The boldly-named theory of “smart growth” has drawn both passionate advocates and vocal critics since its origins in the 1970s. That was when transportation and community planners saw that it was becoming more and more difficult to acquire the land to build and widen highways at the necessary rate. Architects like Peter Calthorpe and Andrs Duany started promoting the idea of building communities that relied on public and/or non-automotive transportation. These ideas became the basis of what are known as compact cities. Other names for the practices include sustainable development and New Urbanism.Smart growth is a direct alternative to urban sprawl, the idea that cities and their suburbs will inevitably spread outward toward low-density rural areas. Critics have noted a number of disadvantages related to urban and suburban sprawl. These include inadequate public facilities, low public support, inefficient streets, high levels of segregation, high rates of obesity due to a lack of exercise, wasted time spent during long commutes, less space for parks and environmental conservation, and diminished aesthetic appeal. Is smart growth the answer? While not everyone agrees on this point, many contend that something must indeed be done.The Smart Growth America coalition lists six goals for smart growth, which it claims “mirror the basic values of most Americans.” These are:

  • Neighborhood Livability, providing “safe, convenient, attractive, and affordable” neighborhood housing to all members of the community and removing the need to make concessions on one or the other of these factors;
  • Better Access, Less Traffic, using land for multiple purposes, engaging in clustered development, and offering many transportation alternatives to personal vehicles;
  • Thriving Cities, Suburbs and Towns, focusing development on already built areas that are saddled with inadequate access to public services;
  • Shared Benefits, breaking down race and income barriers between those who prosper in a neighborhood and those who are left behind;
  • Lower Costs, Lower Taxes, using existing infrastructure to keep costs and therefore taxes down;
  • Keeping Open Space Open, preserving the natural areas that would otherwise be used for development.

Smart growth is often achieved through local zoning laws, which restrict development to certain areas and offer incentives for building on certain types of land. Arlington, Virginia, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, Davidson, North Carolina, and Denver, Colorado have all been recognized by the United States EPA as examples of smart growth in action.