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2007 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement
This publication is also available as a PDF (20 pp, 1 MB, about PDF). Hard copies available by emailing nscep@bps-lmit.com or calling (800) 490-9198 and requesting EPA 231-K-07-001. |
A Message from EPA Administrator Steve Johnson |
  On behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, I extend my congratulations to the recipients of the 2007 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement. During my 26 years as a public servant, I have witnessed what can be achieved when partners come together to address our nation's environmental challenges. And today, we see those amazing results all around us. Our air is cleaner, our water is purer, and our land is better protected than just a generation ago. As we move forward and advance environmental ethics like smart growth, together we are not only building on our nation's environmental accomplishments, we are creating a lasting legacy for our children and grandchildren. By turning to smart growth approaches, these award-winning partner communities are transforming environmental eyesores into sources of local pride, preserving ecologically sensitive open space, and protecting our precious air and water resources. President Bush and EPA see smart growth as smart for the environment, smart for our economy and smart for our quality of life. And together with our vital community partners — including these 2007 award recipients — we are helping America responsibly build toward that healthier, brighter future.
Stephen L. Johnson |
How Smart Growth Protects The Environment |
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Smart growth strategies help communities achieve not only their economic and social goals, but also their environmental goals, such as cleaner air and water, open space and critical habitat preservation, and redevelopment of vacant land. The following examples, drawn from previous award winners, highlight the benefits of using smart growth principles to shape development.
Click here for more information about the environmental benefits of smart growth. |
About The Award |
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EPA created the National Award for Smart Growth Achievement in 2002 to recognize outstanding approaches to development that benefit the economy, the community, public health, and the environment. Over the past six years, EPA has received 481 applications from 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Each award winner has successfully used the principles of smart growth to improve existing communities or to build new communities that expand economic development opportunities, enhance quality of life, and preserve the natural environment. Through innovative ideas and collaboration, the winners crafted policies and projects that foster healthy, vibrant, and diverse communities. This year's rotating category recognizes the special growth challenges that waterfront and coastal communities face. The natural beauty and wildlife habitat that attract people and development to these areas also require careful protection. Coastal and waterfront communities must balance the need to accommodate more homes, jobs, and schools with their responsibility to preserve environmentally sensitive areas for ecological function and recreational use. Smart growth principles help waterfront and coastal communities protect water quality and critical natural resources; attract tourism and business revenue; and maintain historic waterfront and coastal character. By helping communities find better development choices, smart growth approaches can also reduce the pressure to build upon sensitive coastal or waterfront areas. The award winners were chosen through a multi-step process. A panel of experts representing a broad range of constituencies with interest and expertise in the built environment and the principles of smart growth assessed the entries. An internal EPA review panel provided additional comments. EPA's Associate Administrator for Policy, Economics, and Innovation made the final award determinations. Smart Growth Principles
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National Award for Smart Growth Achievement Winners |
 Mixed-use developments allow residents to walk to local shops while running daily errands. Overall Excellence in Smart Growth Built Projects Policies and Regulations Waterfront and Coastal Communities Equitable Development |
Overall Excellence in Smart Growth | |
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New Columbia: Building Community Together  New Columbia's "green street" design, including 100 pocket swales helps reduce stormwater runoff.  Amenities such as a local grocery store and wide sidewalks improve access for residents of all ages. |
Columbia Villa was an isolated and distressed 82-acre public housing site. The Housing Authority of Portland (HAP) partnered with public and private stakeholders to redevelop the site and create New Columbia, a neighborhood built to improve economic opportunity, community livability, and environmental quality for both old and new residents. The new development increased the number of housing units from 462 rentals to 854 rental and ownership units. Housing options range from low-income apartment rentals comprised of families at or below 60 percent of median family income to market-rate single-family homes. The site was reintegrated into the surrounding neighborhood by connecting to the traditional street grid. Amenities in the new neighborhood include community college classrooms, a new Boys and Girls Club, the Rosa Parks Elementary School, parks, and retail destinations including a coffee shop and the Big City Produce store. The 28-member Community Advisory Committee (CAC) conducted a series of Sunday morning design workshops to engage local residents. Through this process, residents advised on all aspects of the project. The New Columbia Newsletter, which was created by the CAC, informed residents of the project's progress. The site was designed to improve on the environmental performance of the old development. All residents are within a five-minute walk of public transportation. Two mixed-use buildings in New Columbia have LEED certification, and LEED Gold was awarded to the new school. By replacing the old sub-surface infrastructure, New Columbia has 80 percent less underground piping than comparable developments. Approximately 98 percent of all stormwater is now processed on site, which prevents further contamination of the Columbia River Slough. The "green street" system includes approximately 100 vegetated pocket swales. The street design purposely avoided mature trees — saving more than 50 percent of the existing tree stock.  New Columbia provides a range of housing opportunities for residents of various incomes. |
Built Projects | |
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High Point Redevelopment  Through the use of compact development, the community preserved 12 acres of open space.  The creation of local community gardens builds a strong sense of place. |
The Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) worked closely with community members to rebuild a formerly crime-ridden and dilapidated 120-acre hilltop neighborhood into a mixed-use, mixed-income, and environmentally sensitive community. Using green building principles, High Point's more than 1,700 new units are expected to consume less water, electricity, and natural gas than the old community's 716 units. The 600 rental housing units built by SHA are all certified at the highest standards established by Built Green™, a building program that certifies environmentally friendly products in King and Snohomish Counties, Washington. This project is the nation's first Energy Star-rated rental housing development with tankless heating systems and front-loading washers and dryers. Approximately 10 percent of the rental units are Breathe Easy® homes, designed and built for asthma sufferers. The site occupies 10 percent of the watershed of Seattle's most significant salmon stream. The old public housing site contributed significant amounts of polluted runoff to the nearby stream. The new development included a new natural drainage system under the entire site — the nation's largest. Now, water entering the stream from High Point is as clean as if it had percolated through a natural meadow — despite more than doubling the development's density. The award-winning design of High Point addresses social sustainability by involving residents, connecting the site to surrounding neighborhoods, and mixing uses and incomes. The resident design committee met bi-weekly and participated in the design of buildings and open space. The new development includes new parks, a public library and health clinic, and retail space to come in 2009. The mixed-income neighborhood is comprised of 50/50 ratio of rental and owner-occupied units. The redevelopment has increased low-income housing opportunities by 43 percent. Additionally, owner-occupied units have sold for up to 50 percent above Seattle's median home prices, representing a growing desire to live in this once blighted community.  Pedestrian-friendly walkways encourage residents to walk, which reduces air pollution. "The community is being built for the residents, not for the housing authority and not for the architects. It is being built with the opinion of the community." |
Policies and Regulations | |
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Vermont Housing and Conservation Board
 Prior to redevelopment, the banks of Lake Champlain were dotted with old oil tanks. |
The state of Vermont promotes compact settlements surrounded by rural countryside. The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) supports this goal by funding affordable housing development in existing population centers and by preserving historic resources, farmland, forests, and public access to recreational lands. The agency pursues affordable housing, land conservation, and historic preservation initiatives under a single unique, synergistic program, which balances priorities. Statewide, the agency ensures that investments in one area will not adversely impact another priority. In pursuit of these goals, the agency has strategically funded affordable housing investment projects to focus development in village centers; employing existing structures with on-site water and sewer lines. This initiative promotes mixed-use, mixed-income and walkable neighborhoods. Legal agreements guarantee permanent affordability, recycling the state's investment for future generations of renters and homeowners. Since 2002, VHCB investments of $84 million have supported the development of 3,191 affordable homes and 44 historic buildings and the conservation of 37,279 acres of farmland, natural areas, and recreation lands. VHCB has focused its policies and programs on the redevelopment and revitalization of Vermont's village centers while striving to conserve its vast open spaces and economically important farmland. As a result, VHCB has conserved over 37,000 acres of farmland and open space in the last five years. This accounts for more than 10 percent of Vermont's best agricultural soils. Additionally, VHCB has provided business planning and technical assistance to 150 farmers. This effort is helping to protect Vermont's vital farmlands and rural character. The program's policies have preserved open spaces and improved environmental quality. Land preservation protects watershed functions, reduces stormwater runoff, and cleans up contamination. Compact redevelopment in village centers has provided increased transportation options, thus reducing auto-related emissions.  Utilizing VHCB's tools and funding, city officials created the Urban Reserve, which includes conservation easements — allowing limited development and improving access to the waterfront. "Through strategic advice and grant awards, VHCB has been an active, engaged, and essential partner in helping the Town of Manchester add much needed affordable housing in its downtown while also helping to conserve high priority farmland that remains in active agricultural use today. We are most thankful for VHCB's assistance in helping us to achieve these key community goals." |
Waterfront and Coastal Communities | |
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Balanced Growth Through Downtown Revitalization
 The addition of a pedestrian friendly walkway in Aselton Park provides public access to the waterfront.  Seven small gallery spaces in Bismore Park connect the downtown streetscape to the waterfront while providing local artists with opportunities to exhibit their work. |
In recent decades, the town of Barnstable, Massachusetts, a coastal community on Cape Cod, has experienced tremendous growth. Hyannis, one of the town's seven villages, saw growth at its edges characterized by low-density residential subdivisions and strip retail, while its downtown was plagued with vacant storefronts and disinvestment. This pattern strained local infrastructure and impacted the town's fragile natural resources and historic character. Over the past three years, the community and local decision-makers created a development strategy that encourages growth and development in Hyannis' urban center (where municipal water and sewer are available) while reducing growth pressure on environmentally sensitive areas along the coast. Specifically, the town has:
The result has been a renaissance for downtown Hyannis. Since the smart growth initiative, there have been 93 new residential units (nine affordable) created with another 141 units planned. Approximately 22,000 square feet of commercial space has been completed with an additional 100,000 square feet planned. The redevelopment has already resulted in 342 new jobs and $25 million in private investment. The town has purchased land and transferred development to downtown — protecting sole source aquifers and other sensitive natural areas. Downtown development occurs on city water and sewer infrastructure rather than the septic systems typical of development in outlying areas. The town made significant investments in the treatment plant and adopted the use of low impact design techniques such as green roofs and rain gardens. The net result has been more protection for undeveloped areas and greener redevelopment driving the downtown resurgence.  The implementation of mixed-use redevelopment along Main Street has attracted residents and visitors back to downtown Hyannis. "The results of the Downtown Hyannis revitalization have been remarkable. Thanks to our collaboration with local stakeholders and the implementation of smart growth initiatives, what just a few years ago was a blighted and underperforming village center is now a place where people desire to live, work and play. Both residential and commercial development is flourishing downtown and newly fostered arts and culture programs have contributed to the renaissance of downtown Hyannis." |
Equitable Development | |
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Abyssinian Neighborhood Project
 To improve the community's quality of life, ADC cleaned up contamination and redeveloped the vacant Smalls Paradise Jazz Club building.  Redevelopment projects, such as the Laura B. Thomas House, provide affordable housing for families on fixed incomes, while returning the building to productive use. |
Through partnerships with The Abyssinian Baptist Church, New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Urban Technical Assistance Project at Columbia University and the Office of the Manhattan Borough President, Abyssinian Development Corporation (ADC) developed a strategy to expand the housing and commercial options for central Harlem. Over 200 affordable housing units were built with an additional 200 affordable units planned. These include 25 units of transitional housing for homeless families, 68 rental units reserved for formerly homeless families, and 135 rental units to accommodate low- and moderate-income families. The Abyssinian Neighborhood Project created 15,000 square feet of commercial space for five local businesses, which has helped revitalize the central Harlem business corridors. A key element of the project was to address the social and economic needs of the community. Comprehensive programs were developed to link education, job training, and cultural enhancement. For example, ADC established an award-winning Head Start educational institution, constructed a state-of-the-art educational facility, and helped to create and support five block associations and a neighborhood leadership group. Additionally, ADC has implemented Youthbuild, a workforce development program that has provided on-the-job construction trade training for 40 teens and young adults. Neighborhood revitalization achieved multiple positive environmental outcomes by building near available infrastructure; cleaning up abandoned buildings and vacant lots; and creating new green space. This type of infill development minimizes the impact of stormwater runoff by reusing existing paved surfaces when compared to greenfield development. Residents now have ample access to biking and walking routes and public transit, which improves air quality when compared to places that rely solely on automobiles for daily travel. Benefits derived from improving economic opportunities, environmental quality, and the physical character of the community create a model of community-based planning that can be replicated to serve other communities.  Through public collaboration, ADC designed the new Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning & Social Change, a state-of-the-art educational center. "As a client of ADC and a resident of The Abyssinian Neighborhood, watching the transformation taking place here is truly inspiring. To be able to live, work and shop in my neighborhood, gives me and other residents a renewed sense of engagement, ownership and most importantly, community." |
Past Award Winners | |
 Through innovative strategies and collaborative problem-solving, the city of Wichita, Kansas, has created a new neighborhood near downtown. |
2006 Award Winners
Massachusetts Office for Commonwealth Development City of Wichita, Kansas Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development City of Winooski, Vermont Chicago Department of Planning and Development |
 When the city of Orlando transformed a closed Naval Training Center into an exciting new community, 16 extra acres of parkland were created using innovative underground stormwater management systems. |
2005 Award Winners
Denver Urban Renewal Authority City of Lakewood, Colorado, and Lakewood Development Department City of Pasadena, California, Planning and Development Department Town of Redding, Connecticut City of Orlando, Florida |
 In San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico, the design for Tsigo Bugeh Village is inspired by traditional pueblos, with buildings clustered around two plazas. |
2004 Award Winners
Town
of Davidson, North Carolina City
of Greensboro, North Carolina City
of Santa Cruz, California Sacramento
Area, California, Council of Governments San
Juan Pueblo, New Mexico |
 The Department of the Navy provides a variety of types and sizes of homes to meet the different needs of military families. | 2003 Award Winners
Metropolitan
Council, Minnesota Department
of the Navy Georgia
Office of Quality Growth Cuyahoga
County, Ohio, Treasurer's Office City
of Raleigh and Wake County, North Carolina, Public School
System |
 In Arlington County, Virginia, higher-density development is clustered around the Metro stations along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. |
2002 Award Winners
Arlington County, Virginia Town of Breckenridge,
Colorado, Planning Department City/County Association
of Governments of San Mateo County, California Massachusetts Executive
Office of Environmental Affairs |
Click here for more information on the past winners.
Acknowledgements | ||
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National Building Museum Thanks to our Review Panel Photo Credits | ||
Belmar, a new downtown center in Lakewood, CO, has transformed a declining shopping center into a vibrant gathering place for residents.