more housing than traditional sprawl division?What does clustered development mean for the future?Why was it important to incorporate Transfer Development Rights? How do they work?People + Organizations MentionedLiving MachinesMicrosoftNature ConservancyQuinn NygrenSouth Fulton ParkwayPhill TabbJohn ToddToyota PriusTed TurnerUniversity of Georgia Atlanta Public Works DepartmentCharles, Prince of WalesChattahoochee Hill Country AllianceEnvironmental Council of the StatesJane Fonda Fulton County Economic DevelopmentFulton County Planning DepartmentGeorgia ConservancyAl GoreiPhone Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.

Steve Nygren, the visionary founder of Serenbe, shares his inspiring journey from concerned neighbor to sustainable community developer. After witnessing a bulldozer clearing trees, he rallied landowners to prevent urban sprawl, ultimately securing 600 acres for preservation. Nygren reflects on the balance between urban growth and environmental stewardship, critiques traditional development approaches, and emphasizes the need for innovative strategies that prioritize community health and connectivity. His story is a powerful call to embrace responsibility for future generations.

Sometimes the groove we’re in is actually a rut. That’s how Steve Nygren describes his feelings when he decided to step off the corporate treadmill and make the move to Chattahoochee Hill Country. Before Serenbe’s homes, shops, restaurants and events, there was the discovery of open, rolling hills and a 1904 farmhouse. In this episode, Steve Nygren shares about his family’s life in Atlanta and the value shift that brought them to the country full time. Steve also discusses opening a bed & breakfast, now known as The Inn at Serenbe, during the 1996 Olympics.Questions AnsweredWhat did a typical day, week, or month look like for you and your family living in the heart of the city in Atlanta, Georgia?What made you move to Serenbe full time?What are your days like in Serenbe?What influenced you to turn the farmhouse into a bed and breakfast?What did Richard Louv’s book “Last Child In The Woods” mean to you?People + Organizations MentionedNational League of CitiesNatural Leaders ProgramNature Connection“The Nature Principle”The New York TimesPiedmont ParkPleasant Peasant GroupRichard LouvRyan GaineyStouffer’s Food CorporationSymphony Hall1996 Atlanta OlympicsAnsley ParkAtlanta Botanical GardenAtlanta Journal-ConstitutionBouckaert FarmsGeorgia Preservation Newsletter, Historic RegisterHigh MuseumKeith SummerourMarie NygrenMargaret LupoMary Mac’s Tea RoomMidtown Alliance Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.

Many people wonder “What is Serenbe?” Host Monica Olsen introduces Serenbe founder, developer and CEO Steve Nygren as they sit down to talk about why he created Serenbe, and what Serenbe is today. Interview took place September 2019.Questions AnsweredWhat is Serenbe?What else is here other than people and trees?Who lives here?What drove you to build Serenbe?What should we know about Serenbe’s neighborhoods?What is a well-lived life?What can I do here?People + Organizations MentionedRay C. AndersonHartsfield-Jackson International AirportAudubon SocietyInterfaceThe White House Council on the EnvironmentRocky Mountain InstituteLEED Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.

Welcome to Serenbe Stories, a podcast chronicling life in the leading wellness community. Hosted by Monica Olsen, we are thrilled to share this 12 episode season capturing the story of Serenbe, directly from the founder, Steve Nygren. We had this seed of an idea over a year ago and over the past 6 months, we have taken this journey of recording and producing our very first podcast in-house and are excited to invite you along. We're so proud of the team for taking on this challenge of bringing Steve's story to you on this platform. And you'll hear us learning along the way too, episode by episode. The first episode of Serenbe Stories will launch Monday, September 9th and a new one will be released every following Monday. Be sure to subscribe and listen on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher and anywhere you can listen to podcasts. You will find all episodes, show notes and further podcast details at www.serenbestories.com. We can't wait to share our stories.  Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.