HELPING SMALL TOWNS

EPA Office of Sustainable Communities

HELPING SMALL TOWNS AND RURAL AREAS THRIVE

Village of Vinton, TexasMay 30, 2013Katharine Ange, AICPRenaissance Planning GroupRenaissance Planning Group

Overview of Workshop– Discussion of rural smart growth issues and key smart growth policy strategies

– Key issues and opportunities

– Identifying and prioritizing actions

Sustainable Communities Building Blocks Program

Smart Growth: a response to small city p ygrowth and development challenges.

What Is Rural?What Is Rural?

I l d d ll i i ll ki l d• Includes towns and small cities as well as working lands, farms, prairies, forests, and rangelands.

• Five types of rural/small city communities—sometimes mix and match– Gateway communities– Resource-dependent communities– Edge communities

Traditional Main Street communities– Traditional Main Street communities– Second home and retirement communities

What are some of the challenges facing Rural and Small Town America?

The Changing Face of Rural &Small Town AmericaThe Changing Face of Rural &Small Town America

N l 2/3 f ll i l ifi d• Nearly 2/3 of all counties classified as “rural”—75% of U.S. land area and 17% of population

• Includes towns and small cities outside metro areas

• 2/3 growing…1/3 not—depends on proximity to metro areas. Places with high natural amenities attracting growth (Westnatural amenities attracting growth (West, Upper Great Lakes, Coastal New England, Southeast Coastal Areas, etc.) as well as edge communities

The Changing Face of Rural &Small Town AmericaThe Changing Face of Rural &Small Town America

C i i l f l l d 1 2• Continuing loss of rural area lands—1.2 million acres of prime ag land/1.5 million acres of forest land lost per year to development

• Fewer farms and fewer farmers—only 6.5% of labor force in agriculture; half of all U.S. farmers are between the ages of 45 and 65

The Changing Face of Rural &Small Town AmericaThe Changing Face of Rural &Small Town America

Ch i d hi• Changing demographics– growing minority population– aging population– outflow of young adults--inflow of older adultsoutflow of young adults inflow of older adults,

birth rates declining– Household size shrinking– % new households with children projected to

drop significantlydrop significantly• Health issues

– Obesity above national rates for all age groups

l kid l lik l t lk t h l– rural kids less likely to walk to school– Populace is very auto-reliant

The Changing Face of Rural &Small Town America

• Housing “calamity” looming increased

The Changing Face of Rural &Small Town America

• Housing calamity looming—increased demand by down-sizing seniors, young professionals, trades people, and minorities for smaller homes and multi-family housing vs oversupply of single family homesvs. oversupply of single-family homes

• Rental share of housing market will increase substantially nationwide and be particularly challenging in nonurban areas

• Energy Issues– Cost of fuel—population very reliant on autos– Climate change implications

Growth and Development Challenges in Small Towns and Rural Areas

D li i d d i ibl• Declining downtowns and incompatible development in historic areas/loss of community character

• Loss of natural areas and open spacep p• Suburban-style large-lot growth at city edges• Limited housing choices• Lack of transportation options• Limited planning capacity• Opposition to regulations

What is Smart Growth?What is Smart Growth?

“Many communities have taken the position that they will remain rural without accommodating growth. That g gerror leads to sprawl and sometimes a complete loss of community character. Failure to plan for growth effectively leads to random, sprawling patterns of development. Community character is sacrificed, and opportunities to shape a

ib t f t f l t ”more vibrant future are forever lost.” - Urban Land Institute

Rural Smart Growth

H t th b d t dd h ll i llHow can smart growth be used to address challenges in small towns and rural communities?

What Is Rural Smart Growth? Rural Sustainable Development?

• Urban smart growth well-defined…not so much with rural

• Many different development types y p ypand pressures vs. urban areas…and politics

• Some urban smart growth tools (e g high-density mixed use(e.g., high density mixed use, transit-oriented development) may not be appropriate

• Fewer tools and resources (financial technical staff) in rural(financial, technical, staff) in rural areas

Smart Growth PrinciplesSmart Growth Principles

1 Mi l d1. Mix land uses2. Compact development patterns3. Range of housing opportunities4. Walkable neighborhoods5. Distinct, attractive communities6 Preserve working farmlands open space critical6. Preserve working farmlands, open space, critical

environmental areas7. Direct development towards existing communities8 Provide a variety off transportation choices8. Provide a variety off transportation choices9. Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost

effective10 St k h ld d it ll b ti i d l t10. Stakeholder and community collaboration in development

decisions

Assessment ToolGreen Building PrinciplesAssessment ToolGreen Building Principles

Sustainable Sites and Responsible 

Land Use Development

Material and Resource 

Conservation

Energy Conservation and Atmospheric 

Quality

Water Efficiency, Conservation and Management

Indoor Environmental Air Quality

5 environmental areas addressed

Sustainable Communities Building Blocks Program

Smart Growth: A Response to Small Town and Rural Challenges

• Choices for where to live and how to get around

• A stronger, more resilient economy• A healthier place to live• Opportunities to protect the things people

love about the place where they live (e.g., open space, natural beauty, historicopen space, natural beauty, historic character)

Putting Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities: Three Key Goals

1. Support the rural landscape by creating an economic climate that enhances the viability of working lands and conserves natural lands.natural lands.

2. Help existing places thrive by taking care of assets and investments such as downtowns, Main Streets, existing infrastructure and places that theinfrastructure, and places that the community values.

3. Create great new places by building vibrant, enduring neighborhoods and communities that people especially youngcommunities that people, especially young people, don’t want to leave.

Source: ICMA, 2011.

Support the Rural Landscapepp p

Create an economic climate that enhances the viability of working lands and conserves natural lands

Strategies:• Ensure the viability of the resource

economy of the region• Promote rural products in urbanPromote rural products in urban

areas and support other urban-rural links

• Link rural land preservation strategies to great neighborhoodsg g

• Cultivate economic development strategies that rely on traditional rural landscapes

Help Existing Places Thrivep g

T k f t d i t t hTake care of assets and investments such as downtowns, Main Streets, existing infrastructure, and places that the community values

Strategies:• Invest public and private funds in

existing places• Encourage private sectorEncourage private sector

investment• Build on past community

investments• Foster economic development inFoster economic development in

existing downtowns

Create Great New Places

B ild ib t d i i hb h d dBuild vibrant, enduring neighborhoods and communities that people, especially young people, don’t want to leave

Strategies:• Update strategic and policy

documents to accommodate new growth through compact and g g pcontiguous development

• Reform policies to make it easy for developers to build compact, walkable, mixed-use places

• Recognize and reward developers that build using smart growth and green building approaches

Key Issues and Opportunitiesy pp

1 What makes this a great comm nit to1. What makes this a great community to live in today?

2. What are your concerns about future growth?growth?

3. What local attractions and amenities are here today, what might you want for the future?

4. What are the jobs opportunities today, what do we want for the future?

5. What existing historic or natural areas ?are important to protect?

6. What kind of housing choices already do you have today, what about tomorrow?tomorrow?

7. What are the transportation concerns?

Three Paths to Smart Growth in Plans Cand Codes

THINK B-I-G!!

Barriers (remove obstacles) Incentives (make it attractive)

G ( dd h t’ i i ) Gaps (add what’s missing)

Top Priority Fixesp y

1 Determine Areas for Growth and for Preservation1. Determine Areas for Growth and for Preservation 2. Incorporate Fiscal Impact Analysis in Development Reviews 3. Reform Rural Planned Unit Developments 4 Use Wastewater Infrastructure Practices That Meet4. Use Wastewater Infrastructure Practices That Meet

Development Goals 5. Right-Size Rural Roads6. Encourage Appropriate Densities on the Periphery6. Encourage Appropriate Densities on the Periphery 7. Use Cluster Development to Transition From Town to

Countryside 8. Create Annexation Policies and Development Standards That

Preserve Rural Character 9. Protect Agricultural and Sensitive Natural Areas 10. Plan and Encourage Rural Commercial Development11 P H i Ch i11. Promote Housing Choices12. Address Premature and Obsolete Subdivisions

Determine Areas for Growth and f P tifor Preservation

Challenge:  Rural planning is reactive—developers often dictate growth locationResponses: 

f d h b d• Designate preferred growth areas based on most suitable location, fiscal impacts, impacts on natural areas, etc.

Benefits:Benefits:• Greater predictability for landowners• Focus resources in most appropriate 

areasareas• Cost‐effective infrastructure provision• Preservation of open space and ag lands

Determine Areas for Growth and f P tifor Preservation

Implementation steps• Identify and map preferred growth areas• Adopt adequate public facilities

ordinanceordinance• Purchase key development sites

and land bank

Practice pointers• Coordinate Capital Improvements Plans

with growth plans• Take regional approach• Take regional approach

Incorporate Fiscal Impact Analysis i D l t R iin Development Reviews

Challenge: Many rural communities approve

development without true picture of long-term costs/benefitsterm costs/benefits

Responses: • Require basic fiscal impact analysis

Benefits:Benefits:• Real understanding of costs/benefits• Foundation for mitigation• Projects with clear benefits gain

citizen support• Reduces unproductive

intergovernmental competition

Incorporate Fiscal Impact Analysis i D l t R iin Development Reviews

Implementation steps• Adopt simple fiscal impact statement requirement--

require developer to pay for analysis (3rd party best)• Identify fiscal thresholds for acceptable projects• Require analysis of impacts on other jurisdictions and

service providersPractice pointers• Look at cumulative impacts of multiple developments• Consider environmental and social impacts also

Use Wastewater Infrastructure Practices th t M t D l t G lthat Meet Development Goals

Challenge: C a e geMany communities struggle with finding the right approach to

balancing wastewater infrastructure needs with development goals. Many also must address problems with existing systems, including septic systems.

Responses: • No one-size-fits-all approach• Community-wide approach, not parcel by parcel• Cluster or central systems to support growth areasy pp g• Financing strategies to support growth areas (impact fees,

maintenance agreements)• Protect existing investments through education, repair, and

ongoing maintenanceBenefits:

• Savings through concentrating services in growth areas• Coordinated approach can support growth and preservation

goals• Regional approaches can yield cost savings• User-funded system places cost burden on those who benefit

Use Wastewater Infrastructure Practices th t M t D l t G lthat Meet Development Goals

Implementation steps• Inventory infrastructure and evaluate conditions• Education to promote septic system maintenancep p y• Delineate growth areas and policies to direct

development to areas with services• Impact fees for infrastructure• Fee to fund septic system maintenancePractice pointers• Base decisions on community’s water quality, land use, y q y, ,

and public health goals• Assess capacity to determine where to accommodate

growth

Encourage Appropriate Densities th P i hon the Periphery

Challenge: Low-density rural growth not dense enough to service efficiently; fragments ag land and habitat

Responses:Responses: • Designated plan growth areas• Regulatory reform (e.g., no rural PUDs,

appropriate lot sizes)pp p )Benefits:

• Lower govt. infrastructure costs• Open space preservation• Support town business districts• Increased predictability

Encourage Appropriate Densities th P i hon the Periphery

Implementation steps• Allow cluster subdivisions at town’s edge• Establish town service boundaries• Adopt true agricultural zoning (not 1-2 acre lots!)• Joint town/county planning and regulationsPractice pointersPractice pointers• Support regulations with land acquisition• Address family lot splits• Support land trustsSupport land trusts

Use Cluster Development to Transition F T t C t idFrom Town to Countryside

Challenge: Cluster subdivisions in wrong place can hamper farming and lead to cluster sprawl

RResponses: • Allow, but utilize in appropriate

locationsBenefits:Benefits:

• Appropriate town/rural transitions• More cost effective service provision• Avoid interference with farmingAvoid interference with farming• Avoid cluster sprawl

Use Cluster Development to Transition F T t C t idFrom Town to Countryside

Implementation steps• Allow cluster subdivisions only at town’s edge• Prohibit or limit cluster use outside town growth areasgPractice pointers• Require open space contiguity in clusters• Allow reduced lot sizes and community septicAllow reduced lot sizes and community septic

Protect Agricultural and Sensitive N t l ANatural Areas

Challenge: Many rural ecosystems and species at risk due to habitat loss

Responses: Ad t l th t id tif iti l h bit t• Adopt plans that identify critical habitat and natural resources

• Enact protective regulationsBenefits:Benefits:• Significant contribution to local

economies• Protection of rural characterProtection of rural character• Green infrastructure value

Protect Agricultural and Sensitive N t l ANatural Areas

Implementation steps• Identify sensitive natural areas in plans• Adopt protective zone districts and

sensitive area protection regulationssensitive area protection regulationsPractice pointers• Use incentives like TDRs

Li it f l t bdi i i• Limit use of cluster subdivisions

Plan and Encourage R l C i l D l tRural Commercial Development

Challenge: Scattershot rural commercial development fragments landscape and undermines town business districts

RResponses: • Target most commercial to towns or

designated centers• Adopt commercial design standards• Adopt commercial design standardsBenefits:• Avoid sprawl-inducing scattershot

commercialcommercial• Protection of rural character• Increased town tax base• Avoid strip commercial outside townsp

Plan and Encourage R l C i l D l tRural Commercial Development

Implementation steps• Adopt plan policy to target most commercial

to designated nodesProhibit rural commercial in most rural zone• Prohibit rural commercial in most rural zone districts—allow if resource dependent only

Practice pointers• Joint town/county planning for ruralJoint town/county planning for rural

commercial

Promote Housing Choices

Challenge: Small towns and rural areas challenged to provide variety of housing options for all citizens—down-sizing

i f i l iseniors, young professionals, service workers.

Responses: • Remove barriers to downtown housing• Remove barriers to downtown housing• Promote mix of housing types or units in

new developments—MF as well as SF• Encourage denser development withEncourage denser development with

compatibility and design standards, in appropriate locations such as nodes or areas with sewer

Promote Housing Choices

Implementation steps• Allow denser development in selected

zone districts, with design standards

Practice pointers• Use incentives like density bonuses to

get the type of development that youget the type of development that you want

• Keep design standards simple and have staff administer

Key Themes Identified by Village of Vintoney e es de t ed by age o to

1. Housing

2. Retail & Commercial Areas

9. Keeping Vinton Affordable

10. Growth Paying for Itself

3. Natural Areas & Areas for Recreation

4 Walkable Neighborhoods

11. New Growth with Distinct Character

12 Planning for Job Diversity4. Walkable Neighborhoods

5. Community Centers

6. History & Culture

12. Planning for Job Diversity

13. Communication & Community Cohesion

y

7. Access to Agricultural Lands

8 Transportation8. Transportation

Top Priority Fixesp y

1 Growth Direction/Management1. Growth Direction/Management• Determine Areas for Growth and for Preservation • Protect Agricultural and Sensitive Natural Areas • Create Annexation Policies and Development Standards• Create Annexation Policies and Development Standards

That Preserve Rural Character • Use Cluster Development to Transition From Town to

Countryside y2. Jobs & Housing

• Plan and Encourage Rural Commercial Development• Revisit Industrial Zoning• Promote Housing Choices

3. Transportation & Walkability4. Other Non-code/Policy Strategies

• History & Culture • Communication & Cohesion

Next Steps

1. Identify potential approaches for each (code changes, policy changes, plans, processes)

2 Identify barriers to success for each approach2. Identify barriers to success for each approach

3. Identify Incentives or methods to overcome barriers

4 Identify priority actions for moving forward4. Identify priority actions for moving forward