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What Is Smart Growth? United States Office of the EPA 231-F-01-001A Environmental Protection Administrator April 2001 1EPA Agency (MC 1808) http://www.epa.gov What Is Smart Growth? mart growth is development "With smart growth we will save necessity of spending increasing time that serves the economy, the acres, save money on roads and in cars, locked in traffic or traveling community, and the environment. sewers, keep homes more affordable, miles to the nearest store. They are S and make our cities and town centers It changes the terms of the questioning the practice of development debate away from the thrive. That's good growth." abandoning brownfields in older traditional growth/no-growth question Christine Todd Whitman, communities while developing open to “how and where should new as Governor of New Jersey space and prime agricultural lands at development be accommodated?” the suburban fringe, which damage Smart growth is development that protection—accommodating our environment. simultaneously achieves: growth while preserving open Smart growth recognizes the many space and critical habitat, reusing Economic development and jobs— benefits of growth. It invests time, land, and protecting water supplies that create employment and attention, and resources in restoring and air quality. business opportunities, improves community and vitality to center cities local tax base, provides Prevailing development patterns of the and older suburbs. Smart growth in neighborhood services and last 50 years have brought benefits and new developments is more town- amenities, and creates concerns for communities across the centered, is transit and pedestrian economically competitive country. Though supportive of growth, oriented, and has a greater mix of communities. communities are questioning the housing, commercial and retail uses. economic costs of abandoning It also preserves open space and Strong neighborhoods—that infrastructure in the city and rebuilding it other environmental amenities. Smart provide a range of housing options further out. They are questioning the growth recognizes connections giving people the opportunity to choose housing that best suits them. Smart growth provides the choice to walk, ride a bike, take transit, or drive. It maintains and Smart Growth Principles enhances the value of existing neighborhoods and creates a Mix land uses sense of community. Take advantage of compact building design Healthy communities—that provide Create a range of housing opportunities and choices families with a clean environment. Smart growth balances Create walkable neighborhoods development and environmental Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical “The goal of smart growth is not no environmental areas growth or even slow growth. Rather, the overall goal is sensible growth Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities that balances our need for jobs and Provide a variety of transportation choices economic development with our desire to save our natural Make development decisions predictable, fair and cost effective environment.” Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development Parris Glendening, Governor, decisions State of Maryland S m a r t G r o w t h F a c t S h e e t S m a r t G r o w t h F a c t S h e e t between development and quality of life. Smart growth is: Not anti-growth; it’s about better SUISUN CITY, CALIFORNIA growth—growth that makes sense. In 1989, the San Francisco Chronicle rated Suisun City, California, a town of Smart growth leverages new 25,000 people midway between San Francisco and Sacramento, the worst growth to improve the community place to live in the Bay Area. At that time, Suisun City's historic Main Street and finds ways to meet economic, was a strip of boarded-up storefronts, vacant lots, and auto body shops. environmental, and quality-of-life Several blocks away, an oil refinery sat at the head of the heavily polluted, silt- goals. laden Suisun Channel. Today Suisun’s harbor is filled with boats and lined with small businesses. A train and bus station that connects the city to the rest of Not anti-automobile; it’s about Northern California sits a few blocks away. The town is diverse, walkable, and having transportation options—to picturesque. Its crime rate is low and its housing affordable. drive, walk, bike, or take public transit. How did Suisun City transform itself in a decade? Was it the beneficiary of a huge government redevelopment grant or a gift from a rich foundation? No Not anti-suburb; it’s about building such luck. Instead, Suisun City's residents, businesses, and elected officials better places to live in existing agreed on a common vision for their town's future. Clean-up polluted Suisun suburbs, cities, and new Channel and make the waterfront a focal point of their town, they said. Re- communities. It’s about protecting establish historic Main Street as a social and retail gathering place. Strengthen existing investments and quality of municipal finances by encouraging tax-generating commercial development life in areas where people, such as retail shops and restaurants along Main Street and the waterfront. communities, and governments In its rebirth, Suisun City avoided large-scale redevelopment projects such as have already made a commitment. shopping centers and industrial parks that would have obliterated its historic, small-town character. Suisun City is still a work-in-progress. But this once- “Smart growth is pro-growth. We troubled town has turned the corner. Suisun City is invigorated with new know that developers, banks, and businesses and residents, rekindled community spirit, and unbridled optimism the entire community rely on about its future. growth to fuel the economy. The goal is not to limit growth, but to channel it to areas where identical. There is no “one-size-fits-all” Spurring the smart growth movement infrastructure allows growth to be sustained over the long term.” solution. Smart growth in Portland, are demographic shifts, a strong Oregon, has different characteristics environmental ethic, increased fiscal Hugh L. McColl, than smart growth in Austin, Texas— concerns, and more nuanced views of Chairman and CEO, Bank of and it should. For that reason, smart growth. People know there is a better America growth does not prescribe solutions. way to grow. The result is both a new Rather, it provides choices and seeks demand and a new opportunity for Not about big government; it’s to build on proven successes. The growth that emphasizes preservation about improving market efficiency, Smart Growth principles (see box on of open space and farmland, greater making it legal to construct the opposite page) reflect the experience choice in housing and transportation, small towns and neighborhoods we of localities that have successfully efficient investment of limited used to build, making brownfield created smart growth communities. infrastructure dollars, and the redevelopment easier, and getting These communities had a vision of strengthening of existing more value from the tax dollars we where they want to go and of what neighborhoods. Smart growth can spend on roads, sewers, and other things they value in their community. make these alternatives a reality. taxpayer investments. The features that distinguish smart To learn more about Smart Growth and the growth vary by community. No two Smart Growth Network, please go to streets, neighborhoods, or cities are http://www.smartgrowth.org. EPA's mission is to protect public health and the environment. How and where communities grow and develop impacts public health and the environment. Therefore, EPA works with states and communities to find ways to grow while minimizing environmental and health impacts. Studies have demonstrated that smart growth development approaches have clear environmental benefits, including improved air and water quality, increased wetlands preservation, more brownfield sites cleaned and reused, and increased preservation of open spaces. 2 Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper with a minimum 50% post-consumer fiber using vegetable-based ink. .
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