Understanding smart growth

The closest to a definition for smart growth are guiding principles provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1996. The agency teamed up with several nonprofit and government organizations and created the Smart Growth Network in response to increasing community concerns about the need for ways to boost the economy and protect as well as enhance it.

Here are some underlying principles of smart growth:

Create a range of housing opportunities and choices. Providing quality housing for people of all income levels is an integral component in any smart-growth strategy.

Create walkable neighborhoods.

Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration.

Foster distinctive attractive communities with a strong sense of place.

Make development decisions predictable, fair and cost effective.

Mix land uses.

Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty and critical environmental areas.

Provide a variety of transportation choices.

Strengthen and direct development toward existing communities.

Take advantage of compact building design.

Source: Smart Growth Network