Smart Growth

Smart growth is development that serves the community, the economy, and the environment. It is based on planning decisions and service delivery policies that recognize the connection between development and quality of life. Read more...

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Advice

ICMA Management Perspective: Housing Affordability Year: 2007; Pages: 4.
Resource List: Sustainable Planning for Aging in Place Year: 2006; Pages: 8.
Transportation Emissions Guidebook Year: 2005;

Local Government Innovations

Balancing Water Quality and Smart Growth Toolkit CD-ROM Year: 2007;
Joint-Use Agreement for Shared Library Year: 2003;

Sample Government Documents

Schools Element in Comprehensive Plan Year: 2007;
Fact Sheet: Congestion Pricing Year: 2007; Pages: 1.
Environmental Stewardship Policy Year: 2006;
Street Smart: Streetcars and Cities in the 21st Century Year: 2006;
Joint-Use Agreement for Administrative Building Shared by City and School District Year: 2006;
       Click to see more Sample Government Documents ...

Reports and Articles

IBM and Dubuque, Iowa Partner on Smarter City Initiative Year: 2009; Pages: 2.
Obama and the Cities Year: 2009; Pages: 7.
Fill ‘Er Up Year: 2009; Pages: 4.
The White House Recovery and Reinvestment Act Implementation Conference Year: 2009;
Living Streets Year: 2009; Pages: 2.
       Click to see more Reports and Articles ...

Case Studies

Sustainable Redevelopment Builds Better Communities Year: 2008; Pages: 3.
Local Government-School District Collaboration: Sample Documents Year: 2008;
Balancing Water Quality and Smart Growth Goals - ICMA Webcast Archive Year: 2007;
Making a Difference for Older Adults and the Environment: Three Case Studies Year: 2006;
S.M.A.R.T. Housing: Austin, Texas, Case Study Year: 2005; Pages: 30.
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Ordinances

Golf Cart Ordinance Year: 2008; Pages: 4.

ICMA Publications About Smart Growth

  		Best Development Practices: A Primer for Smart Growth   Discusses how changes in development patterns can help stop sprawl and illustrates best practices.

  		Pedestrian- and Transit-Friendly Design: A Primer for Smart Growth   This primer, based on a manual prepared for the Florida Department of Transportation, illustrates features both essential and desirable to encourage pedestrian- and transit-friendly design.

  		Smart Growth for Local Governments IQ Report E-Document   This report contrasts the causes and results of sprawl with the characteristics of smart growth development that serves the economy, the environment, and the community.

  		Getting to Smart Growth II: 100 More Policies for Implementation   This is Volume II of a popular document containing 100 policies (organized under the 10 smart growth principles) that support smart growth. The first volume was published in January 2002.

  		Active Living for Older Adults: Management Strategies for Healthy and Livable Communities E-Document   This guide can serve as a resource to help local governments plan for a growing aging population, particularly in the areas of land use, community design and program development.

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News

Building a Sustainable Future: The Sustainable Skylines Initiative
 The Sustainable Skylines Initiative is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ...
Conserve Energy, Save Money, and Protect the Environment
 ENERGY STAR can help organizations save as much as 30 percent in energy costs ...
Upcoming Events
 
The Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Program
 
National Conference on Corporate Community Investment
 
Growing Smarter with Energy Retrofits to Existing Buildings
 
EPA Smart Growth Announcements and Deadlines
 
Dardeshiam: Germany's Renewable Energy Town
 
Clean Cities Are Smart Cities
 
Berkeley FIRST Solar Financing Program
 
Ann Arbor's Green Energy Future
 
2009 Local Climate Leadership Summit
 
In This Edition: Renewable Energy
 
Think Globally, Act Locally—Tackling the Global Urban Challenge One Community at a Time
 
Inner-Ring Champions: Three Lessons From Historic Suburbs
 
The Mortgage Foreclosure and Financial Market Crises – Implications for Smart Growth and Community Development
 
Smart Growth and Solid Waste
 
Thomas Jefferson – Founding Father of Green Space?
 
In This Edition: Community Development and Smart Growth
 
In This Edition: Community Development and Smart Growth
 
The Mortgage Foreclosure and Financial Market Crises – Implications for Smart Growth and Community Development
 
Multimodal Corridors Accommodate Growth in Boulder, Co.
 
Transportation Legislation Enables Communities to Move People--Not Just Cars
 
City of Decatur, Ga., Embraces Complete Streets Philosophy
 
Community-based Street Design
 
Complete Streets Deliver Complete Communities
 
Citizens Groups Defend a Vision of Better Development in Somerville, Mass.
 After ten years, three court battles, and more than 50,000 volunteer hours, two ...
Image Sources--Help Citizens Visualize Smart Growth
 Successful smart growth advocates know that the key to helping citizens ...
New Smart Growth Resources - June 2008
 New tools for citizens, planners and designers, and local governments, as well ...
Building the Grassroots Movement--Over the Internet
 Drawing on lessons learned as a founder of Rethink College Park, one smart ...
Engaging Older Adults as Smart Growth Advocates
 Older adults have much to gain from smart growth--it enables them to live ...
Choosing Our Community's Future: A Citizen's Guide
 Citizens concerned about a proposed development in their community often don't ...
Upcoming Smart Growth Events
 Spring is conference season--check out these exciting events!
Ventura Takes Commitment to Smart Growth to the Next Level
 A new initiative in Ventura, California, will build on the city's smart growth ...
Smart Growth Inspires Future Manager
 An ICMA Management Fellow shares how living and working in the DC metro region ...
Managers Lead Joint Planning Effort
 Local government managers from a rural South Carolina county share their story ...
Smart Growth: The Opportunity for Managers to Lead
 The world is changing. Managers can either lead or follow. Rick Cole, city ...
Letter from the Editor: Leading the Change
 In this issue of Getting Smart!, we take a look at the unique role that local ...
Resources: Smart Growth and Climate Change
 From basics to best practices, these resources will help you take action to ...
Smart Growth Resources: Faith-Based Organizations
 Some exciting new smart growth resources have just been released! Check them ...
Toward a Regional Approach to Climate Change in our Nation’s Capital
 What role will regional bodies play in addressing climate change? Naomi ...
Smart Growth Resources - Art and Culture
 There are a number of great resources to help you integrate arts and culture ...
Letter from the Editor
 Get a preview of this issue of Getting Smart!, as we look at the ...
New Stormwater Laws: What Smart Growth Advocates Need to Know
 New federal regulations on stormwater management are affecting how communities ...
New Smart Growth Resource: Choosing Our Community's Future