Planning for Smart Growth

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Planning for Smart Growth
in Rural New Hampshire
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Southwest Region Planning Commission
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Planning for SMART GROWTH

• Purpose of Smart Growth Audits
• Assist rural communities in coping with change,
  development and growth.
• Provide guidance by promoting Smart Growth.
• Assist communities in implementing the
  prin-ciples of Smart Growth to effectively manage
  growth.

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Planning for SMART GROWTH
Content of Slide Show
Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
NH Smart Growth Principles
Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool
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Planning for SMART GROWTH
Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
NH Smart Growth Principles
Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool
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Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
Sprawl amount of developed land grows faster
than population.
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Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
Sprawl amount of developed land grows faster
than population.
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Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
Sprawl amount of developed land grows faster
than population.

• Dominance of Town-wide Medium- to Low-Density
  Residential Housing,

• Single-Use Zoning,

• Large-Lot Zoning in Town Center,

• Current Development Trends that dont follow
  Historic Patterns.

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Landscape prior to development
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Source Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management, US EPA
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Landscape after conventional development
Sprawl
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Source Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management, US EPA
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Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
Costs of sprawl

• Loss of open space and wildlife habitat

• Loss of farming, forestry, hunting recreation

• Increase in polluted storm water run-off

• Depletion of ground water

• Congestion and attrition of local roads

• Higher housing costs due to land road costs

• Higher school transportation costs

• Change of community character

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Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
Geography of sprawl
Household Density Patterns (2000)
Concord
Manchester
Keene
Nashua
Greenfield, MA
Lawrence, MA
Source 2000 Census
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Planning for SMART GROWTH
Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
NH Smart Growth Principles
Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool
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NH Smart Growth Principles
Smart Growth is the opposite of Sprawl.
Smart Growth does not stop growth.
Smart Growth can protect the environment, build
better communities, preserve community character,
and provide employment and housing opportunities,
including the building of affordable housing.
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NH Smart Growth Principles
Principles

• Office of Energy and Planning
• publication.

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NH Smart Growth Principles

• A) Maintain traditional compact settlement
  patterns.

B) Preserve traditional character of downtowns
and villages.
C) Incorporate a mix of uses.
D) Preserve our working landscape environmental
quality.
E) Provide choices and safety in transportation.
F) Manage growth locally in the NH tradition
and work with neighboring
towns.
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NH Smart Growth Principles

• A) Maintain traditional compact settlement
  patterns.

X
Compact pattern
Strip development
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NH Smart Growth Principles

• A) Maintain traditional compact settlement
  patterns.

• Mixes uses

• Is pedestrian-friendly

• Uses less infrastructure

• Uses land efficiently

• Expands or in-fill in existing village or

• Creates new center

Important In concert with land protection
measures
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NH Smart Growth Principles
B) Preserve traditional character of downtowns
and villages.

• Maintains human scale

• Promotes consistent architectural site design

• Creates sense of community

• Retains rural character

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Landscape with conventional development
Sprawl
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Source Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management, US EPA
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Landscape with compact settlement patterns
Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND)
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Source Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management, US EPA
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NH Smart Growth Principles
C) Incorporate a mix of uses.

• Variety of Housing Types

• Commercial / Residential

• Business / Retail / Services

• Public Facilities

• Public Green Space

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NH Smart Growth Principles
D) Preserve our working landscape
environmental quality.

• Growing

• Processing

• Selling

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NH Smart Growth Principles
D) Preserve our working landscape
environmental quality.

• Storm water management

• Riparian land protection

• Vegetated buffers

• Protection of steep slopes

• Open space protection

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NH Smart Growth Principles
E) Provide choices and safety in transportation.

• Walking biking

• Safe convenient

• Year-round use

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NH Smart Growth Principles
F) Manage growth locally in the NH tradition
and work with neighboring towns.

• Helps towns to achieve common goal Smart Growth

• Helps towns to effectively address common
  problems traffic, capacities of services etc.

• Implemented through master plan policies, land
  use regulations and intermunicipal agreements.

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Planning for SMART GROWTH
Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire
NH Smart Growth Principles
Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool
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Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool
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Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool

• American Planning Association,
• Planning
• Advisory
• Service
• Report 512,
• 2003.

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Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool
Parameter checklist

• Water Quality
• Air Quality
• Housing
• Transportation
• Parking
• Water, Sewer, and Other Infrastructure
• Permitting Processes
• Regionalism and Intergovernmental Relations

• Efficient Land Consumption
• Direction of Growth Density
• Urban Form
• Land Use
• Jobs-Housing Balance
• Open Space/Green Space
• Energy Conservation

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Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool

• Example for applied methodology

Principle Incorporate a mix of uses.
Question
Does the local zoning ordinance provide at least
one or more zoning districts that allow mixes of
residential and commercial uses?
Analysis
The auditor consults the towns master plan and
zoning ordinance.
Comments
The auditor answers the question and comments on
results.
Recommendations
If necessary, the auditor recommends amendments
to the towns master plan and zoning ordinance.
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Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool

• Recommendations

• Implementation

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