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Diana Rojas
Mr. Aldrich
Contemporary Society 204
16 March 2015
Smart Growth Overview: Principles and History
How cities of all sizes grow determines whether their communities will
prosper or decline. By following smart growth principles, urban centers can
be inviting, sustainable, vibrant, and affordable places to live and work for
generations of residents.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), cities
that develop according to smart growth principles are economically
competitive, socially diverse, and naturally healthy. Neighborhoods are
compact and walkable, with transportation alternatives such as bike paths
and efficient transit systems. Schools and other community buildings anchor
the neighborhoods, and mixed-use development provide a range of housing
choices for people at all stages of life (U.S Environmental Protection Agency
1).
The EPA identifies several principles of smart growth, including
compact building design, mixed land use, a range of housing opportunities
and choices, identifiable communities with a strong sense of place and
involvement, preserved open space, and a variety of transportation options.
Smart growth is an antidote to urban sprawl, traffic congestion, and
urban decay. One goal of smart growth is to make a community more

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attractive to new businesses by improving the quality of life and encouraging

residents to shop, work, and play locally, which stimulates economic activity.
The businesses provide jobs for residents and convenient places to buy
goods and services. The economic boon increases property values and
expands the tax base while controlling growth and keeping economic
expansion sustainable (Nelson 27-31).
The concepts of smart growth were first proposed in the early 1970s as
a reaction to developers and politicians who based transportation plans on
motor vehicles and wanted to build and widen highways in historic or critical
environmental areas. At first, communities simply fought to protect the land
designated for highways by placing it in conservancies. Soon architects and
urban planners promoted the idea of urban villages that didnt need to rely
on automobiles, but used public transit, bicycling, and walking as their
primary means of transportation (Moskowitz 13).
The smart growth idea reached maturity when local governments used
the following tools to promote a smart growth policy:
1. Zoning ordinances Specify land use and offer incentives for
following smart growth principles
2. Environmental assessments Require developers to project the
physical and social impact of new development
The EPA has recognized cities such as Arlington, Virginia and Davidson,
North Carolina, for their successful implementation of smart growth
principles, and such cities lead the way for continued smart growth practices.

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Works Cited
Moskowitz, Eric. "Car-free Commuting Push Pays Off in Kendall Square." The
Boston Globe 25 July 2012: 13. Newspaper.
Nelson, Kevin. Essential Smart Growth fixes. Government Study. Washington
DC: U.S Environmental Protection Agency, 2012. Document.
U.S Environmental Protection Agency. About Smart Growth. n.d. Web. 5
March 2015.

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