This Is Smart Growth (2006) shows how communities can turn their visions, values, and aspirations into reality, using smart growth techniques to improve the quality of development.
The publication describes how, when done well, development can help create more economic opportunities, build great places where people want to live and visit, preserve the qualities people love about their communities, and protect environmental resources. Many people want to know what smart growth looks like; This Is Smart Growth illustrates and explains smart growth concepts and outcomes.
The publication features 40 places around the country — cities, suburbs, small towns, and rural communities — where good development has improved residents' quality of life. Photos illustrate how these communities have invested taxpayer money wisely, offered people more choices in housing and transportation, protected natural and working lands, promoted healthy environments, created a lasting legacy for the community, and achieved other community goals.
The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Exit and the Smart Growth Network developed This Is Smart Growth through a grant from EPA. Thirty-two Smart Growth Network partners — national organizations representing housing, environmental, community design and development, public health, transportation, local government, and other interests — have approved or endorsed This Is Smart Growth.
The publication is also available in a Spanish translation, Así es el Desarrollo Inteligente.
You may need a PDF reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA’s About PDF page to learn more.- This is Smart Growth (PDF)(32 pp, 3 MB)