Smart Growth is a concept worth knowing about. It’s growth that recognizes connections between development and quality of life. It leverages new growth to improve the community. Successful communities do tend to have one thing in common--a vision of where they want to go and of what things they value in their community--and their plans for development reflect these values.
The following excerpt from Randall Arendt’s book “Open Space Zoning: What It Is and Why It Works” illustrates the need for creative solutions that go beyond, even abandon conventional community development practices that can hinder Smart Growth.
“Conventional zoning is essentially a blueprint for development and development alone. Zoning normally separates incompatible uses, and it does establish certain standards such as maximum densities and minimum setbacks, but it typically does little to protect open space or to conserve rural character.
The reason many subdivisions consist of nothing more than houselots and streets is because zoning and subdivision design standards usually require developers to provide nothing more. While many ordinances contain detailed standards for pavement thickness and culvert diameters, very few set any noteworthy standards for quantity, quality, and configuration of open space to be preserved.
Conventional zoning assigns a development designation to every acre of land, generally residential, commercial, or industrial. The only lands, which are not normally designated for development, are wetlands and floodplains.
Conventional zoning has been accurately described as “planned sprawl” because every square foot of each development parcel is converted to front yards, back yards, streets, sidewalks, or driveways. Period. Nothing is left to become open space, in this consumptive process.