diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index cda67ad9..e78accd6 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -56,4 +56,4 @@ Thumbs.db
 Desktop.ini
 
 # Project settings
-./site/
+/site/
diff --git a/src/manage.py b/src/manage.py
index 7635b807..2db9bde1 100755
--- a/src/manage.py
+++ b/src/manage.py
@@ -1,7 +1,15 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
+from os.path import dirname, join, exists
 import os
 import sys
 
+import environ
+
+env = environ.Env()
+env_file = join(dirname(__file__), '{{ project_name }}/settings/' 'local.env')
+if exists(env_file):
+    environ.Env.read_env(str(env_file))
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     # CHANGED manage.py will use development settings by
     # default. Change the DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE environment variable
diff --git a/src/project_name/settings/base.py b/src/project_name/settings/base.py
index 8472db25..9ae67301 100644
--- a/src/project_name/settings/base.py
+++ b/src/project_name/settings/base.py
@@ -7,8 +7,12 @@
 For the full list of settings and their values, see
 https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/dev/ref/settings/
 """
+from os.path import dirname, join
+
+from django.contrib import messages
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse_lazy
-from os.path import dirname, join, exists
+import environ
+
 
 # Build paths inside the project like this: join(BASE_DIR, "directory")
 BASE_DIR = dirname(dirname(dirname(__file__)))
@@ -42,15 +46,8 @@
 ]
 
 # Use 12factor inspired environment variables or from a file
-import environ
 env = environ.Env()
 
-# Ideally move env file should be outside the git repo
-# i.e. BASE_DIR.parent.parent
-env_file = join(dirname(__file__), 'local.env')
-if exists(env_file):
-    environ.Env.read_env(str(env_file))
-
 # Quick-start development settings - unsuitable for production
 # See https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/dev/howto/deployment/checklist/
 
@@ -127,7 +124,6 @@
 CRISPY_TEMPLATE_PACK = 'bootstrap3'
 
 # For Bootstrap 3, change error alert to 'danger'
-from django.contrib import messages
 MESSAGE_TAGS = {
     messages.ERROR: 'danger'
 }
diff --git a/src/project_name/wsgi.py b/src/project_name/wsgi.py
index a7187e0d..09bf0ead 100644
--- a/src/project_name/wsgi.py
+++ b/src/project_name/wsgi.py
@@ -6,14 +6,22 @@
 For more information on this file, see
 https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/dev/howto/deployment/wsgi/
 """
+from os.path import dirname, join, exists
 import os
-os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "{{ project_name }}.settings.production")
 
+from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.wsgi import get_wsgi_application
+import environ
+os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "{{ project_name }}.settings.production")
+
+env = environ.Env()
+env_file = join(dirname(__file__), 'settings/' 'local.env')
+if exists(env_file):
+    environ.Env.read_env(str(env_file))
+
 application = get_wsgi_application()
 
 # Wrap werkzeug debugger if DEBUG is on
-from django.conf import settings
 if settings.DEBUG:
     try:
         import django.views.debug