What is Smart Growth ?

Smart growth attempts to counteract the problems associated with urban and suburban sprawl through coordinated city and county planning. Smart growth promotes efficient methods of utilizing open space, building and rebuilding city centers while maintaining economic development and growth of the community and neighborhood. Effective smart growth policies counteract urban sprawl.

 


Smart growth policies affect:

 
  • communities and neighborhoods
  • open space and wildlife preserves
  • commerce and businesses
  • farmland

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    The Vocabulary of Smart Growth

     

    Regional Organizations

    Northeast Midwest Institute
    This is a nonprofit, nonpartisan Washington-based organization that provides policy dedicated to economic development. The smart growth initiatives aim to create federal programs for the benefit of state programs. There are links to statewide organizations, federal programs, and other initiatives dedicated to regional development. This specific page is dedicated to smart growth initiatives.

     

    Northwest Environment Watch
    The goal of this organization is to promote environmentally friendly economic growth in the Pacific Northwest. The site has available publications on research initiatives dedicated to change, and an emphasis on environmental and economic sustainability.

     

     

     

    States with Smart Growth Programs

    Maryland:

    Smart Growth in Maryland
    This site     is a link from the Maryland Department of Planning. The program states that the three goals are to conserve natural resources, improve communities and neighborhoods, and save taxpayers money. This site has several initiatives listed, including brownfield redevelopment and land preservation in rural areas, extensive information on smart growth issues.

     

    The National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education
    The center is funded through the University of Maryland and through training, research initiatives, and educational symposiums, such as the The New Urbanism and Smart Growth: A Research Symposium, promotes education of smart growth policies.

     

    Oregon:

    Northwest Environment Watch: Oregon
    This organization dedicated to economic and environmental preservation in the pacific northwest. This section has detailed information about Portland, Oregon.

     

    Smart Growth and Growth Management in Oregon

     

     

    Links to other organizations:

    www.smartgrowth.org
    This site contains a site with smart growth principles, updated news about each site, resources and links to each site, and a smart growth calendar of events.

    Natural Resources Defense Council-- Smart Growth: Weathering the Storm gives state budget examples concerning the dedication to smart growth policies. It is suggested that some states with suffering budgets will decrease any commitment to smart growth.

    Campaign for Sensible Growth --This is an organization that promotes economic development in the northeastern counties of Illinois.

    EcoCity Cleveland -- This is a nonprofit organization promoting smart growth in Northeast Ohio. This article addresses Race and Regionalism.

    The Valleys Planning Council-- Baltimore County, Maryland

    Smart Growth Case Studies-- The Urban Land Institute in Washington, D.C

    Are State Budget Shortfalls Shortchanging Smart Growth Initiatives? by SprawlWatch Clearinghouse

     

     

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