Solutions - It Is Possible To Do Better

Communities across the country are seeking new ways to grow as their quality of life is challenged by decreasing open space, fewer transportation options, and higher taxes to cover the costs of new growth. Smart growth has emerged as a way to approach community, economic and environmental goals in a more integrated fashion. It is a sound alternative to continuing the traditional approach of piecemeal, discrete development across the landscape, where the change of an individual site seen alone might not seem to exact an environment cost but actually leads cumulatively, over the long term, to the issues and problems associated with sprawl. In the image at left, the smart growth development pattern on the right can accommodate more people in less space while preserving agricultural and natural areas through effective urban design elements at the street scale.

Smart growth efforts have taken different forms around the country, but the 10 guiding principles address a variety of goals. In the context of a watershed approach, smart growth offers great potential for achieving water resource management and water quality goals.

• Water quality standards are better met using smart growth methods.
• Conservation of open space and clustered development patterns protect water quality.
• Taking a long-term approach to zoning helps to avoid sprawl through better planning.