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Smart Growth Checklist

Smart Growth is sensible, planned efficient growth that integrates economic development and job creation with community quality of life by preserving and enhancing the built and natural environment. Smart Growth encourages growth in developed areas with existing infrastructure to sustain it, particularly municipal centers, downtowns ("JVIain Streets"), urban cores, historic districts and older first-tier suburbs. Smart Growth means growing in a way that enhances our communities and our daily lives, now and in the future. This is growth that doesn't magnify our traffic problems, that doesn't result in higher municipal costs and that doesn't needlessly pollute or consume open space. This is growth that enhances all the places where we spend time. Smart Growth has tvvo primary features: the "where" and the "how." Smart Growth occurs "where" a project can be accommodated with minimal impacts and "where" it takes advantage of existing infrastructure. Smart Growth addresses the "how" by ensuring that the completed project works in harmony with its neighbors and expands choices that can otherwise be lost to sprawl: to walk or bike to work or shop, to use transit rather than a car, to spend time with friends and family in attractive common spaces, to provide a range of housing choices for all members of the community, and to avoid wasteful spending by using public infrastructure and services more efficiently.

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56 views

Smart Growth Checklist

Smart Growth is sensible, planned efficient growth that integrates economic development and job creation with community quality of life by preserving and enhancing the built and natural environment. Smart Growth encourages growth in developed areas with existing infrastructure to sustain it, particularly municipal centers, downtowns ("JVIain Streets"), urban cores, historic districts and older first-tier suburbs. Smart Growth means growing in a way that enhances our communities and our daily lives, now and in the future. This is growth that doesn't magnify our traffic problems, that doesn't result in higher municipal costs and that doesn't needlessly pollute or consume open space. This is growth that enhances all the places where we spend time. Smart Growth has tvvo primary features: the "where" and the "how." Smart Growth occurs "where" a project can be accommodated with minimal impacts and "where" it takes advantage of existing infrastructure. Smart Growth addresses the "how" by ensuring that the completed project works in harmony with its neighbors and expands choices that can otherwise be lost to sprawl: to walk or bike to work or shop, to use transit rather than a car, to spend time with friends and family in attractive common spaces, to provide a range of housing choices for all members of the community, and to avoid wasteful spending by using public infrastructure and services more efficiently.

Uploaded by

Cedarburg Neighbors
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Smart Growth Checklist

Enclosed is an easy-to-use checklist to determine whether a proposedproject is likely to


contribute to the overall well-being ofyour community
In his "Blueprint for American Prosperity," Bruce Katz, vice president and
director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, noted that " ...
betvveen now and 2030 we will develop another 213 billion square feet of
homes, retail facilities, office buildings and other structures. That's double the
amount ofbuilt space in the United States today."
Importantly, we need this growth if we are to maintain our strength in the
global economy, attain energy independence and contribute to resolving
global environmental problems. But it is the "how" we grow that will
determine whether we achieve these objectives.

What Is Smart Growth?


Smart Growth is sensible, planned efficient growth that integrates economic
development and job creation with community quality of life by preserving
and enhancing the built and natural environment.
Smart Growth encourages growth in developed areas with existing
infrastructure to sustain it, particularly municipal centers, downtowns ("JVIain
Streets"), urban cores, historic districts and older first-tier suburbs. Smart
Growth means growing in a way that enhances our communities and our
daily lives, now and in the future. This is growth that doesn't magnify our
traffic problems, that doesn't result in higher municipal costs and that doesn't
needlessly pollute or consume open space. This is growth that enhances all
the places where we spend time.
Smart Growth has tvvo primary features: the "where" and the "how." Smart
Growth occurs "where" a project can be accommodated with minimal impacts
and "where" it takes advantage of existing infrastructure. Smart Growth
addresses the "how" by ensuring that the completed project works in harmony
with its neighbors and expands choices that can otherwise be lost to sprawl:
to walk or bike to work or shop, to use transit rather than a car, to spend time
with friends and family in attractive common spaces, to provide a range of
housing choices for all members of the community, and to avoid wasteful
spending by using public infrastructure and services more efficiently.

I New York State Department o f 1ransporcation

What Are the Smart Growth Principles?


Every community has different characteristics, needs, objectives and
opportunities. As a result, one community's Smart Growth Vision and
implementation plans are likely to be quite different from other communities
whether it is a city, a suburb or a rural town or village. Still, each community
can work toward a better future by considering whether a proposed project
will contribute to a more economically efficient, attractive, user-friendly
community. The Smart Growth Principles can be used to evaluate whether a
proposed project is likely to contribute to a community's overall well-being.
These guiding principles are set out below.
./ Locate near existing development and infrastructure.
./ Increase the range of housing opportunities .
./ Protect open space and critical resources .
./ Create a vibrant mix of uses.
./ Create or enhance choices for getting around .
./ Design for personal interaction and walkability.
./ Respect the desired character of the community.
./ Be sustainable in the context of the community.

Smart Growth Checklist


For Proposed Development Projects in Your Community

Principle I: The proposed project is located near existing infrastructure. Smart


Growth can help reduce pressure on local budgets by reducing the need to build infrastructure for a proposed
project.
IfYes

Is it served by existing roads and public sewer and water services with sufficient capacity
to support its operations?

Is it in an area targeted for priority development, such as an Empire Zone, Industrial Park
or urban redevelopment zone?

Is the availability of existing public services, such as police, fire, schools and health, sufficient
to serve the project?

Principle II: The proposed project provides a range ofhousing options. Smart Growth
ensures the availability of housing for all needs and incomes. This contributes to the economic sustainability
and social diversity of a community.
IfYes
Does it offer a mix of housing types and sizes for a range of ages and likely situations?
(apartments, condos, single-family homes, studios, 1/2/3/ bedrooms)
Does it have a range of housing prices and options (purchase/rent)?
Does it provide affordable housing?

0
0
0
0

Principle III: The proposed project protects open space, farmland and critical
environmental areas. Smart Growth preserves critical resources, such as groundwater recharge areas,
and environmental amenities, such as open space, farmland and recreation areas. This enhances property
values, health and the community's long-term sustainability.
If Yes
Does it avoid critical environmental areas, such as aquifers, unbroken forest and habitat of
threatened or endangered species?
Does it avoid the acquisition and change in use of operating farms or prime farmland?

0
0

Does it involve the cleanup and reuse of properties with identified environmental problems,
such as brownfi.elds?

Does it avoid sensitive environmental viewsheds or preserve views of scenic, historic or


cultural areas?

Smart Growth Checklist


For Proposed Development Projects in Your Community
Principle IV: The proposed project provides a mix of land uses.

Smart Growth mixes


land uses which contributes to the creation of a vibrant community by integrating diverse activities and
expanding the offerings currently available.
If Yes
Is it a mixed-use project, including any combination of at least three of the following: homes,
retail, commercial, recreational, educational, or public facilities?
Does it add a new and compatible type ofland use to an existing neighborhood or district?
Does it add new and compatible products or services to an established business district?

0
0
0

Principle V: The proposed project provides multiple transportation and access


choices. Smart Growth focuses on providing transportation choices, and specifically healthier, safer and
more cost effective choices.
IfYes
Is it within walking distance of public transit?

[{J
0

Is it accessible by multiple modes of transportation, including bus, rail, pedestrians,


bicyclists and autos?

0
Is it fully connected to the surrounding community; can you take different routes to the project? 0
Is there full access to and from the property from surrounding developments?
0

Principle VI:The proposed projectiswalkable and designedforpersonalinteraction.


Smart Growth provides people with opportunities to interact with their surroundings ... safely, efficiently and
happily ... enhancing their quality of life.
If Yes
Are the number, density and location of housing units sufficient to promote walking and
transit?

0
Are the size and location of commercial or retail uses sufficient to promote walking and transit? 0
Is it within walking distance of at least three other land uses, such as housing, schools, offices or retail
businesses?
0
Does parking allow easy and safe access by pedestrians to buildings and not visually
dominate the project?
Does it improve access to prime viewsheds or historic and cultural sites?

0
0

Smart Growth Checklist


For Proposed Development Proiects in Your Community
PrincipleVII: The proposed project is respectful of the community's character.
Smart Growth seeks to preserve the historic, cultural and social characteristics that so often attract new
businesses and residents to a community.

If Yes

Do buildings conform to the desired scale and architectural styles of the community?

Does it reuse or rehabilitate historic structures or other structures of significance to the


community?

Does it support the public streetscape, including pedestrian-friendly amenities such as


landscaping, benches and lighting?
Does it create or enhance community spaces, such as plazas, squares and parks?

0
0

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