Updated 05/2012
Smart Growth and Sustainable Development
Contents
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, 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
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
- 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
- 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
Smart Growth and Sustainability in Other States
Smart Growth Information by Topic
The following information is organized by specific subject areas that relate to smart growth issues.
Design and Smart Growth
Economics and Smart Growth
Energy and Smart Growth
Environment and Smart Growth
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
Natural Resources and Smart Growth
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
Healthy Communities
Schools and Smart Growth
Related MRSC Pages