Aldy Way

"smart growth", ie, densification of development in new and established communities, especially along transportation corridors, not just generally a good goal, it is a necessity. Sprawling development has been established in many negative impacts. Infrastructure support is disproportionately expensive to build and maintain. Its environmental impact is disproportionately large and wasteful. It has been shown to create negative impacts on social and physical quality of life of people. For example, it has been shown to further separate communities, separate individuals, and add to health problems related to obesity and lack of exercise as a result of utter reliance on the automobile for even the most world's errands. These examples are just the most obvious and often cited the negative impacts of sprawl, but there are many others. In addition, the negative impacts can be counter-intuitive in the sense that migration in the sprawling suburbs was encouraged to some degree looking for a small town or rural community spirit, but usually results in the opposite.

It's no wonder that the "smart growth" has become one of the most commonly used concepts in urban planning, public administration and regional authorities. Numerous articles and forum posts by urban planners and designers can make smart growth densification. They decry as NIMBYism any community opposition to zoning changes, or allows a higher density projects, which resulted in him. The term "smart growth" is often closely paired with another urban overused term "sustainable development ."

over these results in terms of recognition for other established principles of planning. For example, there tends to be a lack of sensitivity to one of the most important factors in creating sustainable communities - to support and participate in the community. When projects are identified smart growth run roughly a leg over the feelings and aspirations of the affected community, its members move on to greener pastures leaving behind a ruin. Blight is an anti-thesis of a sustainable community, and inextricably linked with the expansion.

In addition, the densification does not necessarily achieve the often stated goals of smart growth, such as greater use of public transport, shorter commutes, more pedestrian and bicycle use, etc. For example, in Southern California there is a relatively new community commonly called Golden Triangle (the name derives from the three highways that are its limits). This area is an urban planner for the miracle of its high concentration is nearly complete orientation on cars. However, if this development were proposed today, would surely be touted as a smart growth because of its density and proximity to transportation corridors.

So, a blind increase the density does not necessarily achieve the goals of smart growth, and may even have the reverse effect, especially if you are driving people from the community. This is especially true in communities established before the second half of the twentieth century, often to achieve smart growth goals at a level that a modern planned smart growth has not been able to achieve. Too often, smart growth proponents ignore the traditional hub and spoke model of smart growth, in favor of the so-called "nodes" of development. Too often, the "node" model of development justify any increase in density along transportation corridors, regardless of scope or nature of the surrounding communities or the quality of development.

As anyone who has traveled abroad can attest, a significant density can be achieved without high-or even mid-rise building. In existing communities, more subtle methods to increase the density are more likely to have the desired effect. For example, relaxation of setback requirements, street width requirements and restrictions on granny flat construction, expansion of home remodeling, and multi-family occupancies, all can significantly increase the density while maintaining the scale and quality of community participation and the achievement of community members. In contrast, the rezoning area consists mainly of one two story family home to allow for more story mixed-use projects such dramatic change, it can lead to many unintended "dumb growth" effects (eg, honeydew ).

So, the "NIMBYs" should be respected in the smart-growth ification of their communities, because it is often that they know best what works in its "backyard". The scale, character development, historical preservation and conservation of a sense of community are all important factors in successful smart growth. Urban planners would do well to listen again, community members, and also keep track of many new community-based blogs and resources. It was only then that the "smart growth" will live up to its name.