Smart Growth
Issue Summary
U.S. EPA
Other Federal Agencies
States
Organizations/Non-Government Programs
Publications
Databases and Tools
Financial Assistance
Issue
Summary
Smart
growth is development that serves the economy, community and the
environment. Over the last forty years a shift has taken place in the
patterns of development. Traditional development fostered a sense of
community while more recent development trends have led to sprawl and
isolated pockets of growth. Sprawl can bring about increased traffic
congestion as people are forced to rely upon automobiles for
transportation. Sprawl also leads to loss of open spaces.
Recently,
the debate about development has been changed by the emergence of a
new perspective: smart growth. Smart growth tries to combat sprawl by
recognizing the connections between development and the quality of
life. Smart growth is development that is environmentally, fiscally,
and economically sound. The following material includes information
on recent news and events concerning smart growth, as well as
full-text publications and links to other Web sites. These resources
are assembled to assist local governments in learning more about
smart growth and what it means to communities.
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U.S.
EPA
Smart
Growth. EPA helps communities grow in ways that expand
economic opportunity, protect public health and the environment, and
create and enhance the places that people love. Through research,
tools, partnerships, case studies, grants, and technical assistance,
EPA is helping America's communities turn their visions of the future
into reality.
Follow the Smart Growth program on twitter @EPAsmartgrowth!
Essential Smart Growth Fixes for Urban and Suburban Zoning Codes
Across the country, local governments are searching for ways to create vibrant communities that attract jobs, foster economic development, and provide attractive places for people to live, work, and play. But many are discovering that their own land development codes and ordinances often get in the way of achieving these goals, and they may not have the resources or expertise to make the specific regulatory changes that will create more sustainable communities. This tool can help.-- (full text)
EPA Smart Growth Grants
and Other Funding
The
EPA smart growth program sometimes offers grants to support activities that
improve the quality of development and protect human health and the
environment. When these grants are offered, they will always be announced on
this Web page and on www.grants.gov
Making Smart Growth
Happen
Find tools and information to help you improve your community: technical
assistance, educational opportunities, tools for communities, partnerships.
About Smart Growth
Learn about smart growth issues and environmental benefits. Find information about specific topics, resources, and examples of smart growth development, including the National Award for Smart Growth Achievement. Access the EPA Smart Growth Newsroom for all the latest news and updates of the Smart Growth program.
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Topics
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Education/Outreach
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Examples of Smart Growth Communities and Projects
- Community Stories - Information about how EPA helped a
redevelopment project show that its smart growth measures would help
reduce its air pollution, among other environmental benefits.
- National Award for Smart
Growth Achievement - EPA's annual award to recognize communities that
use the principles of smart growth to create better places.
- Smart Growth Illustrated - Visual examples of smart growth techniques as they have been used in
different places.
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Other
Federal Agencies
Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development. This project of the United States Department of Energy offers a Web site providing information about sustained growth. The site presents a comprehensive overview of the land use planning techniques currently being used and also lists case studies, upcoming conferences, and funding opportunities for growth-related projects.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Active Community Environments Initiative
Department of Energy - Smart Communities Network
Federal Highway Administration - Planning, Environment, and Realty
Federal Transit Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Coastal Community Development
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States
California State Treasurer's Office - Pollution Control Financing Authority
Colorado Department of Community Development & Planning, Sustainability Planning
Delaware - Livable Delaware Agenda
Georgia Department of Community Affairs - Planning and Quality Growth
Maryland Department of Planning -- Office of Smart Growth
Massachusetts Clean Energy & Smart Growth-Smart Energy
New Hampshire - Office of Energy and Planning - Achieving Smart Growth in New Hampshire
New Jersey Office of Smart Growth
New York State Quality Communities Clearinghouse
Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection - Growing Smarter
Washington State Community, Trade, and Economic Development - Smart Growth
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Wisconsin's Planning Law
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Organizations/Non-Government
Programs
Smart
Growth Network. The Smart Growth Network
(SGN) offers a wealth of resources to help you in your smart growth
efforts. Membership in the Smart Growth Network is free. Now,
anyone interested in smart growth can join SGN, and receive the
bi-monthly newsletter Getting Smart, participate in discussions on
the SGN members listserv, get tips and useful information from the
SGN Information Hotline, and get access to the members section of the
SGN Web site.
Trust
for Public Land. TPL is the only national
nonprofit working exclusively to protect land for human enjoyment and
well-being. In addition to news, the TPL Web site offers a variety of
full text, on-line reports.
Smart
Growth America. A nationwide
coalition promoting a better way to grow: one that protects open
space, revitalizes neighborhoods, keeps housing affordable, and
provides more transportation choices. The Web site includes "Smart
Tools," links to other smart growth sites, and produces a
bi-weekly newsletter on smart growth issues across the country.
American
Farmland Trust. AFT is a private, nonprofit
organization founded in 1980 to protect our nation's farmland. AFT
works to stop the loss of productive farmland and to promote farming
practices that lead to a healthy environment.
Brookings Institution's Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy. This Web site examines urban policies that will help build strong neighborhoods, cities, and metropolitan regions.
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Regional Smart Growth Organizations
1000 Friends of Florida
1000 Friends of Iowa
1000 Friends of Maryland
1000 Friends of Minnesota
1000 Friends of Oregon
1000 Friends of Wisconsin
10000 Friends of Pennsylvania
Environment Colorado
Futurewise (Seattle, WA)
The Georgia Conservancy
Greater Ohio
Greenbelt Alliance (San Francisco Bay Area)
Grow Smart Rhode Island
GrowSmart Maine
Houston Tomorrow (Houston, TX)
Hawaii's Thousand Friends
Idaho Smart Growth
Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance
Michigan Environmental Council
Montana Smart Growth Coalition
New Jersey Future
Pennsylvania Environmental Council
Piedmont Environmental Council (Virginia)
Regional Plan Association (Connecticut, New Jersey, New York)
South Carolina Coastal Conservation League
Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council (Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach Counties, Florida)
Vermont Natural Resource Council
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Other Organizations
AARP - Livable Communities
Healthy Living by Design
National Association of Home Builders
National Center for Bicycling and Walking
National Conference of State Legislatures
National Governors' Association Center for Best Practices
Center for Transit-Oriented Development
U.S. Green Building Council - LEED for Neighborhood Developments
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Community Design Tools
Context Sensitive Street Design
National Charrette Institute
Orton Family Foundation Smart Growth Tools
Smarter Land Use
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Publications
Legislative
Guidebook for Growing Smart. This
publication contains model statutes for planning and the management
of change. The model statutes are intended to provide local
governments and others with ideas, principles, methods, and
procedures drawn from various states, regions, and local governments
across the country.
Developments
and Dollars: An Introduction to Fiscal Impact Analysis in Land
Use Planning. This guide provides local
officials and others concerned with sprawling development and growth
issues with tools they need to examine the likely impacts of
development proposals on local taxes and municipal budgets.
Best
Development Practices: A Primer for Smart Growth. Available for $9 from the International City/County Management
Association, this primer shows how changes in current development
patterns can help stop sprawl.
Pedestrian-
and Transit-Friendly Design: A Primer for Smart Growth. Available for $8 from the International City/County Management
Association, this primer illustrates essential features of
pedestrian- and transit-friendly design.
A Region Divided: The State of Growth in Greater Washington, D.C. This report, produced by the Brookings Institution Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy, includes: (1) an overview of the region's economy, (2) an examination of growth in metropolitan Washington; (3) a summary of what the response has been to date in the region to address some of the concerns around growth, and (4) thoughts about how this region can begin to frame its vision and efforts for building a vibrant region.
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Databases
and Tools
Sustainable
Measures. Sustainable Measures develops
indicators that measure progress toward a sustainable economy,
society and environment. This site offers users free training
materials, a searchable database of indicators, a list of online and
print resources, answers to frequently asked questions, and more.
Treelink. This Web site offers an urban forestry database, guidelines for
improving urban forestry in your community, recent news, lists of
urban forestry forums, and links to other Web sites.
Tools for Community Design and Decision Making. This is an Internet-based presentation which offers information about the planning tools of the future. The tools presented on this Web site will help to diminish barriers to smart growth such as community opposition to density and the mixing of uses, outdated regulatory practices, and financing.
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Financial Assistance
Grants
and Funding. Find out about financial assistance
available to organizations and communities.
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