City Growth, can the grow slowly? Can you manage growth? Should they do so?

IS SMART GROWTH REALLY SMART

Land use management is probably one of the hottest and most important long-term environmental issues globally . How lands are used and the decisions to use them face great controversy . One of the planning practices that attract major attention globally is smart growth

Smart growth is not a new concept . While people may not agree on a single definition , no one can deny it as a strategy for managing growth Litman (2005 ) offered one definition of smart growth which is development principles and planning practices that result in

more efficient land use and transport patterns . He further added that smart growth is an alternative to sprawl development patterns , with dispersed low-density , automobile-dependent urban fringe expansion . `Smart Growth (also called New Community Design ) is a general term for policies that integrate transportation and land use decisions , for example by encouraging more Compact , mixed-use development within existing urban areas , and discouraging dispersed , automobile dependent development at the urban fringe ( HYPERLINK "http /www .vtpi .org /tdm /tdm38 .htm http /www .vtpi .org /tdm /tdm38 .htm

Like a coin , smart growth has two sides to it . On its positive side smart growth emphasizes accessibility while maintaining mobility . The benefits of smart growth cover social , economic , and environmental aspects . The other side of the coin shows that the critical issues that smart growth faces are its effect on the affordability of housing . In the following discussions , it shall be shown that affordability is beyond supply and demand but relative to the purchasing power of the family . It shall also be discussed that political support through legislation is needed for it to succeed . Legislation not for additional rules but for softening the existing to make it more friendly and adoptive to the situation

Is smart growth just growth management repackaged ? Smart Growth is no more than an old dog with a new collar . Despite the lack of consensus on its exact definition , it is no more than growth management repackaged (Haines , 2003 . It is a concept which has evolved in the last forty years to manage rapid growth in different states and metropolitan areas Such growth became alarming when it became faster than they used to and its stretch became wider and on a much hastened phase . Over time , the growth management tools were developed and include : zoning , development buffers , purchase of development rights programs , urban growth boundaries , minimum density requirements , cluster development , and exclusive agricultural zoning (Ibid

Smart growth like most sustainable development strategies is both an economic and political issue . Smart growth policies are put in place to serve as `carrots and sticks . Carrots which aim to make it more appealing to local governments as well as private land developers tax incentives and public subsidies are offered . On the other hand sticks are also put in place to ensure compliance . Such include the growth limitation or putting a `growth boundaries ' to restrict development is made within a specific geographic location (Voith and Crawford , ____

One of the concerns with smart growth is its effect on housing affordability . While smart growth is generally a means of configuring growth in a specific area , it directly influences the distribution of housing types and pricing . And since economic activities are altered employment , which is a function of family income , is also affected thus its effect on affordability

But while this may be so , smart growth initiatives also has a positive effect on economic infrastructures thereby lowering the cost of basic services as well as commuting which positively impacts on the financial capabilities of a family . This would thus improve their chances of acquiring their place of habitat

It is a given fact that while most people would not want to live in a house which is beyond what they can afford , would also accept a substandard structure in a crowded community . Living in a growth area may not also be affable to many since this may mean marginalization Given these arguments , comes the issue of sustainability . Measures should be put in place to prevent congestion and neutralize the feeling of discrimination

Given the discussion above , affordability now becomes a function not merely of the price of a housing unit but of the means of the acquirer Significant factors that should be considered beyond the laws of supply and demand should now include policies that would support its implementation

Therefore what is critical now is not merely the price of the housing units but the availability of jobs that would give people buying power Smart growth policies then become more than a strategy to limit the sprawling of development but a means for focused geographic development More than encouraging developers to put up residences in an a bounded area it should also encourage economic activities that will bring jobs closer to people and cause the decrease of cost of utilities and services

It is not hard to look for success stories of brownfields converted to a smart growth area . One good thing in these areas is the availability of infrastructures such as sewers , roads and utilities . While its re-development may not be without problems given enough fiscal and political support , such projects provide a bright future for smart growth

To conclude , let us go back to the question , is smart growth really smart ? Smart growth may not be purely angelic in nature but definitely is not pure evil . While it may not houses , it may improve affordability by giving more purchasing power to the people . Purchasing power that will in turn fuel economic growth But such will not be easy , what will make the difference is the politics behind it . What it needs is supportive policies and not restrictive regulation . In the end smart growth is a strategy for focused development .REFERENCES

Anna L . Haines , Ph .D . Smart Growth : A Solution to Sprawl ' The Land Use Tracker Volume 2 , Issue 4 Spring 2003

http /www .smartgrowth .org /pdf /epa_ah-sg .pdf

Richard

. Voith and David L . Crawford , Smart Growth and Affordable Housing

Todd Litman . Evaluating Criticism of Smart Growth . Victoria Transport Policy Institute , December 2005

http /www .vtpi .org /sgcritics .pdf

http /www .vtpi .org /tdm /tdm38 .htm

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