Smart Growth in Rural Communities Part of the Blueprint for Health

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Smart Growth in Rural Communities- Part of the
Blueprint for Health

• Darlene Ahrens, District Director
• April 20, 2007

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Principles of Smart Growth(The Smart Growth
Network)

• 1. A shot at the American dream of opportunity
  for all.
• 2. Safe, convenient neighborhoods with homes that
  people can afford.
• 3. Development decisions that are fair to
  everyone.

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• 4. Investing taxpayer money wisely in our
  communities.
• 5. Protecting and preserving our natural heritage
  and working lands.
• 6. Freedom to choose how we get around.
• 7. Healthy communities for all ages.

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• 8. Places designed for people.
• 9. A lasting legacy in our communities.
• 10. Growth and development that improves our
  communities.
• (Smart Growth Network smartgrowth.org)

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What is the link?
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One of the Smart Growth Principles

• 7 Healthy Communities for All Ages

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Streets that are safe and comfortable for walkers
and bikers encourage people to get more exercise
as part of their daily routines.
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Having transportation options besides cars helps
reduce traffic and air pollution.
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Preserving green space helps protect water
quality while making communities more attractive.
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Make it easy

• Research shows that when a community is
• designed to be easier to get around, people can
• more easily incorporate physical activity into
• their daily lives.

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Places designed for activity

• These usually enable people to stay in the same
  neighborhood as they get older,
• AND remain active longer

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It fits

• Making the healthy choice the easy choice can
  encourage physical activity and reduce pollution.

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What our Blueprint community did!
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• First, we asked the town manager and one of
• the principle people in community development
• to attend a National Smart Growth Conference.

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So.....

• Mark Your Calendars!The 7th Annual New Partners
  for Smart Growth Building Safe, Healthy and
  Livable Communities Conference will be held
  February 7-9, 2008 at the Marriott Wardman Park
  Hotel in Washington, DC.

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Next

• Those two members of our community came back and
  talked to their zoning and planning boards.
• They learned of things they were doing right and
  things they could do differently.
• They had to take information from much larger
  towns and cities and apply it to the rural area.

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Then...

• We hosted a Smart Growth Summit with the keynote
  speaker from EPA talking specifically about smart
  growth in rural communities
• We made sure there were resources from Vermont
  for questions about village designation and tax
  benefits for preservation.

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What are our plans for the future ?

• Our Fit and Healthy Coalition and individual
  members are and will continue to work with the
  Chamber of Commerce and with the Regional
  Development Association to inform and encourage
  smart growth practices wherever possible.
• We have worked with the Zoning Commission to have
  them consider Smart Growth principles in the
  permit process.

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• Our work is just beginning. Our role is one in
  which we will strive to educate both the
  officials of the towns and the public about how
  the design of a community, its growth patterns
  and the planning process can have significant
• implications for the health of our communities
  for many years to come.