Planning for Smart Growth in Rural New Hampshire SWRPC Southwest Region Planning Commission

Planning for Smart Growthin

Rural New Hampshire

SWRPCSWRPCSouthwest Region Planning CommissionSouthwest Region Planning Commission

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 GROWTHSWRPC

NH Smart Growth Principles

Smart Growth Audit as a Planning Tool

Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire

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Content of Slide Show:





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Sprawl: amount of developed land grows faster than population.

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Sprawl in Rural New Hampshire SWRPC

Source: Brookings Institution, 2001.

Nashua – Manchester Area:• 29 % increase in population, but...• 70 % increase in developed land =• 25 % decrease in density

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Signs of Sprawl in Rural Areas:

• Single-Use Zoning,

• Current Development Trends that don’t follow Historic Patterns.

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

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• Large-Lot Zoning in Town Center,


Source: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, US EPA

Landscape prior to development

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Landscape after conventional development

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SprawlSprawl

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• Loss of open space and wildlife habitat

Costs of sprawl:

• 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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Geography of sprawl:

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Concord

Keene Manchester

Nashua

Lawrence, MAGreenfield, MA

Household Density Patterns (2000)

Source: 2000 Census





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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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Smart Growth is the opposite of Sprawl.


Smart Growth does not stop growth.

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Principles:

Office of Energy and Planning

publication.

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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.SWRPC



SWRPC NH Smart Growth Principles

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XXCompact patternStrip development

Important: In concert with land protection measures

NH Smart Growth PrinciplesSWRPC

• Uses land efficiently

• Is pedestrian-friendly

• Uses less infrastructure

• Mixes uses

• Creates new center

• Expands or in-fill in existing village or

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• Maintains human scale

• Promotes consistent architectural & site design

• Creates sense of community

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B) Preserve traditional character of downtowns and villages.

• Retains rural character


Landscape with conventional developmentLandscape with conventional development

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SprawlSprawl


Landscape with compact settlement patternsLandscape with compact settlement patterns

Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND)

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•Business / Retail / Services

•Commercial / Residential

•Public Facilities

•Public Green Space

C) Incorporate a mix of uses.

•Variety of Housing Types

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• Growing

• Processing

• Selling


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• Storm water management

• Riparian land protection

• Vegetated buffers

• Protection of steep slopes

• Open space protection


• Safe & convenient

• Walking & biking

• Year-round use

E) Provide choices and safety in transportation.

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• Helps towns to achieve common goal: Smart Growth

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

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

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F) Manage growth locally in the NH tradition

… and work with neighboring towns.





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A systematic inquiry to evaluate existing land-use plans, policies and practices against the accepted principles of Smart Growth.

Smart Growth Audit as a Planning ToolSWRPC

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What is a Smart Growth Audit?

American Planning Association,

Planning

Advisory

Service

Report # 512,

2003.

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Methodology and Parameter:

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

• Water Quality• Air Quality• Housing• Transportation• Parking• Water, Sewer, and Other

Infrastructure• Permitting Processes• Regionalism and

Intergovernmental Relations

Parameter checklist:

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Example for applied methodology

Does the local zoning ordinance provide at least one or more zoning districts that allow mixes of residential and commercial uses?

Principle: Incorporate a mix of uses.

The auditor consults the town’s master plan and zoning ordinance.

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Question:

Analysis:

Comments:

Recommendations:

The auditor answers the question and comments on results.

If necessary, the auditor recommends amendments to the town’s master plan and zoning ordinance.

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• Recommendations

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• Implementation

Documents

Planning for Smart Growth in Rural New Hampshire SWRPC Southwest Region Planning Commission