Smart Growth

Smart growth practitioners aim to halt the harmful effects of sprawl by encouraging an alternative – reinvesting in the places people already live. Urban affairs writer, Tony Proscio, notes that “The alternative to sprawl is not stagnation, but a better, fuller use of already-developed spaces – especially those whose deterioration and neglect is now causing the flight that fuels sprawl in the first place.”1

Vacant properties are, of course, in these “already-developed spaces”. Seizing the opportunity to once again make these assets central to our cities, towns, and counties is critical in our ability to bring about the healthier, distinctive, and equitable communities we strive for. Wasting these properties will continue to have a devastating effect on the health and well-being of us all.

According to the Brookings Institution, vacant and abandoned properties occupy about 15 percent of the area of the typical large city, more than 12,000 acres on average.2 This is usable land already connected to urban infrastructure (like roads and power lines). For metropolitan areas looking to accommodate growth without consuming the surrounding countryside, these properties amount to a large reservoir of land for well-planned development.

10 Principles of Smart Growth

These central principles are recognized as defining smart growth and have been embraced by many of the nation’s key conservation, environmental, historic preservation, affordable housing, and business organizations, as well as by the national associations of planners, developers, Realtors®, local government officials, and the U.S. EPA. 

1. Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost-effective. Builders wishing to implement smart growth should face no more obstacles than those contributing to sprawl. In fact, communities may choose to provide incentives for smarter development.
2. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices. Not everyone wants the same thing. Communities should offer a range of options: houses, condominiums, affordable homes for low-income families, and “granny flats” for empty nesters.
3. Provide a variety of transportation options. People can’t get out of their cars unless we provide them with another way to get where they’re going. More communities need safe and reliable public transportation, sidewalks, and bike paths.
4. Strengthen existing communities and direct development towards them. Before we plow up more forests and farms, we should look for opportunities to grow in already built-up areas.
5. Preserve natural beauty, parks, farmland, and environmentally critical areas. People want to stay connected to nature and are willing to take action to protect farms, waterways, ecosystems, and wildlife.
6. Create complete neighborhoods where daily needs are close at hand. New, clustered development works best if it includes a mix of stores, jobs, and homes. Single-use districts make life less convenient and require more driving.
7. Create a safe, inviting environment for walking. These places offer not just the opportunity to walk—sidewalks are a necessity—but something to walk to, whether it’s the corner store, the transit stop or a school. A compact, walkable neighborhood contributes to peoples’ sense of community because neighbors get to know each other, not just each other’s cars.
8. Foster distinctive communities with a strong sense of place. In every community, there are things that make each place special, from train stations to local businesses. These should be protected and celebrated.
9. Make efficient use of public investments in infrastructure, schools, and services. From local parks to neighborhood schools to transit systems, public investments should focus on getting the most out of what we’ve already built.
10. Encourage citizen and stakeholder participation in development decisions. Plans developed without strong citizen involvement don’t have staying power. When people feel left out of important decisions, they won’t be there to help out when tough choices have to be made.

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1 Proscio, Tony. “Smart Communities: Curbing Sprawl at its Core.” Local Initiatives Support Corporation. p.3, 2003.

2 Pagano, Michael A. & Ann O’M Bowman. “Vacant Land in Cities: An Urban Resource.” Brookings Institution Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy. p. 3, December 2002.