Planning for Smart Growth
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Transcript of Planning for Smart Growth
Planning for Smart Growthin
Rural New Hampshire
SWRPCSouthwest Region Planning Commission
Planning for SMART GROWTH
Purpose of Smart Growth Audits:
• Assist rural communities in coping with change, development and growth.
• Provide guidance by promoting Smart Growth.
• Assist communities in implementing the prin-ciples of Smart Growth to effectively manage growth.
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Planning for SMART GROWTHSWRPC
NH Smart Growth Principles
Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool
Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
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Content of Slide Show:
Planning for SMART GROWTHSWRPC
NH Smart Growth Principles
Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool
Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
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Sprawl: amount of developed land grows faster than population.
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Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire SWRPC
Source: Brookings Institution, 2001.
Nashua – Manchester Area:• 29 % increase in population, but...• 70 % increase in developed land =• 25 % decrease in density
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Sprawl: amount of developed land grows faster than population.
Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
Signs of Sprawl in Rural Areas:
• Single-Use Zoning,
• Current Development Trends that don’t follow Historic Patterns.
• Dominance of Town-wide Medium- to Low-Density Residential Housing,
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Sprawl: amount of developed land grows faster than population.
• Large-Lot Zoning in Town Center,
Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
Source: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, US EPA
Landscape prior to development
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Source: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, US EPA
Landscape after conventional development
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Sprawl
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• Loss of open space and wildlife habitat
Costs of sprawl:
• Loss of farming, forestry, hunting & recreation• Increase in polluted storm water run-off• Depletion of ground water• Congestion and attrition of local roads• Higher housing costs due to land & road costs• Higher school transportation costs• Change of community character
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Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
Geography of sprawl:
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Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
Concord
Keene Manchester
Nashua
Lawrence, MAGreenfield, MA
Household Density Patterns (2000)
Source: 2000 Census
Planning for SMART GROWTHSWRPC
NH Smart Growth Principles
Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool
Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
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Smart Growth can protect the environment, build better communities, preserve community character, and provide employment and housing opportunities, including the building of affordable housing.
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Smart Growth is the opposite of Sprawl.
NH Smart Growth Principles
Smart Growth does not stop growth.
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NH Smart Growth Principles
Principles:
Office of Energy and Planningpublication.
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A) Maintain traditional compact settlement patterns.
B) Preserve traditional character of downtowns and villages.
C) Incorporate a mix of uses.
D) Preserve our working landscape & environmental quality.
E) Provide choices and safety in transportation.
F) Manage growth locally in the NH tradition … and work with neighboring towns.SWRPC
NH Smart Growth Principles
A) Maintain traditional compact settlement patterns.
SWRPC NH Smart Growth Principles
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XCompact patternStrip development
Important: In concert with land protection measures
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• Uses land efficiently
• Is pedestrian-friendly
• Uses less infrastructure
• Mixes uses
• Creates new center
• Expands or in-fill in existing village or
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A) Maintain traditional compact settlement patterns.
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• Maintains human scale
• Promotes consistent architectural & site design
• Creates sense of community
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B) Preserve traditional character of downtowns and villages.
• Retains rural character
Source: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, US EPA
Landscape with conventional development
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Sprawl
Source: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, US EPA
Landscape with compact settlement patterns
Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND)
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NH Smart Growth Principles
•Business / Retail / Services
•Commercial / Residential
•Public Facilities
•Public Green Space
C) Incorporate a mix of uses.
•Variety of Housing Types
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NH Smart Growth Principles
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D) Preserve our working landscape & environmental quality.
• Growing
• Processing
• Selling
NH Smart Growth Principles
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D) Preserve our working landscape & environmental quality.
• Storm water management
• Riparian land protection
• Vegetated buffers
• Protection of steep slopes
• Open space protection
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• Safe & convenient
• Walking & biking
• Year-round use
E) Provide choices and safety in transportation.
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NH Smart Growth Principles
• Helps towns to achieve common goal: Smart Growth
• Implemented through master plan policies, land use regulations and intermunicipal agreements.
• Helps towns to effectively address common problems: traffic, capacities of services etc.
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F) Manage growth locally in the NH tradition … and work with neighboring towns.
Planning for SMART GROWTHSWRPC
NH Smart Growth Principles
Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool
Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
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A systematic inquiry to evaluate existing land-use plans, policies and practices against the accepted principles of Smart Growth.
Smart Growth Audit as a Planning ToolSWRPC
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What is a Smart Growth Audit?
American Planning Association, PlanningAdvisory Service Report # 512, 2003.
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Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool
Methodology and Parameter:
• Efficient Land Consumption• Direction of Growth Density• Urban Form• Land Use• Jobs-Housing Balance• Open Space/Green Space• Energy Conservation
• Water Quality• Air Quality• Housing• Transportation• Parking• Water, Sewer, and Other
Infrastructure• Permitting Processes• Regionalism and
Intergovernmental Relations
Parameter checklist:
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Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool
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Example for applied methodology
Does the local zoning ordinance provide at least one or more zoning districts that allow mixes of residential and commercial uses?
Principle: Incorporate a mix of uses.
The auditor consults the town’s master plan and zoning ordinance.
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Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool
Question:
Analysis:
Comments:
Recommendations:The auditor answers the question and comments on results.
If necessary, the auditor recommends amendments to the town’s master plan and zoning ordinance.
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• Recommendations
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Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool
• Implementation