Rojas

Diana Rojas

Mr. Aldrich

Contemporary Society 204

16 March 2015

Smart Growth Overview: Principles and History

How cities of all sizes grow determines whether their communities will prosper or

decline. By following smart growth principles, urban centers can be inviting, sustainable,

vibrant, and affordable places to live and work for generations of residents.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), cities that develop

according to smart growth principles are economically competitive, socially diverse, and

naturally healthy. Neighborhoods are compact and walkable, with transportation alternatives

such as bike paths and efficient transit systems. Schools and other community buildings anchor

the neighborhoods, and mixed-use development provide a range of housing choices for people

at all stages of life (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1).

The EPA identifies several principles of smart growth, including compact building design,

mixed land use, a range of housing opportunities and choices, identifiable communities with a

strong sense of place and involvement, preserved open space, and a variety of transportation

options.

Smart growth is an antidote to urban sprawl, traffic congestion, and urban decay. One

goal of smart growth is to make a community more attractive to new businesses by improving

the quality of life and encouraging residents to shop, work, and play locally, which stimulates

economic activity. The businesses provide jobs for residents and convenient places to buy

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goods and services. The economic boon increases property values and expands the tax base

while controlling growth and keeping economic expansion sustainable (Nelson 27-31).

The concepts of smart growth were first proposed in the early 1970s as a reaction to

developers and politicians who based transportation plans on motor vehicles and wanted to

build and widen highways in historic or critical environmental areas. At first, communities

simply fought to protect the land designated for highways by placing it in conservancies. Soon

architects and urban planners promoted the idea of urban villages that didnt need to rely on

automobiles, but used public transit, bicycling, and walking as their primary means of

transportation (Moskowitz 13).

The smart growth idea reached maturity when local governments used the following

tools to promote a smart growth policy:

1. Zoning ordinances Specify land use and offer incentives for following smart

growth principles

2. Environmental assessments Require developers to project the physical and

social impact of new development

The EPA has recognized cities such as Arlington, Virginia and Davidson, North Carolina,

for their successful implementation of smart growth principles, and such cities lead the way for

continued smart growth practices.

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Works Cited

Moskowitz, Eric. "Car-free Commuting Push Pays Off in Kendall Square." The Boston Globe 25

July 2012: 13. Newspaper.

Nelson, Kevin. Essential Smart Growth Fixes. Government study. Washington DC: U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, 2012. Document.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. About Smart Growth. n.d. Web. 5 March 2015.

This file created specifically for Jamie Roy