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Smart Growth

What is Smart Growth?

Smart Growth is essentially a means to make more sustainable development choices in an effort to create vibrant urban centres, sustain a strong economy, ensure a healthy environment and combat urban sprawl.

Smart Growth Principles

  • Create a mix of land uses - a mix of jobs, stores and homes make life more convenient

  • Promote compact built form - this contributes to a sense of community as neighbours get to know each other, not just cars

  • Offer a range of housing opportunities and choices - not everyone wants or needs the same thing

  • Produce walkable neighbourhoods and communities - gets people out of cars and reduces gridlock

  • Foster attractive communities and a sense of place - each community has unique features worth preserving

  • Preserve farmland and natural resources - people understand and appreciate their connection to nature and the land

  • Direct development into existing communities - take advantage of existing community assets

  • Provide a variety of transportation choices - people need another way to get where they're going

  • Make development predictable and cost effective - obstacles to implementing Smart Growth should be removed, and

  • Encourage community stakeholders collaboration - plans developed with strong community involvement tend to get implemented



 Revised: Monday, October 26, 2009
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