• • [USEMAP] • • • • • •Smart Growth 101 • • • C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\gsri html\john\images\Commercial streetscape.jpg C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\gsri html\john\images\knotty1.gif C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\gsri html\john\images\royalmills.jpg C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\gsri html\john\images\trackariel.gif C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic16.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic22.jpg C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\gsri html\john\images\boesch.jpg • • • • • •About Us •Mission •How We Get it Done • C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg About Us lStatewide non-profit organization lDiverse coalition of interests C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic1.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic2.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization representing a broad coalition of interests leading the charge for innovative policies and programs that stop sprawl and revitalize our city and town centers, preserve our cultural and natural resources and expand economic opportunity. Business Academic Home Builders Environmental Realtors Historic Preservationists Developers Religious Community Transportation Experts Funding ($542k) Foundations Corporations Educational Institutions Individuals Mission lPromote patterns of development that…… l l - Revitalize city & town centers l - Preserve historic, cultural and natural resources l - Expand economic opportunity for all Rhode Islanders • • C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic3.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic4.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic5.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic6.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic7.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg How We Get it Done lPolicy Reform / Advocacy lOutreach / Education lHelping Municipalities l C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg Summary of GSRI’s 2003 Priorities POLICY • Work with state and municipal administrations to advance Policy Reforms for things like “compact growth centers” , Brownfields Redevelopment, Affordable Housing among others. HELPING MUNICIPALITIES - Training • Making Good Land-Use Decisions • Affordable Housing Planning • Site Plan Review • Conservation Development INFORMATION / EDUCATION / MARKETING •“go-to” place for Information on smartgrowth initiatives. • Marketing Rehab Code and Commercial Historic Tax Credit • Become a Resource for developers seeking to pursue urban & town ctr. redevelopment • Re-double efforts to ID and disseminate best practices in smartgrowth. •Convene Conferences C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic8.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic9.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic10.jpg •Monthly e-news •Website •Printed Newsletter C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg Summary of GSRI’s 2003 Priorities POLICY • Work with state and municipal administrations to advance Policy Reforms such as establishing “growth centers” and a Brownfields Redevelopment Income Tax Credit among others. • We’re developing a comprehensive strategy for re-using thousands of Vacant Properties through our work on the Governor’s Growth Planning Council • Seek ways to provide balanced incentives for Affordable Housing and Open Space protection. INFORMATION / EDUCATION / MARKETING •More aggressive education and outreach and expect to become more of a “go-to” place for Information on smartgrowth initiatives. • Rehab Code and Commercial Historic Tax Credit marketing. • Become a resource for developers seeking to pursue urban & town ctr. redevelopment • Re-double efforts to ID and disseminate best practices in smartgrowth. HELPING MUNICIPALITIES • Making Good Land-Use Decisions • Affordable Housing Planning • Site Plan Review • Conservation Development What is Sprawl? •Sprawl is irresponsible development that wastes tax dollars, destroys farmland and open space, and encourages neglect of existing infrastructure and community resources. C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic13.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic14.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic15.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic16.jpg Let’s start with definitions of what Sprawl and Smart Growth are so we can be clear about what I’m talking about. So what is Sprawl? [click] Sprawl is irresponsible development that takes our tax dollars away from our community and destroys farmland and open space. It affects us all – people living in urban, suburban, and rural communities. And how is Sprawl different from Smart Growth? [click] Smart Growth is well-planned development that keeps tax dollars in our communities and provides more choices for our families. [click] What is Smart Growth? •Smart growth is well-planned development that protects open space and farmland, revitalizes communities, keeps housing affordable and provides more transportation choices. C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\wrights.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\preservation.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\Commercial-streetscape.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic22.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\My Pictures\riptabus.gif C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\waterfire.jpg • • • • What Smart Growth “Is” And “Is Not” • •Vibrant cities, suburbs and towns •Not anti-suburban •Wider variety of housing choices •Not about telling people where or how to live •More transportation choices and less traffic •Not against cars and roads •Well-planned growth that improves quality of life •Not against growth C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg But it is important to point out what Smart Growth “IS” and what it “IS NOT.” [click] Smart Growth IS about more transportation choices and less traffic. It’s NOT against cars and roads. Cars are our dominant mode of transportation, and will remain dominant. Smart Growth is about more choices in how we get around. [click] Smart Growth is about a variety of vibrant communities for families to choose among. It’s not anti-suburban. [click] It’s about a variety of housing choices. It’s not about telling people where or how to live. Smart Growth provides more than just one kind of home--it gives people more choices, not fewer. [click] Smart Growth is well-planned growth. It’s NOT against growth. [click] [click] Smart Growth is Defined by Outcomes 1.Neighborhood Livability 2.Better Access, Less Traffic 3.Thriving Cities & Town Centers 4.Shared Benefits 5.Lower Costs, Lower Taxes 6.Keeping open Space open 7. l C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg What it Isn’t. Anti-growth. Overly regulated Land Use. It’s about using resources more wisely and equitably. We measure Smart Growth in terms of Outcomes…. Neighborhood Livability •Quality of Life •Safe, Convenience, Attractive, Affordable C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic21.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic22.jpg 1. NEIGHBORHOOD LIVABILITY Central goal of any smart growth plan is the quality of the neighborhoods where we live. (safe, convenient, attractive, and affordable). Sprawl results in trade-offs between these goals. Some neighborhoods safe but not convenient. Others are convenient but not affordable. Too many affordable neighborhoods are not safe. Sprawl results in Trade-offs between these goals Better Access, Less Traffic •Convenience •Transportation Choices C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic23.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic24.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic25.jpg Major downfall of sprawl is traffic. When everything is separated, it’s just a natural result that we’ll spend more time on the road. It’s about choice. Those who want to drive can, but people who would rather not drive everywhere or don't own a car have other choices. C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic30.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic29.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic28.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic27.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic26.jpg •Schools • •Workplace • •Shops • •Recreation • •Home • •Everything is a Drive Away Suburban parents spend 17 full days a year behind the wheel, more than the average parent spends dressing, bathing and feeding a child. Source: Surface Transportation Policy Project C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg People begin to take for granted that they must devote a larger and larger part of the day just getting around. [click] But total car-dependency just doesn’t make sense. Right now, one in three Americans is too old, too young, or too poor to drive a car. As the baby boom generation ages, the need for transportation alternatives will be even greater. [USEMAP] Thriving City & Town Centers •Investment in existing centers •Sense of place. • C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic31.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic32.jpg 3. THRIVING CITY & TOWN CENTERS Post-war division of these uses has taken a toll on city & town centers. Smart Growth is about policies that return development to back to already built-up areas. Not about Over-Regulation – It’s about creating more choice. It’s illegal to build a traditional neighborhood in most communities today. Shared Benefits •Choices •Growth is only be Smart if it benefits the many, not just the few • C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic33.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic34.jpg 4. SHARED BENEFITS Sprawl has left too many people behind. Smart Growth enables all residents to be beneficiaries of prosperity. Divisions by income and race have allowed some places to prosper while others languish. Lower Costs, Lower Taxes •Sprawl costs more money •Existing infrastructure conserves resources and keeps taxes down C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic35.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic36.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic37.jpg 5. LOWER COSTS, LOWER TAXES Sprawl costs money. Opening up green space to new development means that the cost of new schools, roads, sewer lines, and water supplies. Costs more money to build new infrastructure – while wasting existing. Sprawl also means families have to own more cars and drive them further. Transportation is now the second highest category of household spending after housing. Smart growth helps on both fronts. Keeping Open Space Open •Smart growth protects open space, farmland and forests C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic38.jpg 6. KEEPING OPEN SPACE OPEN By focusing development in already built-up areas, smart growth preserves rapidly vanishing natural treasures. How is Smart Growth Achieved? •Mix Land Uses •Encourage Growth in Existing City & Town Centers •Take Advantage of Existing Community Assets •Housing Opportunities and Choices •Foster “Walkable” Close-Knit Neighborhoods •Promote a “Distinctive Sense of Place” through Preservation •Preserve & Protect Open Space, Farmland, & Critical Environmental Areas •Provide a variety of Transportation Choices •Make Development Decisions Predictable, Fair and Cost-Effective •Encourage Citizen Participation in Development Decisions • To achieve Smart Growth, communities should: C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg 1. Mix Land Uses. 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. 2. Encourage Growth & Development in Existing Communities. Before we plow up more forests and farms, we should look for opportunities to grow in already built-up areas. 3. Take Advantage of Existing Community Assets. From local parks to neighborhood schools to transit systems, public investments should focus on getting the most out of what we’ve already built. 4. 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. 5. Foster “Walkable,” Close-Knit Neighborhoods. 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. 6. Promote Distinctive, Attractive Communities with a Strong Sense of Place, Including the Rehabilitation and Use of Historic Buildings. In every community, there are things that make each place special, from train stations to local businesses. These should be protected and celebrated. 7. Preserve Open Space, Farmland, Natural Beauty, and Critical Environmental Areas. People want to stay connected to nature and are willing to take action to protect farms, waterways, ecosystems and wildlife. 8. Provide a Variety of Transportation Choices. 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. 9. 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. 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. C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic40.jpg •Sprawl Vs. Smart Growth C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic39.jpg Compare these two images. They contrast an image of Sprawl vs. an image of Smart Growth. [click] Why has the sprawl image so often prevailed in the last 50 years? Do free-market choices necessarily result in sprawl? Hardly. Our post-World War II development patterns have been greatly influenced by local, state and federal government policies. -- In fact, many of our favorite neighborhoods – main streets with apartments over shops, houses fronting close on the street with a corner store nearby – are literally illegal to build now because of local minimum lot size regulations, and prohibitions against mixing uses. -- National policies have also played a role. The 1956 Interstate Highway Act; the federal mortgage financing program; and Urban Renewal, which often cleared away historic neighborhoods to make way for highways, parking lots, and poorly designed housing projects. Though the full consequences of these policies may have been unforeseen, they are no less real. [click] C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic42.jpg •Sprawl Vs. Smart Growth C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic41.jpg Compare these two images. They contrast an image of Sprawl vs. an image of Smart Growth. [click] Why has the sprawl image so often prevailed in the last 50 years? Do free-market choices necessarily result in sprawl? Hardly. Our post-World War II development patterns have been greatly influenced by local, state and federal government policies. -- In fact, many of our favorite neighborhoods – main streets with apartments over shops, houses fronting close on the street with a corner store nearby – are literally illegal to build now because of local minimum lot size regulations, and prohibitions against mixing uses. -- National policies have also played a role. The 1956 Interstate Highway Act; the federal mortgage financing program; and Urban Renewal, which often cleared away historic neighborhoods to make way for highways, parking lots, and poorly designed housing projects. Though the full consequences of these policies may have been unforeseen, they are no less real. [click] So, how can YOU make a difference? C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\John\2003\GSRI\images\pic11.jpg 1.Be informed 2.See alternatives / opportunities 3.Get involved 4.Help us build awareness 5.Encourage young people realize they can make a difference in shaping their communities • • • [USEMAP] www.growsmartri.com •Grow Smart Rhode Island •235 Promenade Street, # 550 •Providence, RI 02908 •273-5711 •Jflaherty@growsmartri.com