Smart Growth is a national movement consisting of the application of a series of principles to planning and public space administration strategies in support of development that is environmentally sensitive, economically viable, community-oriented, and sustainable. Its origins are as an anti-sprawl movement in the 1970s.
Although every area must define what Smart Growth means to them at the local and regional levels, most proponents agree on
10 core principles:
1. Mix land uses 2. Take advantage of compact building design
3. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices 4. Create walk-able neighborhoods
5. Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place
6. Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas
7. Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities
8. Provide a variety of transportation choices 9. Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective
10. Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions
Planning
Trends
Smart Growth Network
