SMART

GROWTH
Eduardo F. Bober, Jr
Lecture Presentation for
AR 421S2/AR413A/AR443A.
 DEFINITION
• Also called New Community Design
• A general term for policies that integrate transportation and land use
decisions, for example by encouraging more compact, mixed-use
development within existing urban areas, and discouraging dispersed,
automobile dependent development at the urban fringe. (vtpi.org)
• An urban planning and transportation theory that concentrates growth
in the center of a city to avoid urban sprawl; and advocates
compact, transit-oriented, walkable, bicycle-friendly land use, including
neighborhood schools, complete streets, and mixed-used
development with a range of housing choices. Its goals are to achieve
a unique sense of community and place; expand the range of
transportation, employment, and housing choices; equitably distribute
the costs and benefits of development; preserve and enhance natural
and cultural resources; and promote public health. (wikipedia.org)
 HISTORY
• Transportation and community planners began to promote the idea of compact
cities and communities in the early 1970s.
• Archt. Peter Calthorpe promoted and popularized the idea of urban villages
that relied on public transportation, bicycling, and walking instead of
automobile use.
• Archt. Andres Duany promoted changing design codes to promote a sense of
community, and to discourage driving.
• In response to increasing community concerns about the need for new ways
to grow that boost the economy, protect the environment, and enhance
community vitality, the US Environmental Agency joined with several non-profit
and government organizations to form the Smart Growth Network (SGN) in
1996. The SGN’s partners include environmental groups, historic preservation
organizations, professional organizations, and local and state government
entities. They work to encourage development that serves the economy,
community and the environment.
 MAIN FEATURES
Growth is considered “smart growth” if it
includes these features:
• Compact neighborhoods and mixed-use
development: This reduces sprawl &
protects the climate. Includes adopting
redevelopment strategies & zoning policies
that channel housing and job growth into
urban centers & neighborhood business
districts, to create compact, walkable, bike-
& transit-friendly hubs by incorporating
mixed-use development with homes,
offices, galleries, and shops, inclusion of
affordable housing, restriction on suburban
design forms, and inclusion of parks and
recreation areas.
 MAIN FEATURES
• Transit-oriented development :
TODs are residential or
commercial areas designed to
maximize access to public
transport.

• Pedestrian- and bicycle-

friendly design: Biking and
walking instead of driving can
reduce emissions, save money
on fuel and maintenance, and
foster a healthier population.
 MAIN FEATURES
• Revitalization of run-down areas:
Cleaning up and redevelopment run-
down areas or brownfields/infill
(abandoned, idled, or underused
industrial and commercial facilities
where redevelopment is complicated
by real or perceived environmental
contamination) can remove blight and
environmental contamination, catalyze
neighborhood revitalization, lessen
development pressure at urban edge.
• Open space preservation: Preserving
natural lands and encouraging growth
in existing communities protects
farmland, wildlife habitat, and outdoor
recreation.
 10 BASIC PRINCIPLES
PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION BENEFITS
ØIntegrating different Ømitigation of
1. Create range of housing types like single- environmental costs of
housing and multi-family auto dependent
opportunities structures in new housing development
and developments can
support a more diverse Øbetter jobs-housing
choices
population and allow balance
more distribution of
households of all income Øgenerate a strong
levels across the region. foundation of support for
transit stops, commercial
centers and other
services
Principles 1 & 2: Create Range of Housing
Opportunities & Choices and Walkable Spaces
 10 BASIC PRINCIPLES
PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION BENEFITS
ØDone by building places with Ølower transportation
2. Create multiple destinations within close costs
walkable proximity, where streets and
neighborhoods sidewalks balance all forms of Øgreater social
transportation. They locate within interaction
an easy and safe walk of goods
and services that a community Øincreased physical
resident or employee needs on a activity thereby improving
regular basis, which makes personal and
pedestrian activity possible, thus environmental health
expanding transportation options,
and creating streetscapes that Øexpanded consumer
better serve a range of users. choice
 10 BASIC PRINCIPLES
PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION BENEFITS
ØSince different communities Ø improves public
3. Encourage have different needs, programs support
community and addressing them are best defined
stakeholder by the people who live and work Øleads to innovative
collaboration there. Encouraging community strategies that fit unique
and stakeholder collaboration needs of each community
can lead to creative, speedy
resolution of development issues
and greater community
understanding of the importance
of good planning and investment.
Principle 3: Encourage community and
stakeholder collaboration
 10 BASIC PRINCIPLES
PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION BENEFITS
Ø Encourages communities to Øcommunity cohesion
4. Foster craft a vision and set standards
distinctive, and construction which respond Østrong sense of
attractive to community values of belongingness of the
communities architectural beauty and people
distinctiveness as well as
with a strong
expanded choices in housing and
sense of place
transportation thereby creating
unique and interesting
communities which reflects the
values and culture of the people
who reside there and foster a
more cohesive community fabric
Principle 4: Foster distinctive, attractive
communities with a strong sense of place
 10 BASIC PRINCIPLES
PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION BENEFITS

5. Make ØSince the private sector has Øprivate sector support

development the needed capital in developing
decisions our communities, governments
predictable, fair should help make smart growth
profitable to private investors and
and cost
developers by making the right
effective
infrastructure and regulatory
decisions.
Principle 5: Make Development decisions
predictable, fair and cost effective

Principle 6: Mix Land Uses

 10 BASIC PRINCIPLES
PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION BENEFITS

6. Mix land ØPutting uses in close proximity Øeconomies of

uses to one another provides a more
diverse and sizable population
and commercial base to support
services.
agglomeration
Øincrease in social
interaction
Ørevitalization of
community life
Øenhance vitality and
perceived security
towards the streets
 10 BASIC PRINCIPLES
PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION BENEFITS

7. Preserve “Open space” – natural areas Øgreenspace and wildlife

open space, both in and surrounding the habitat preservation
farmland, locality that provide important
community space; habitat for Øreduced water pollution
natural beauty
plants and animals; farms; places Øhelp in reducing air
and critical
of natural beauty and critical pollution
environmental
environmental areas (e.g.
areas wetlands) Øreduced heat island
effect
Principle 7: Preserve open space, farmland,
natural beauty and critical environmental areas
 10 BASIC PRINCIPLES
PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION BENEFITS

8. Provide a ØMulti-modal approach to Øimproved transportation

variety of transportation with supportive options
transportation development patterns by
increasing high quality transit Ømore efficient
choices transportation
service; creating connectivity
within road networks; and Øreduced air pollution
ensuring connectivity between
pedestrian, bike, transit, and road
facilities.
Principle 8: Provide a variety of
transportation choices
 10 BASIC PRINCIPLES
PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION BENEFITS

9. Strengthen ØDirection of development Øreduced development

and direct towards existing communities and service costs
development already served by infrastructure
towards and utilizing resources that Øreduced green-field
existing neighborhoods offer can development and
existing
conserve open space and agricultural land
communities
irreplaceable natural resources at conversion
the urban fringe.
Principle 9: Strengthen and direct development
towards existing communities

Principle 10: Take Advantage of Compact

Building Designs
 10 BASIC PRINCIPLES
PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION BENEFITS

10.Take ØSuggests that communities be Øreduction of footprint of

advantage of designed in a way which permits new construction
compact more open space to be
preserved, and that buildings can Øpreservation of
building design greenspaces
be constructed which make more
efficient use of land and Øcheaper to provide and
resources by encouraging maintain services and
buildings to grow vertically rather utilities (water, sewer,
than horizontally, and by electricity, etc.)
incorporating structured rather
than surface parking
COMPARISON: Smart Growth & Sprawl
ATTRIBUTE SPRAWL
Lower-density, dispersed
Density activities
Urban periphery (green-
Growth pattern field) development
Homogeneous (single-use,
Land use mix segregated) land uses.
Large scale. Larger
Scale buildings, blocks, wide
roads. Less detail, since
people experience the
landscape at a distance, as
motorists.
SMART GROWTH
Compact development
Infill (brown-field)
development
Mixed land use
Human scale. Smaller
buildings, blocks and
roads. More detail, since
people experience the
landscape up close, as
pedestrians.
COMPARISON: Smart Growth & Sprawl
ATTRIBUTE SPRAWL SMART GROWTH
Public services (shops, Regional, consolidated, Local, distributed, smaller.
schools, parks) larger. Requires automobile Accommodates walking
access. access.
Automobile-oriented Multi-modal transportation
Transport transportation and land use and land use patterns that
patterns, poorly suited for support walking, cycling
walking, cycling and transit. and public transit.

Hierarchical road network Highly connected roads,

Connectivity with numerous loops and
dead-end streets, and
unconnected sidewalks and
paths, with many barriers to
nonmotorized travel.
sidewalks and paths,
allowing relatively direct
travel by motorized and
nonmotorized modes.
COMPARISON: Smart Growth & Sprawl
ATTRIBUTE SPRAWL
Streets designed to
Street design maximize motor vehicle
traffic volume and speed.
Unplanned, with little
coordination between
Planning process jurisdictions and
stakeholders.
Public space Emphasis on the private
realm (yards, shopping
malls, gated communities,
private clubs).
SMART GROWTH
Streets designed to
accommodate a variety of
activities. Traffic calming.
Planned and coordinated
between jurisdictions and
stakeholders.
Emphasis on the public
realm (streetscapes,
pedestrian environment,
public parks, public
facilities).

Source: Victoria Transport Policy Institute. “Smart Growth: More Efficient Land Use
Management.” Available from http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm38.htm. Internet; accessed 24 July
2011 with credits from Ms. Eleanor Marie V. Santos
 Activity for the week
• Submit a critique and/or evaluation (Case Study) of the
Eastwood Center which our class visited last Saturday,
August 6, 2011. Assessment should focus on the “smart
growth” concept as discussed in the class.
• Provide additional discussion/information from secondary
data sources to enhance and to expound on your analysis
aside from your personal observation.
• Include a brief report of the activity that took place last
August 6.
• Due for submission on August 19, 2011 in hard copy.