Updated 05/2012

Smart Growth and Sustainable Development

Introduction
General Resources on Smart Growth
General Resources on Sustainability
General Resources on New Urbanism
General Articles on Smart Growth and Sustainable Development
Washington Local Government Sustainability Programs
Smart Growth and Sustainability in Other States
Smart Growth Information by Topic
Related MRSC Pages

Introduction

Smart growth is development that is environmentally sensitive, economically viable, community-oriented, and sustainable. It is an approach to land use planning that promotes compact, transit-oriented urban communities that are attractive and livable. Smart growth focuses on the planning and layout of communities and the efficient use of land to maximize community goals and avoid wasteful sprawl. It involves policies that integrate transportation and land use decisions by encouraging more compact, mixed-use development within existing urban areas and discouraging dispersed, automobile-dependent development at the urban fringe. Smart growth and sustainable development are often used interchangeably. Sustainable development is a strategy by which communities seek to balance environmental protection, economic development, and social objectives and to meet the needs of today without compromising the quality of life for future generations.

Smart growth principles include the following:

Mixing land uses
Employing compact building design
Creating a range of housing opportunities and choices
Creating walkable, bicycle-friendly neighborhoods
Designing distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place
Preserving open space, farmland, and critical environmental areas
Directing development towards existing communities
Providing a variety of transportation choices
Making development decisions fair, predictable, and cost-effective
Encouraging community and stakeholder collaboration.

The Washington Growth Management Act (GMA) encourages smart growth in that state law mandates that growth be directed into urban growth areas where urban services already exist. The GMA also promotes many other smart growth principles, such as affordable housing, preservation of critical areas and farmland, providing transportation choices, and predictable permit decisions; see GMA planning goals (RCW 36.70A.020).

Because smart growth is a broad subject that cuts across many different areas, this page offers links both to MRSC pages that address related topics and to resources on other sites.

General Resources on Smart Growth

Smart Growth Online - Website of Smart Growth Network with extensive information including news and useful resources. A network to encourage metropolitan development that is environmentally, fiscally, economically, and socially smart
Smart Growth America - Nationwide coalition promoting a better way to grow; one that protects farmland and open space, revitalizes neighborhoods, keeps housing affordable, preserves scenic and historic resources, and makes communities more livable
Smart Growth, U.S. EPA - EPA's portal to extensive resources on smart growth and related issues
- Smart Growth () Draft, Local Government Climate and Energy Strategy Guide, 03/2010 - A guide to developing and implementing greenhouse gas reduction programs
- Smart Growth Implementation Assistance (EPA)
Smart Growth, Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (now Department of Commerce) - Brochure, discussion papers, and links
Bibliography: Livability, Sustainable Development and Smart Growth, 2004-2009, compiled by Rosalyn Alleman and Roger Garren, National Transportation Library (NTL)
Center for Livable Communities, Local Government Commission (CA) - National initiative of Local Government Commission in California. Developed the Ahwahnee Principles for Resource-Efficient Communities
Natural Resources Defense Council, Smart Growth
Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities - Resource to assist funders and organizations interested in advancing more livable communities through smart growth policies
Futurewise (Formerly 1000 Friends of Washington) - Statewide public interest group working to promote healthy communities and cities while protecting farmland, forests and shorelines
Local Government Environmental Assistance Network Smart Growth - Links to many smart growth resources
ULI and Smart Growth, Urban Land Institute - Resource for information, advice, and concrete ideas on implementing smart growth; emphasis on the development community
Smart Growth Leadership Institute - Dedicated to helping state and local elected, civic, and business leaders design and implement effective smart growth strategies
ICMA Smart Growth - Links to blog, documents, and publications about Smart Growth
Smart Growth, National Trust for Historic Preservation - Includes Smart Growth Toolkit
Smart Growth, New Urbanism
Smart City Radio - Weekly public radio talk show on cities

General Resources on Sustainability

Sustainable Communities Online - Comprehensive site for information exchange about sustainability; includes case studies from Washington State. See also Inventories and Indicators
Sustainable Washington 2009: Planning for Climate Change, Washington Chapter, American Planning Association - Award-winning resource document for planners involved in sustainability and climate change issues; emphasizes actions that planners can take to mitigate the effects of climate change and to adapt to unavoidable impacts associated with global warming
U.S. Department of Agriculture - Sustainable Development
Center for Sustainable Communities and Sustainability topic page, ICMA - Features best practices and tools for local governments
2010 County Sustainability Strategies (), National Association of Counties
Sustainability, U.S. EPA
Sightline Institute - An independent, not-for-profit sustainability research center based in Seattle. Sightline's mission is to promote an environmentally sound economy and way of life in the Pacific Northwest
Selected MRSC Library Holdings on Sustainable Development
Communities Working on Sustainability Indicators, International Sustainability Indicators Network
Sustainable Cities Institute - Project of the National League of Cities to support efforts in environmental stewardship initiatives and provide proactive solutions to helping create healthy “green” communities
SustainLane Government - Online sustainability best practices knowledge base for state and local government

General Resources on New Urbanism

New urbanism (also known as traditional neighborhood development) is an approach to developing community based on traditional town patterns. New urbanism also reflects many principles of sustainable development.

CNU - Congress for the New Urbanism - Non-profit organization that works with architects, planners and developers to teach them how to implement the principles of new urbanism
New Urbanism - Organization aimed at creating livable sustainable communities
Traditional Neighborhood Development, MRSC webpage

General Articles on Smart Growth and Sustainable Development

Smart Growth and the Greening of Comprehensive Plans and Land Use Regulations, by Patricia Salkin, Albany Law School, 07/2008 (paper available for download)
Smart Growth, TDM Encyclopedia, Victoria Transport Policy Institute - Focus on the integration between transportation and land use
Evaluating Criticism of Smart Growth, by Todd Litman, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, 03/12/2012
Smart Growth Reforms: Changing Planning Regulatory and Fiscal Practices to Support More Efficient Land Use, by Todd Littman, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, 02/22/2012
Understanding Smart Growth Savings: What We Know About Public Infrastructure and Service Cost Savings, And How They are Misrepresented By Critics, 02/22/2012, by Todd Litman, Victoria Transport Policy Institute
Overcoming Obstacles to Smart Growth Through Code Reform, An Executive Summary of Smart Growth Zoning Codes: A Resource Guide, Local Government Commission (CA)
Smart Growth Checklist (), A Checklist for Municipal Land Use Planning and Management, NY State Department of Transportation

Washington Local Government Sustainability Programs

This section includes information on local government sustainability programs and offices.

Cities

Bellingham Green Resolutions and Actions
Edmonds Community Sustainability Element, Comprehensive Plan
Issaquah Sustainable City Indicators - Includes Issaquah Sustainable City Report, 2011
Kirkland Sustainable Development
Lynnwood Energy and Sustainability Element, () Comprehensive Plan
Mountlake Terrace Sustainability
Olympia
- Sustainability
- Olympia Comprehensive Plan, Ch. 3 - Sustainable Economy()
Sammamish Sustainability Strategy - Includes goals and 2011 Action Plan
Seattle Sustainable Development and Smart Growth - Links to Seattle's Comprehensive Plan, Transportation Strategic Plan, and related environmental programs. Also see Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment
Shoreline Forevergreen - Sustainability reporting
- Environmental Sustainability Strategy document ( 16 MB), adopted 07/14/2008 (large document)
Sustainable Snoqualmie - Includes Sustainability Report and current sustainability work
Spokane Sustainability, Environmental programs - Highlights coordination among government, businesses, and citizen interests to achieve sustainability
Tacoma Sustainability - Activities of Tacoma's Office of Sustainability
University Place, Main Street and Smart Growth Primer (), Economic Development Task Force
Sustainable Vancouver - Includes Sustainability Plan
Walla Walla Sustainability Committee
Woodinville Sustainable Development Project - Results of 2007 study

Counties

Benton County Sustainable Development - Includes economic development and environmental programs
Clark County Sustainability Policy () adopted 10/01/2007
Pierce County Office of Sustainable Education Network
Skagit County Climate Change and Sustainability Initiative - Initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change
Snohomish County Office of Energy and Sustainability - Emphasis on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
Thurston County
- Sustainability Policy
- Climate and Sustainability Program

Smart Growth and Sustainability in Other States

Smart Growth Planning Topics, Maryland - Leader in developing statewide Smart Growth program
New Jersey Smart Growth Gateway - An online resource for local government officials and citizens with information necessary to implement smart growth strategies in their communities. Also see Smart Growth Case Studies and Ordinances
Sustainable City, San Francisco - Sustainability plan for the city of San Francisco
Portland, OR Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and BPS Sustainability Programs
Massachusetts Smart Growth/Smart Energy Toolkit
Smart Growth BC - Provincial non-governmental organization devoted to fiscally, socially, and environmentally responsible land use and development

Smart Growth Information by Topic

The following information is organized by specific subject areas that relate to smart growth issues.

Design and Smart Growth

Smart Growth, National Trust for Historic Preservation
Communities by Design, American Institute of Architects
Design Review, MRSC webpage
Governors' Institute on Community Design - An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Environmental Protection Agency to support governors' leadership in good community design and innovative planning.
Green Communities and Building Design, MRSC webpage
Green Development, Smart Communities Network
Community Design and Public Spaces, Smart Growth Solutions, N.J. Smart Growth Gateway
Place Matters - Database for communities to improve community design and decisionmaking

Economics and Smart Growth

Economic Development, MRSC webpage
Workforce Development and Smart Growth, The Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities, 2005

Energy and Smart Growth

Massachusetts Smart Growth/Smart Energy Toolkit - Integrating smart growth and smart energy into comprehensive planning

Environment and Smart Growth

Coastal and Waterfront Smart Growth, NOAA
EcoEarth Info - Environmental sustainability portal and search engine
Growing Toward More Efficient Water Use: Linking Development, Infrastructure, and Drinking Water Policies, EPA, 01/2006
Climate Change, MRSC webpage
Environment & Natural Resources, MRSC webpage

Housing and Smart Growth

Smart Growth and Affordable Housing, U.S. EPA
Best Practices in the Production of Affordable Housing, Urban Land Institute, 2005
Environmentally Sustainable Affordable Housing, ULI Community Catalyst Report No. 7, prepared by Deborah L. Myerson, Urban Land Institute, 2008 - Based on an October 2007 Forum on Community Issues
Housing, Smart Growth America - Addresses issues such as range of choice in housing and affordability
Smarter Growth Policy, National Association of Home Builders
Housing, MRSC webpage - includes links to affordable housing ordinances

Land Use and Smart Growth/Sustainability

Innovative Land Use Planning Techniques:A Handbook For Sustainable Development, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
Smart Communities Network, Land Use Planning
Smart Growth Program, National Association of Realtors
Smart Land Use, Victoria Transport Policy Institute - Links to related articles

Natural Resources and Smart Growth

National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, National Center for Appropriate Technology
Smart Forestry for Smart Growth, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Transportation and Smart Growth

Driving Urban Environments: Smart Growth Parking Best Practices, Maryland Governor's Office of Smart Growth. Overview of parking strategies that meet the challenges faced by projects in the context of smart growth.
Parking Spaces/Community Places: Finding the Balance Through Smart Growth Solutions, U.S. EPA, 01/2006
Congestion Management, MRSC webpage
TDM Encyclopedia, Victoria Transport Policy Institute - Transportation demand management; comprehensive source of information about innovative management solutions to transportation problems
Transportation, Smart Growth America
Smart Transportation Guidebook () Planning and Designing Highways and Streets that Support Sustainable and Livable Communities, Pennsylvania and New Jersey Departments of Transportation, 03/2008
Sustainability, Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO - Transportation focus
Transportation Demand Management, MRSC webpage
Transportation Efficient Land Use, MRSC webpage