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Congratulations to the winners of EPA's National Award for Smart Growth Achievement!
EPA is proud to recognize these exceptional communities that are
creating healthy, attractive, and enduring places to live, work,
and play.
Innovative efforts across the country are preserving critical areas,
protecting historic buildings, and providing better transportation
choices that protect the environment. More and more cities are using
creative strategies to enhance neighborhoods and re-use existing
infrastructure.
This year, EPA is especially pleased to celebrate the extraordinary
efforts of small communities. Small towns are taking advantage of
their assets-such as historic buildings, walkable downtowns, lakes,
and other natural features-to revitalize their economies. Small
communities are preserving the unique character that makes them
special and strengthens their neighborhoods, while also accommodating
development that is environmentally sound.
This year's winners are excellent models of smart growth achievement.
I salute these winners for their outstanding achievements and challenge
others to follow their example in protecting the environment and
improving the quality of life of our great nation.
Michael O. Leavitt
EPA Administrator
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Communities all over the United States are using the principles
of smart growth to protect and enhance their natural environment
while their economies prosper. They are reusing previously
developed land; providing more housing and transportation
choices; preserving critical natural areas; and developing
vibrant places to live, work, shop, and play. These techniques
can protect our air, water, and land and enhance quality of
life, 1, 2 as the following examples demonstrate:
· A new development in Florida transformed a former
shopping mall and parking lots into 272 apartments and townhouses,
270,000 square feet of office space, and 245,000 square feet
of retail space.3 The new development decreased
the amount of paved surface by approximately 15 percent by
adding a central plaza, flower and tree planters, and a large
public amphitheater. Reducing paved surfaces at the site also
reduces the amount of polluted runoff.
· Research comparing three in-town neighborhoods in
a Pacific Northwest city against the rest of the region showed
strong links between compact, mixed-use development and travel
choices. With more transportation options, residents of the
compact neighborhoods traveled 28 percent fewer miles by car
than residents of adjacent neighborhoods, and 35 percent fewer
miles than residents of outlying areas.4 Shorter
and fewer car trips can lead to fewer auto emissions, cleaner
air, and less time spent in traffic.
· New Jersey encourages development in places with
existing infrastructure, which strengthens communities and
preserves rural cultures and economies. By doing so, the state
will save 68,000 acres of agricultural land and 45,000 acres
of environmentally sensitive land from development.5
For more information about the environmental benefits of
smart growth, please see: www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/
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OVERALL EXCELLENCE IN SMART GROWTH
Town of Davidson
Town of Davidson Planning Department
Davidson, North Carolina
BUILT PROJECTS
Southside Neighborhood
City of Greensboro, Department of Housing and Community Development
Greensboro, North Carolina
POLICIES AND REGULATIONS
Accessory Dwelling Unit Program
City of Santa Cruz, Department of Housing and Community Development
Santa Cruz, California
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
Sacramento Region Blueprint: Transportation/Land Use Study
Sacramento Area Council of Governments
Sacramento Region, California
SMALL COMMUNITIES
San Juan Pueblo Master Plan
San Juan Pueblo Office of the Governor
San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico
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In 2002, EPA created the National Award for Smart Growth Achievement
to recognize exceptional approaches to development that benefit
the economy, public health, and the environment. The 2004 call for
entries resulted in 98 applications from 32 states and the District
of Columbia. Now in its third year, the National Award for Smart
Growth Achievement has recognized an impressive array of projects,
policies, and programs that promote healthy, vibrant communities.
Each award recipient has
used the principles of smart growth to create places that respect
community culture and the environment, foster economic development,
and enhance quality of life.
This year, a new category was added to highlight the success of
small communities. With populations of less than 20,000 people,
small communities provide the framework for the country’s rural
fabric and are important areas of activity in many metropolitan
areas. Across the country, these towns are using innovative practices
to market their historic and cultural assets. They are attracting
support and
financing for both redevelopment and new development. Our winners
show that small communities can grow in ways that preserve the character
that makes them special.
The award recipients were chosen through a multi-step process. A
panel of external experts representing a broad range of constituencies
with interest and expertise in the built environment and the principles
of smart growth provided advice on the entries. An internal EPA
review panel then provided additional comments. EPA’s Associate
Administrator for Policy, Economics, and Innovation made the final
award selections.
The principles of smart growth include:
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Mix land uses.
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Take advantage of compact building design.
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Create housing opportunities and choices for a range of household types, family sizes and incomes.
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Create walkable neighborhoods.
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Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place.
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Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas.
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Reinvest in and strengthen existing communities and achieve more balanced regional development.
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Provide a variety of transportation choices.
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Make development decisions predictable, fair and cost-effective.
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Encourage citizen and stakeholder participation in development decisions.
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Town of Davidson
Town of Davidson Planning Department
Davidson, North Carolina
A small community, Davidson is setting the standard for
creating healthy and vibrant neighborhoods in a historic setting.
The town is revitalizing its existing buildings, and its new
neighborhoods incorporate a variety of lot sizes and housing
types, including affordable housing, and neighborhood parks
within a five-minute walk.
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To the residents of Davidson, North Carolina, located just
20 miles from Charlotte, the essence of their small town is
great neighbors and great neighborhoods. The town's high quality
of life is attracting development. To preserve and enhance
Davidson's character, the town adopted the Davidson Land Plan
in 1995 and an innovative Planning Ordinance in 2001.
The ordinance seeks significant public involvement, a critical
component for any community that wants to plan where and how
it will grow. For example, the Planning Ordinance provides
charrettes for every new development project. These charrettes
allow the developer and the community to understand each other's
goals. One developer says, "the [charrette]…forced
me to come up with a new plan that was better than the original."
The town requires pedestrian, bicycle, and street circulation
plans for all new development. Streets are designed to discourage
cars from speeding, making it easier for Davidson's 7,800
residents to walk and bicycle around the town. To further
encourage walking, the town requires narrow, tree lined streets
with on-street parking and sidewalks on both sides of the
street.
Recognizing that housing prices can sometimes increase when
a community creates great places to live, the town requires
that 12.5 percent of all new housing be affordable to families
making less than the county's median family income.
Davidson's plan and ordinance have allowed the town to build
on its strengths while accommodating new growth. For example,
the old Davidson Cotton Mill complex has been revitalized
and transformed into offices, condominiums, and a restaurant.
The plan and ordinance also clearly articulate the town's
vision for its growth. This, in turn, makes developers active
partners in implementing the community's vision of connected,
walkable neighborhoods that maintain Davidson's legacy as
a traditional small town.
The Planning Ordinance aims to maintain Davidson's identity
as a small town.
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Southside Neighborhood
City of Greensboro, Department of Housing and Community Development
Greensboro, North Carolina
The redevelopment of the Southside neighborhood,
just one-and-a-half blocks from Greensboro's historic main
street, transformed a blighted area into a thriving, attractive
district. The community capitalized on a rich stock of historic
buildings and public spaces to restore this downtown neighborhood.
"Southside benefited from a general downtown renaissance,
but also helped to give momentum to that turnaround."
Andy Scott
Director
Department of Housing and Community Development
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The Southside neighborhood, a 10-acre revitalization project,
is one of Greensboro, North Carolina's first significant mixed-use,
infill projects. The city's Department of Housing and Community
Development developed a Traditional Neighborhood District
Ordinance to assist Southside's redevelopment.
A five- to ten-minute walk from the central business district,
the development includes 30 single-family homes, 10 two-family
homes, 50 townhouses, 10 restored historic homes, and 20 live/work
units where business owners live upstairs from their shop
or office. Some residences include studio apartments above
rear-detached garages, providing another housing choice.
Southside incorporates a square as the civic center of the
neighborhood and features a rotating schedule of public art.
The neighborhood common, used as a community park, retains
a canopy of mature trees. Greensboro contributed to the revitalization
effort by installing new sidewalks, historic streetlights,
decorative brickwork, and landscaping.
The neighborhood is a market success. Not only did all the
rehabilitated and new homes sell out, but the neighborhood
generates significantly more tax revenue for the city. Before
redevelopment in 1995, Southside produced $400,000 in tax
revenues. When the redevelopment is complete, the total tax
revenue generated from the neighborhood will be over $10 million.
A new resident captures one reason for the redevelopment's
success: "Southside was the type of neighborhood we had
been searching for-it provides us with the sense of community
we crave within walking distance of all the services and amenities
downtown has to offer. When we built our house two years ago
we felt like urban pioneers, but now, with the neighborhood
nearly complete, we know we made the right choice."
Success is not limited to the Southside neighborhood; redevelopment
initiatives, including housing and mixed-use projects, are
expanding into adjacent neighborhoods and downtown. For example,
the city received a Brownfields Economic Development Initiative
grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development
to redevelop an area near Southside. These successes contribute
to Greensboro's downtown revival.
Although the middle house is new, it blends seamlessly with
the older surrounding houses.
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Accessory Dwelling Unit Program
City of Santa Cruz, Department of Housing and Community Development
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is increasing and diversifying housing choices
by making accessory units easier to build. This program gives
homeowners an additional source of income and creates more
affordable housing.
"…as my parents reached retirement
age and found that they could no longer climb the stairs to
the second story bedroom, they began looking for alternative
ways of staying in the neighborhood….With the help of
the city's revised accessory dwelling unit ordinance, the
design workshops, and the ADU loan program, we are now building
the 'granny unit' of my parents' dreams."
David A. Foster
Homeowner
Santa Cruz
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Like many communities in northern California, Santa Cruz
has seen its housing costs increase dramatically. These rising
costs mean the city is struggling to retain teachers, police
officers, and service workers. To address these challenges,
Santa Cruz created an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Development
Program. Accessory units create separate residences by converting
all or part of a garage or by building new structures on a
homeowner's property.
The city's program aims to create more housing opportunities
by making it easier for homeowners to build accessory units.
For example, the city revised its zoning ordinance to eliminate
a covered parking requirement for single-family homes, which
freed up space for accessory units. In addition, the revision
included design elements that ensure the accessory units complement
the surrounding homes. Seven architects designed compact building
prototypes (500 square feet) that address a variety of site
needs. These plans have been pre-reviewed by city departments,
which helps homeowners by reducing processing time, planning
fees, and design costs.
The city also released an ADU "How To" manual to
help residents navigate the development process. The manual
packages all the information homeowners need to develop an
accessory unit, including guidance on making an accessory
unit "neighbor-friendly," managing a construction
project, and being a good landlord. Over 175 manuals and prototype
plan sets have been sold. To encourage affordable housing,
homeowners get financial assistance through accessory unit
loan and fee waiver programs if the unit will be rented at
an affordable level.
The program has broadened the range of available housing
opportunities. In 2003, the program's first full year, 35
accessory units were built, which is a significant increase
over the eight units built in 2001. Over the next five years,
the city estimates that between 40 and 50 new accessory units
will be built per year. The program has been so successful
that more than 80 cities throughout California have requested
copies of the ADU manual and ordinance.
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Sacramento Region Blueprint: Transportation/Land Use Study
Sacramento Area Council of Governments
Sacramento Region, California
The Blueprint Project brought together more than 5,000
citizens to help create and refine regional planning scenarios.
The extensive public outreach was successful due in part to
the collaboration of 30 agencies and private businesses. In
2003, the Blueprint Project was honored with the Governor's
Environmental and Economic Leadership Award.
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More than 5,000 community members, elected officials, and
business leaders shaped the future of the Sacramento region
through a series of workshops, regional conferences, web-based
dialogue, and surveys. The Sacramento Area Council of Governments
(SACOG) initiated this two-year process-the Sacramento Region
Blueprint: Transportation/Land Use Study-to examine current
land use and future growth patterns and to plan where and
how the region should grow.
SACOG partnered with Valley Vision, a nonprofit organization,
to develop a broad community outreach strategy that would
stimulate an inclusive discussion about the region's growth.
During 38 neighborhood workshops held in each jurisdiction
of the region, citizens worked from a "base case"
scenario, which represented future growth if current trends
continued, and used maps and stickers to try out various land
use changes in their communities. More than 1,500 people took
part in these neighborhood workshops.
The Blueprint Project used state-of-the-art modeling tools
to estimate the effects of land use patterns on transportation,
air quality, and the economy. For example, participants used
interactive software that immediately demonstrated the effects
of their land use choices on neighborhoods, cities, counties,
and the region. SACOG also launched a public education program
to highlight the ways in which smart growth techniques could
create more housing and transportation choices, preserve natural
areas, and enhance existing communities.
The Blueprint Project staff held more than 220 special presentations
to engage groups that are generally underrepresented in the
transportation planning process. Translators helped conduct
exercises and interpret the event for Spanish-speaking participants,
and the staff distributed 50,000 multi-lingual flyers. Outreach
partners included La Familia, Asian Resources, Gray Panthers,
Resources for Independent Living, and local media outlets.
Results from the neighborhood workshops were compiled for
a regional workshop in April 2004, where more than 1,300 participants
voted on four future growth alternatives that showed different
environmental and economic outcomes. The Blueprint Project
changed how the Sacramento region approaches growth-it educated
and engaged the public and gave them the tools to help them
design the future they wanted.
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The San Juan Pueblo found a way to honor their heritage
and provide housing for their people. The tribe implemented
a new urbanist Master Land Use Plan-the first of its kind
for a Native American community. In 2003, a 40-unit, mixedincome,
rental housing project was completed, exhibiting a culturally
appropriate, affordable design.
"It's traditional living with a modern touch."
Tomasita Duran
Executive Director
Ohkay Owingeh Housing Authority
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The San Juan Pueblo, just north of Santa Fe, New Mexico,
has been inhabited for over 700 years. In 2000, San Juan Pueblo
tribal members initiated a community planning process to articulate
and implement a long-term vision for the pueblo. At community
design meetings, the elders recalled, "There was always
an eye on you as a child and everyone felt they could count
on their neighbor."
The resulting pueblo-wide Master Land Use Plan, approved
in 2001, builds off these sentiments. The plan is the first
smart growth model for Native American tribes. It provides
a long-term growth strategy, coordinates existing infrastructure
with housing and commercial development, preserves the walkable
historic plazas, and encourages retail and commercial uses
in a "main street" style. The plan also includes
design guidelines that enhance the traditional building pattern
to preserve the architectural heritage of the pueblo, fostering
a distinctive sense of place.
The Tribal Planning Department, created in 2002, guides,
manages, and implements the plan and improves interdepartmental
coordination of infrastructure, economic development, and
housing. A Community Advisory Council of neighborhood representatives
advises the Planning Department's director, who encourages
residents to participate in growth and development decisions
within the San Juan Pueblo.
The first project implemented under the Master Land Use Plan
is Tsigo Bugeh Village, which was completed in 2003. The 40-unit
development mixes market-rate and affordable rental housing
and includes a community center with a large kitchen, computer
and exercise rooms, and laundry facilities. The project is
a model of culturally appropriate, affordable design that
will help the San Juan Pueblo community sustain itself for
future generations. The San Juan Pueblo is an example for
Native American communities everywhere; the Planning Department
is sharing the lessons it learned with other tribes across
the country.
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Arlington County, Virginia
2002 Award Winner
Arlington County continues to bring smart growth development
into the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. In 2003, 1,117 housing
units, 110,000 sq. ft. of retail space, and 330,000 sq. ft.
of office space were completed. In addition, construction
began on another 1,116 housing units, 110,000 sq. ft. of retail
space, 1.8 million sq. ft. of office space, and 326 hotel
rooms.
Massachusetts Executive Office
of Environmental Affairs
2002 Award Winner
The EOEA is expanding its UrbanRiver pilot project in 2005.
The UrbanRiver project aims to revitalize core downtown areas
of communities by using rivers as a focus for redevelopment
efforts. For example, one project redeveloped former mill
buildings into a vibrant commercial, service, and residential
center containing 75 businesses and 32 new housing units.
City/County Association of Governments
of San Mateo County, California
2002 Award Winner
San Mateo County's Transit Oriented Development Housing Incentive
Program gives local jurisdictions $2,000 for each new bedroom
created near transit stations. In 2004, ten projects in six
cities received a total of $2.9 million to create 2,400 bedrooms
in nearly 1,400 housing units, at an average density of over
60 units per acre. A third grant cycle is planned for early
2005.
Town of Breckenridge, Colorado,
Planning Department
2002 Award Winner
The Wellington neighborhood continues to provide well designed,
affordable, middle-income homes to over 200 people. With half
the 80-acre project complete, the town of Breckenridge may
soon approve another phase for 160 more homes.
Metropolitan Council, Minnesota
2003 Award Winner
Between June 2003 and July 2004, the Minneapolis- St. Paul
Metropolitan Council awarded 52 grants under its Livable Communities
Grants programs. The awards, totaling $16.9 million, will
result in an anticipated 7,300 new and rehabilitated housing
units, 6,480 new or retained jobs, and 267 acres of reclaimed
polluted land, and will leverage an additional $1 billion
in private and other public investments.
Department of the Navy
2003 Award Winner
The Navy has used smart growth principles to redevelop 144
acres into The Village at Serra Mesa, in San Diego, California.
The Village replaces 812 aging military houses with 900 new
affordable housing units, a community center, recreational
space, a new daycare facility, and a Navy Exchange as a corner
grocery store.
Georgia Office of Quality Growth
2003 Award Winner
The Georgia Quality Growth program has enhanced its outreach
by providing new tools, such as a quality growth audit and
a visual preference survey. The survey-a series of photographs
depicting various design elements such as housing placement,
store fronts, and pedestrian areas-helps communities envision
and select from competing development options.
Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Treasurer's Office
2003 Award Winner
In 2004, the Treasurer's Office has made more than 430 new
housing enhancement loans exceeding $4.8 million. These loans
are designed to increase housing and preserve historic homes.
In addition, the Treasurer's Office has worked with Hamilton,
Lorain, Medina, and Summit Counties in Ohio to assist them
in designing loan programs based on the Cuyahoga County model.
City of Raleigh and Wake County, North Carolina, Public
School System
2003 Award Winner
The city of Raleigh has continued to coordinate with the Wake
County Public School System to purchase 20 acres of land for
a shared elementary school, community center, and park facility
in the Brier Creek Village. The school and community center
will provide a civic element in the Brier Creek Village. The
facilities were designed to encourage walking between them
and other neighborhood amenities. The school is scheduled
to open in August 2006.
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| SMART
GROWTH TRENDS AND OPPORTUNITIES |
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