This transformation from concrete ditch to urban creek

As our towns and cities grow, we have choices to make about our natural areas, our historicheritage, our mobility, our sense of community – even our health and safety.

Choices for GrowthQuality of life and the natural environment

This transformation from concrete ditch to urban creek results in a thriving compact shopping area that could be in almost any neighborhood.

For most coastal communities it is not a questionwhether or not to grow, but how. As we spread

out over the land, we spend more and more time inour cars, and less time with our families, friends, andneighbors. Research shows that this high-stresslifestyle is not only eroding our sense of community,but is also eroding the natural environment that sus-tains our lives.

The loss of natural areas degrades our quality of lifeand deprives us of free natural services we need tomaintain the quality of water that runs offour land and into our bays and bayous.

The long tradition of human settlementtells us we can design and build towns andcities in ways that enhance our quality oflife at the same time we preserve and en-hance the health of the environment inwhich we live.

We need to think about the pattern of future growthif we are to preserve some of the things that are mostimportant to us and to our children.

We have choices. To make wise ones, we have tolook at the Big Picture and think through the conse-quences of our decisions. We have to put all our op-tions on the table. Everyone must have the opportunityto help make the important decisions that will benefitthe whole community.

We have to be fair to everyone – people already livinghere, and the people who will move here;the developers and the taxpayers; the peo-ple on this side of town and the people onthat side of town.

This is about the future, about improv-ing our communities, our homes. Everydecision we make is an opportunity tomake them even better.

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power to affect development in most partsof the state, and this imbalance can makeplanning difficult in unincorporated areas.But counties can have enormous effect on

development because of their road-planningand building role, and roads are usually thefirst incursion into natural areas. No munici-pal plan can succeed without a working part-

nership with the surrounding county.In spite of the challenges, Texas citizens

working together can determine the shape ofthe built environment in which they live.

Choices for Growth 3

The importance of imperviousnessThe water quality of a bay or bayou degrades in direct proportion to the amount of developed land in its watershed.

In the natural environment, pervious soilabsorbs water, filtering and cleaning it be-fore restoring it to the water system. Butpavement and other hard surfaces make de-veloped land impervious to rainfall.

Water runs quickly off pavement, roofs,and other impervious surfaces, carryingharmful materials into our streams andrivers and then into our marshes and bays,where the food chain absorbs much ofthem. Runoff from developed land con-tains the fertilizers and pesticides we addto our landscapes, the oil that leaks fromour cars, the heavy metals that fly off ourbrakes and tires, and all the other chemi-cals and materials that we use to build andmaintain our communities and lifestyles.

The amount of imperviousness – orpaved-over land – in a watershed is thebest overall indicator of water quality inthe receiving water body.

There are dangerous thresholds for im-perviousness in a watershed. If as little asten percent is impervious, the draining rivercan be significantly degraded. Impervious-ness over 25% causes enough degradation

that a healthy and diverse aquatic ecosystemmay no longer be supported, and the drainingriver may no longer be fishable or swimable.

These numbers have profound implicationsfor planning. The impervious cover modelbelow suggests that, if we want to maintainand improve thewater quality of ourbays and bayous, wemust do everythingwe can to preservewatersheds with rela-tively little impervi-ousness. Preservationof natural areas is themost important thingwe can do in terms ofwater quality.

Development re-places natural landwith impervious land,so the next importantthing we can do is ex-amine how we canmanage expansion.Compact, efficient de-

In the end, it’s not about balancing environ-mental needs against human needs. It’s

about learning how each is dependent on theother and integrating these needs. It is notpossible to have a healthy city or town with-out adjacent farms and natural areas. Thehealth and quality of these areas and thetowns and cities are dependent on each other.

A full understanding of both urban andnatural ecologies enables the integration ofboth city and country, without destroying theintegrity of either.

Sprawling development is inefficient andwasteful of community resources. As it oc-curs, it has a powerful negative effect on thesurrounding ecosystem.

There is a threefold approach to qualityof life solutions for growth that protect asmuch natural ecosystem as possible: pre-serve open space, encourage compactgrowth, and use best management practicesthat enable the soil to retain and absorb asmuch stormwater as possible.

Incorporating these strategies, techniques,and practices into local planning can in-crease community vitality by improving thebalance of the social, economic, and envi-ronmental aspects of a community and itssense of place.

It is up to the citizens who live in each lo-cality to decide how to grow. Above all, itrequires thinking big, beyond the singleproject, beyond next year. It requires seeinghow neighborhoods and business districtsare linked, as well as how the center city andits surrounding environment are linked toother cities and towns, and how that mightchange over time.

Developers won’t abandon a town thathas a vision and plan for its future. On thecontrary, a quality plan attracts the best de-velopers.

Cities in Texas have more power to deter-mine their futures than they generally use.Counties, on the other hand, have much less

2 Choices for Growth

Citizens have the power to develop a plan for their future, and everyone can benefit from planning.

Roseate spoonbills require wide open spaces with abundant wetlands. Along the Texas Gulf Coast, birding is a significant economic activity.Rice farms are an important part of our heritage, and provide economic support for our region.

The big pictureThere are three strategies for a healthy, quality environment: preserve open space, encourage compactgrowth, and control urban stormwater runoff. Building a quality place requires vision and planning.

velopment provides a good solution for en-couraging growth in town and urban centersrather than sprawling beyond the edges.

Finally, we must take advantage of everyopportunity to introduce pervious surfacesinto our developments, where appropriate.

This model is a summary of many separate studies. The data show that ona broad scale there are important thresholds in terms of imperviousness forstream quality (both water quality and aquatic life). Conditions may varyconsiderably for individual streams. Adapted from Center for WatershedProtection and NEMO materials.

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risdictional wetland delineation, for example.It is just necessary to know the locations andapproximate boundaries of the natural areas.

High quality aerial photos are the best toolsfor conducting natural area inventories. Freecolor infrared photographs from 1995 on areavailable for the entire state from the TexasNatural Resources Information System(tnris.org). More recent photographs are avail-able from Houston-Galveston Area Council(h-gac.com) for the Houston Gulf Coast area.

With a little training, knowledgeable localcitizens could analyze these photographs anddevelop useful maps. Consultants are alsoavailable to conduct these inventories, and if abroad brush approach is specified, the costshould be reasonable.

The maps constructed could be as simple asacetate overlays on aerial photographs. Moreexpensive and sophisticated computer-basedgeographic information systems can be used ifbudgets allow. But lack of a budget for the lat-ter should not deter communities from devel-oping the simpler maps.

The next step is to prioritize natural areasin terms of which should be preserved first.In general, the larger the tract and the moreundisturbed it is, the more valuable it is interms of green infrastructure. Lands that areadjacent to streams particularly have veryhigh value because they act as a buffer tohelp cleanse stormwater runoff before it en-ters the waterway.

But many other variables enter into thisprocess. Which lands, for example, are underthe most threat? Perhaps some of the bestopen space will not soon be in the path of de-velopment, and therefore need not be targetedimmediately for preservation. Cost is always afactor. A good natural area plan will thus in-volve both an inventory of undeveloped landin the community (including a rating in termsof the quality and functionality of each tract orfragment), and a rating in terms of ecologicalvalue, cost, and threat, and perhaps culturalvalue as well (some tracts may have particularhistorical or other significance).

Finally, there must be a plan for the actualacquisition or setting aside of the properties.A variety of tools too numerous to mentionhere are available. Land can be zoned or reg-ulated out of development, but tools likethese have political costs and are not pursuedin some communities.

If outright purchase is impossible, there are

several legal instruments that can be used toprotect natural areas. A simple conservationeasement, for example, might allow owners tomaintain use of their property but prohibit de-velopment. Such easements can be purchased

for much less than the sale price of a property,and some landowners will donate the ease-ments or provide them at less than marketvalue. See the resources in the Appendix fora more detailed list of additional instruments.

Natural areas are areas that are undevelopedwith few impervious surfaces such as concrete,asphalt, or rooftops. The best of these areasare places that are closest to their original nat-ural state, and acting as “green infrastructure”for the benefit of all life.

Preserving large areas of undeveloped landis the least expensive and most important in-vestment we can make for future water quali-ty. If we develop land, sooner or later we haveto replace the natural functions we destroy,and at great financial cost.

Developing natural space often producesincreased flooding, so we have to spend ourassets to manage that, and we’re never as suc-cessful as nature is. We also have to spendmoney to filter the water we use.

Nature can provide these services betterand cheaper than we can, and because wemight not understand all the ways that natureserves us it is wise to preserve as much of it aswe can. No other water quality improvementpractices can equal the water quality benefitsof undisturbed natural areas.

Natural area inventory and planIdeally, we might like to preserve all the re-maining natural areas in our community. Thatkind of preservation is rarely achievable eco-nomically or politically. We will thus have tomake hard choices, and engage in a planningprocess to see what is achievable.

All natural areas are not equal. Some areasare much more special and valuable than oth-ers. As stated earlier, open space that is closestto its natural state is the most valuable interms of serving as green infrastructure.

It is not necessary to preserve every acre ofopen space in a community to achieve produc-tive results. Preserving well chosen tracts andparcels of high quality (and even not so highquality) land can make a big difference, bothin water quality and the character of our place.A plan is needed to guide preservation choic-

es, which must be made at the local level.The first step is to conduct a natural area in-

ventory. Initially, this can be as simple as an in-ventory of developed versus undeveloped land,which could be derived from an existing landuse map, for example. Eventually, all the natu-

ral areas in a community need to be mappedout – wetlands, woodlands, prairies, marshes,and all the rest.

Existing maps may show many of theseareas already. Be sure to consult state re-sources agencies, such as the Texas Parks andWildlife Department, or local managementagencies, such as drainage or flood control dis-tricts. It’s not necessary to conduct a detailedinventory, such as might be required for a ju-

4 Choices for Growth Choices for Growth 5

Natural areas or ecosystems are muchmore than pretty places to look at. Theyprovide us with essential goods and servic-es. The most obvious example is the airwe breathe, which is maintained by plantlife. Natural areas also lessen flooding bystoring water in the soil and in wetlands.These same features maintain the waterquality of our natu-ral waterways bythe cleansing actionof plants and by theunique processesthat occur in wet-lands. Natural areasalso provide a homefor wildlife (whichmay provide directbenefits for commu-nities in terms ofecotourism). Impor-tantly, natural areasalso provide us withan important “sense

of place.” We readily identify with uniquenatural areas, be it a special creek orbayou, or perhaps a particular patch ofprairie or forest. These areas are just asmuch a part of the infrastructure of ourcommunities as the built-out areas, andare part of the legacy that most citizenswant to pass on to their children.

Green infrastructure

Prairie potholes like these both clean and retain floodwaters.

Preserving natural areas

Basic elements of a natural area plan• Map important remaining natural

areas• Rank the areas • Pursue public and private financing

No other environmental management practice is as effective for maintaining and improving runoffwater quality as preserving natural open areas.

Because we might not understand all the ways that nature serves us, it is wise to preserve as much of it as we can.

Natural areas provideservices such as:

• Clean air• Clean water• Flood reduction

Native coastal prairies give us a sense of “place” and provide both beauty and natural services.

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tion with neighbors, increased air pollutionfrom increased driving, and more time spentcommuting than most of us want, are nega-tive impacts on our quality of life, and weoften feel helpless to do anything about it.

These negatives have inspired many urbanplanners to look back at how cities were de-signed before the car. The exciting result isthat they have found a wealth of traditionaldesign features that can make cities muchmore livable and walkable, while using farless land, and still allowing the use of cars.

Densifying urban growth may be the bestoption to conserve natural areas. Althoughthey are at extreme opposite ends of the den-sity spectrum, Manhattan and the City ofHouston are interesting studies. Each has 1.9million people living in it. Yet Manhattanconcentrates all those residents and millionsof jobs in four percent of the land area that

Houston occupies. Even so, Manhattan’sCentral Park is larger than Houston’s entiredowntown and Midtown combined.

At typical suburban densities of 3,000 peo-ple per square mile, 100,000 people occupy atleast 30 square miles of land. At 15,000 peo-ple per square mile, the density of the FrenchQuarter in New Orleans, only about 7 squaremiles of land are used, a savings of 23 squaremiles of natural area.

Density does not have to meancrowded. To be an attractive alterna-tive, compact development mustuse good design. Well planned tra-ditional development can actually bemore livable than spread-out con-ventional subdivision develop-ment, as the number of peopleflocking to the growing number of compacttowns and cities attests.


If the same urban growth pattern that wehave seen since the end of World War II con-tinues unabated, many large, valuable tractsof natural areas will be lost to development.

Many of these tracts should be preserved be-cause of their unique natural resource or cul-tural values.

But the traditional patterns of growth thatpeople all over the world have used for cen-turies are far more compact and convenient,and thus preserve water quality because theyreduce imperviousness.

At first glance, the idea of compact growthand reducing impervious surfaces seems to bea contradiction. After all, dense, compactgrowth has much more impervious surface ona per acre basis than a typical suburban de-velopment.

The critical issue is the scale at which weare measuring imperviousness. From the

point of view of maintaining water quality inour bays and bayous, the only scale that mat-ters is the watershed scale, and at that scale itis better to concentrate imperviousness in

smaller areas (compact growth)instead of spreading it out over a

larger area (conventional suburbangrowth). Rather than breakinglarge natural areas into many

small impervious places, compactgrowth gathers up the damage in con-

centrated areas. Compact growth simplycreates less per capita imperviousness.

The current pattern of development hasonly been with us for the past 50 years or so.It is a pattern of development that is basedon the existence of personal cars, a mobilitythat most people value highly.

This style of growth separates uses –homes from schools, jobs from stores, and soon. Every errand and need is accomplishedby getting in a car to get access to the serviceor place. Often the distances are substantial,with a five-mile drive to a grocery store notuncommon at the suburban edges.

Enormous quantities of pavement are nec-essary to accommodate the cars, includingdriveways and parking spaces. Viewed from

the air, it is very clear that the green spacethat survives is in small patches well scatteredthroughout the development. Disconnectedfrom each other, these small green spaces areessentially useless for maintaining water qual-ity, limiting flooding, or sustaining wildlife.

This style of development leads to ever-in-creasing consumption of natural areas, andthus ever-declining health of the watershed.

From a quality of life perspective, we are los-ing easy access to the prairies, rivers, andforests that sustain us, and when we get to themwe often find them scarred and struggling.

Closer to home, the inability to walk foreven the simplest errands, the lack of interac-


Smart growthA way to restore community and economicvitality while preserving natural areas

In recent years there has been a renaissance inurban design that focuses on the human scale.Several names are used, including smart growth,sensible growth, livable communities, and newurbanism. We use smart growth because it has

the broadest base of practice in the US.Smart growth means development that ac-

commodates growth in economically viable,environmentally responsible, socially fair, andcollaboratively determined ways.

Smart growth results in compact, efficientdevelopment that restores community and vi-tality to existing center cities and suburbs.Smart growth development is town-centered;transit and pedestrian oriented; has a mix ofhousing, commercial, and retail uses; andpreserves natural areas and other environ-mental amenities.

Smart growth impacts smaller areas. On awatershed scale, this provides a large returnin terms of water quality and other ecologi-

Density does not necessarily mean crowded. To be an attractive alternative, compact development must go hand in hand with good design.

Historically, Texas cities and towns were compact, like this downtown in Bay City.

Compact development means using less land while making life safer and more convenient for residents and creating economic vitality.

Compact developmentTo make wise decisions about what, where, and how to build next, we have to see different patterns of growthand realize we have choices for the future that use less land, but are more livable, safer, and convenient

Three key elements oflivable, compact growth:

• Walkable streets• Human-scaled blocks• Usable public spaces

From Calthorpe and Fulton, “The Re-gional City”

Traditional design features makecities much more livable andwalkable, using far less land, andstill allow the use of cars.

Smart growth impacts smallerareas. On a watershed scale, thisprovides a large return in terms

of water quality and eco-services

John Jacob

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While a smaller town or city like Palacios orTexas City is not going to want the kind ofurban core that Houston has, it can still im-plement important design principles to en-courage compact, smart development tomaintain a small town feel, improve qualityof life, and create economic growth.

Town centers are the heart of a communi-ty. They can encompass a variety of land uses,including residential, retail, office, and civicand cultural institutions, in a relatively com-pact space. Since the streets are generally inplace and the building/lot coverage ratios arealready high, the water quality impacts of thetown center development have already oc-curred. Hence, polluted runoff is not signifi-cantly increased by increasing the density ofpeople living, working, and recreating in thetown center.

A town center is different from a mall, al-though they share some aspects. There maynot be much civic life associated with themall; indeed, the mall is usually physicallyseparated from the surrounding communityby a vast parking area, and actually competeswith local businesses.

Concentrating multiple destinations withinwalking distance of one another allows for re-duced surface parking, as people can maketheir “trip chains” on foot.

A vibrant town center can be a key to eco-

nomic vitality in a community. Tourism, spe-cialty retail, and cultural institutions canthrive in such environments. Additionally, atown center creates a community “identity”that is useful in attracting and retaining busi-nesses and new residents.

Most towns and cities older than about 50years already have a pretty good town center,but many have been neglected for develop-ment on the edge. Many communities try tomaintain the older town center as a “quaint”tourist destination. But the older town centerscan be far more: the center of community life.

Revitalization of downtowns can be as sim-ple as sprucing up sidewalks and planting

trees, or a public-private partnership could de-velop a key corner with a new building or two.

Its all about the public realmThe key to designing a great town center, orany great neighborhood, is in the layout anddesign of the streets and sidewalks – what’scalled the “public realm.” An interesting pub-lic realm makes for an interesting community,a community where people want to stay andthat people want to come back to.

Walkability is a key element in good urbandesign. There are several elements that makea great public realm:

• Storefronts that front the sidewalks, andaren’t set back for parking.

• Active and interesting storefronts, notblank, sterile walls.

• Sidewalks that are wide enough and de-


cal services because of the larger, more eco-logically functional natural areas that areleft undeveloped.

Many of us associate the word “urban”with crowded concrete jungles, but well de-signed urbanism actually enables a small-town feel of increased interaction with neigh-bors and local merchants. And, of course,the most vibrant cities in the world – placeslike Paris, London, and New York – are verydense and help preserve large natural areasaround them.

Look at the older areas that were laid outbefore about 1940. Many people considerthese older downtowns charming and“quaint,” something that could perhaps becapitalized on for tourists or fairs. But olderdowntowns can be much more than that.They can be the nuclei of new and vibrantgrowth that increases both the competitive-ness of the city and the quality of life of itscitizens. They can also be models for futurenew development.

Perhaps there is no greater opportunity tocreate win/win situations than in thinkingabout how to apply smart growth principle toour existing small towns and small cities. Asthe desire to live in or near small towns

grows, we have the chance to revitalize manyplaces that have been largely overlooked asdevelopers have built suburban housing sub-divisions that have no services connected tothem. Civic leaders in smaller towns can at-tract homebuyers to move in closer to theircenters - if they actually have a vibrant cen-ter. Focusing growth near the town can helpprotect the surrounding natural areas.

There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution.Every community has it own values, and suc-cessful ones tend to have a common vision ofwhere they want to go and what they value intheir community. Their plans for future devel-opment reflect these values.

Keys to smart growthThere are some key areas that require closeattention if smart growth is the goal. Chiefamong them is that things need to be closetogether so people can walk to places and usetheir cars less. That means different kinds ofbusiness and uses, including schools andparks, have to be clustered together and closeto homes. This kind of development is called“mixed use.”

Many existing neighborhoods in theHouston region could easily achieve averagedensities of 20-40 residential units per acre(at least 20,000 people/square mile). Thiskind of density can result in a very highquality of life: access to a diversity of shop-ping and entertainment, a significant num-ber of nearby jobs, good parks and schoolswith reduced dependence on private cars. Itis the presence of large numbers of peoplethat enables the evolution of shopping andother service facilities.

The reduction of need for cars is enhancedif there is dependable transit service. Transit-oriented developments offer the most diverseand stimulating urban lifestyles possible.

Small towns and cities do not usually wantto become big cities. But the small town centerenables walking to a variety of places and fa-miliarity with your neighbors – the very thingsthat smart growth accomplishes.

All these add up to efficient land use andhigh quality of life: neighbors and merchantsknow each other, security comes from having“eyes on the street,” and there is opportunityfor creative interaction at a number of scales.In the next pages, we’ll look at these keys.


Creating town centersClustering a variety of uses with good design produces a place that people are drawn to

Older shopping centers can be redeveloped into modern, popular places with more amenities.

The public realm is all the space between the property lines, where people walk and drive.

Smart growth produces popular places where people can gather, get a cup of coffee or some lunch, and just watch other people.

Smart growth principles• Mix land uses• Take advantage of compact design• Provide a range of housing choic-

es for a variety of family sizes,types, and incomes

• Create distinctive communitieswith a strong sense of place

• Create walkable neighborhoods• Preserve green space, farmland,

natural beauty, critical environ-mental areas

• Invest in existing communities,achieve balanced regional devel-opment

• Provide transportation choices• Make development decisions pre-

dictable, fair, and cost effective• Encourage citizen and stakehold-

er participation in developmentdecisions

Illustration by James Dougherty, Dover Kohl & Partners Town Planning, Coral Gables FL

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open areas would be highly fragmentedand thus much less useful for maintenanceof water quality or for habitat values.

collection of smaller conservation subdivi-sions might have the same total openspace as the larger development, but the

Cluster development, shown at right above, differs from conventional suburban development (left) inthat homes and other buildings are clustered to allow the community to share most of the land. Thisnot only gives people opportunities for recreation, but also preserves the natural services. Both devel-opments have the same lot yield.

Parents driving kids to school are a majorsource of morning congestion. Making walk-ing or bicycling a safe and viable way for kidsto reach the school will produce congestionrelief as well as health benefits. In manyareas, schools also serve as community cen-ters and present the opportunity to combineseveral types of trip destinations.

Keys to more accessible schools include:• Locate the school to provide maximum

access to pedestrians and bicyclists• Plan the site to provide pedestrian access

points that minimize crossing points withvehicles.

• Use “traffic calming” to reduce vehiclespeeds

• Provide adequate pedestrian facilitiesaround the school.

• Develop an overall circulation plan with-in the school attendance zone for pedes-

trian and bicycle access.• Cluster programs, activities, and recre-

ational amenities on the school campus.

Parks, Squares, and PlazasProviding parks or open space within walkingdistance of each home is a key component ofimproving neighborhood livability. While peo-ple need occasional access to large naturalareas, small, highly used parks are more im-portant to the fabric of daily urban life. Pocketparks can be an acre or so, or a single lot.Paley Park in New York City, for example, isless than one-tenth of an acre, but is one of themost highly used and beloved parks in the city.

One key to the success and use of a park isthe real and perceived degree of safety. “Eyeson the park” means people are around it anduse it constantly, particularly in the eveningand at night. This kind of use only occurs in

fairly dense neighborhoods. The best parkshave either businesses or houses directlyfronting the park on all sides.

Key components of high-use urban parks:• Access and linkages: parks should be

easy to get to, particularly on foot, andhave unrestricted access on all sides.

• Comfort: People feel safe when otherpeople are present.

• Uses and activities: fairs and marketshelp draw the community to the park andpromote familiarity with it.

• Sociability: well designed parks are com-munity centers where people naturallygather.

(adapted from Projects for Public Spaces)Tools to create neighborhood parks include:• Park dedication in subdivision ordinance.• Public/private partnerships for land ac-

quisition and maintenance.


signed to encourage activity on them, in-cluding occasional tables outside restau-rants and coffee shops.

• Safe, calm traffic. Narrow streets aremore interesting and safer than widestreets for the pedestrian.

• Curb extensions and other devices tomake it safe for people of all ages andabilities to cross the street.

Improving ConnectivityA way to encourage non-motorized travel andreduce vehicle trip lengths is to improve streetconnectivity. Street connectivity refers to theefficient linkages between residential or localroads and arterial roads, and can apply totown centers or adjacent residential areas.

A neighborhood with good connectivityprovides a pedestrian with the shortest, mostdirect route from his or her home to nearbyretail areas, schools, parks and other neighbor-hood destinations. The means to accomplishimproved street connectivity include shorter

blocks, more frequent intersections, and limit-ing cul-de-sacs. These measures also allow im-proved response time for emergency servicesand cost savings for solid waste collection, util-ity line repairs, and water distribution.

Removing local trips from surrounding arte-rials helps reduce congestion and minimizesthe need for future roadway widening. Andfewer trips means less air and water pollution.

Where additional roadway connections arenot feasible, bicycle and pedestrian connec-tions can be developed. These can be partic-ularly useful in providing access to schools,parks and retail areas.

Traffic calming devices are an affordableand effective component of improving con-nectivity and vehicle/pedestrian safety. Traf-fic calming devices are self enforcing physicalmeasures intended to slow motor vehicle traf-fic down, reduce vehicular traffic flow on aparticular street or network of streets, orboth. Some examples include speed bumps,sidewalk extensions, traffic circles, narrow

streets, use of trees at edges, raised cross-walks, and medians.

Communities can use traffic calming tech-niques to enable pedestrian and bike activity ina town center or around community facilities.

ParkingRequirements for excessive parking haveprobably done more to destroy the urban fab-ric of our downtowns than any other practice.Often more space is required for parkingthan the offices the parking lots service, fur-ther disconnecting urban uses. And the provi-sion of free or less-than-market-value parkingon public streets is one of the single largestfactors of downtown congestion. Up to 30%of downtown traffic may be engaged introlling for a parking space.

The minimum parking spaces that plannersoften use as requirements for specific urbanuses are frequently based on limited data.Most cities and planning authorities would dobetter to turn their minimum requirementsinto maximum allowed spaces. Removing re-quirements altogether for off-street parkingand allowing the market to set parking priceswould be one of the single most importantsteps a city or town could take to reclaim itsdowntown. Revenues generated from publicparking could be returned to the neighbor-hoods for public improvements.

If structured parking is provided downtown,be sure the ground floor has provision forstreet-level retail with minimal setbacks fromthe street. On-street parking design can have agreat impact on traffic calming and walkability.Angled parking protects pedestrians and slowstraffic. (See Donald Shoup, “The High Cost ofFree Parking,” Planners Press, 2004)

Civic BuildingsCivic buildings often form the heart of a com-munity, and can include town halls, police andfire stations, courthouses, Post Office, andschools. Municipalities should guard existingstructures if they help to form a center, andshould resist moving them to suburban areas.

SchoolsSchool location is a major determinant ofwhere development will occur. Local govern-ments working with school districts can siteschools to encourage infill development andmore walkable communities.


Traditional connectivity, as seen as right, enables walking and biking to most destinations. Drivers don’t needthe busy collector road in the center. But the collector is required for all drivers in the community on the left,who have no choice but to drive. There are always fewer cars on the streets in the connected community,but more interactivity, and child safety is greatly improved.

Cluster DevelopmentOne method of achieving higher densi-ties is known as cluster subdivision de-velopment. A cluster subdivision gener-ally includes houses on smaller parcelsof land, while the land that traditionallywould have been included for a largerlot is converted to a common sharedopen space for the residents. Typically,road frontage, lot size, setbacks, andother subdivision regulations are rede-fined to permit the developer to pre-serve ecologically sensitive areas, histori-cal sites, or other unique characteristicsof the land being subdivided.

These developments are often called“conservation subdivisions,” and thehouses in them usually fetch a higherprice than conventional subdivisionswithout the natural open space. Manypeople will give up some lot space tohave high quality natural space nearby.

Conservation developments provideenvironmental benefit in terms of an in-crease in pervious surfaces as comparedwith conventional subdivisions. But thebenefit only occurs on the subdivisionlevel, rather than at the watershed level.This can be an effective method for verylarge developments of at least severalthousand acres, particularly if the opennatural areas are kept in one piece. A

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contain sediments. One advantage of usingcompost is that clean up costs are virtually nilas the berm can be raked back into the soil.

Low Impact Development (LID) The basic idea of Low Impact Development isto keep as much stormwater as possible onsiteby using every tool to give stormwater achance to infiltrate into the soil. Practices in-clude onsite measures such as vegetatedswales, rain gardens, green roofs, and porouspavement, and larger scale practices such asretention ponds.

These practices are most appropriate in sub-urban settings where there is sufficient spaceto implement them. Vegetated swales, for ex-ample, are not always appropriate in urbanareas. A green roof, however, could find appli-cation in almost any setting.

Centralized stormwater runoff treatment The classic engineering approach to stormwa-ter management is through large centralizedsystems of channels and basins. These systemsmay work best for managing and treatingrunoff from dense urban zones.

Centralized systems need not be sterileconcrete wastelands. Naturalized wetlandsand ponds can be engineered into most de-tention basins so they become valuableamenities rather than eyesores. Most runoffcollectors in denser urban zones are likely tobe concrete lined, but accommodations canbe made for naturalized greenbelts that cangrace the urban core

Choices for Growth 1312 Choices for Growth

The guidelines and practices that are de-signed to reduce pollution from stormwaterrunoff are generally called best managementpractices (BMPs). There are many such prac-tices, and water quality BMPs are classifiedby the degree to which they prevent pollutionfrom occurring in the first place, and by thescale of treatment of affected water.

The latter can be further separated intothose that treat runoff close to the site thatproduced it, and BMPs that treat stormwaterin a more centralized fashion. BMPs “prevent-ing pollution” generally fall under the name of“low impact development” and try to imitatenatural processes by maximizing the amountof pervious surfaces onsite so that moststormwater runoff infiltrates into the soil.

It is particularly important to know whereparticular BMPs fit in the urban context.That some BMPs do not perform well indense urban environments, for instance,does not mean they are not useful else-where, nor does it mean that dense urbanenvironments are beyond help in terms ofstormwater management.

Of course, the dense urban district is itselfa water quality BMP because of the naturalopen areas that it preserves by virtue ofusing less space per capita. It’s perhaps themost useful BMP of all on a watershed scale.

Prevention practicesWaterSmart landscapingLandscapes consume up to 50% of municipalwater supplies in summer and are a majorsource of nutrient and pesticide contamina-tion, often the major source. In their attemptto maintain lawns, homeowners may apply 10times the amount of pesticide per acre that afarmer would. Much can be done to educatehomeowners about this.

More importantly, homeowners and profes-

sional groundskeepers can be encouraged touse native and noninvasive adapted plantsthat require few fertilizers and little or no pes-ticides. Most localities now have landscapersand landscape architects versed in environ-mentally friendly landscapes. Municipalitiesand other entities should show the way byconverting their own public landscapes to aWaterSmart standard. See www.watersmart.cc

Good housekeepingHousehold hazardous waste collection daysare among many BMPs in this area. Educationon the proper use, storage, and managementof hazardous materials at home and at workare essential to a good stormwater manage-ment program. It’s also useful to encouragehomeowners and others to use alternative,nontoxic products. Information is available at:epa.gov/owow/nps/urbanmm/mm09.pdf.

Construction site erosion controlConstruction sites are notorious sources ofsediments. By law, all construction sites overone acre must have a stormwater protectionplan and erosion control practices in place.The most common practice is to place siltfences around the perimeter of the disturbedsite. A better practice may be to use compostor a compost/mulch mix as a filter berm to

Controlling stormwater runoffBest management practices include preventing pollution and treating affected water

Laid-back banks of creeks and bayous in developed areas can handle more water during storm events and still be valuable human amenities. Native plants use far less water, while requiring few fertilizers and little or no pesticides.

Selected stormwater treatment practices categorized by appropriateness to the type of development. Thegraphic at the top shows what each of the development types looks like. The darkest boxes in the tablebelow indicate the most appropriate location for the specific practice, with lighter colors indicating poten-tial but less important applications in that context.

Watersmartlandscaping

Bioretention/swales

Detentionbasins

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Natural preserve

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Urban center

Urban core

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Porouspavement

Tree boxes,sand filters

Greenroofs

Water quality inletseparators

Natural wetlands retain and purify water.

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protect from development (the sending zone)and another area where more intense devel-opment is desired (the receiving zone).Landowners in the sending zone are allocateddevelopment credits they can sell to develop-ers, speculators, or the community itself. Inreturn for selling these credits, the landownerin the sending zone agrees to place a perma-nent conservation easement on his or herland. The purchaser of the credits can applythem to develop at higher density than other-wise allowed within the receiving zone.

The law to support TDR programs doesnot yet exist in Texas. Development rightscan be acquired, however, through donatedor purchased conservation easements.

Planned Unit Development (PUD)PUD regulations encourage and allow morecreative developments than might be possibleunder existing zoning regulations. PUDs allowdesign flexibility and permit more diversifica-tion and integration of uses and structures.An intrinsic and often neglected premiseupon which the approval of a PUD must beconditioned is that, while greater density ormore lenient requirements may be granted,the PUD should contain features not normallyrequired of traditional developments.

The PUD district may be utilized to:• Encourage uses of land that reduce

transportation needs and conserve ener-gy and natural resources.

• Preserve existing landscape features andamenities and provide for more usableand suitably located recreational facili-

ties, open spaces, and scenic areas. • Lower development and building costs by

permitting smaller networks of utilitiesand streets and the use of more economi-cal building types and shared facilities.

• Permit combining and coordinating ofland uses, building types, and building re-lationships within a development, thatotherwise would not be provided.

Texas Main Street ProgramThe Texas Main Street Program helps Texascities revitalize historic downtowns and neigh-borhood commercial districts through preser-vation and economic development strategies.The program is among the most successful re-vitalization programs in the nation, having as-sisted more than 130 Texas cities.

While it is primarily a self-help program,selected communities are eligible to receive arange of services as well as grants. For in-stance, awards may be provided for construc-tion of public infrastructure in a designatedMain Street area through the Department ofAgriculture’s Texas Capital Fund Main StreetImprovements Program, which can fund thefollowing types of projects:• Land acquisition for infrastructure im-

provements • Water & sewer facilities or lines • Road/street construction/improvements • Natural gas line construction/improvements • Electric, telephone, and fiber optic line

construction or improvements • Traffic signals and signs • Drainage

• Sidewalk construction/improvements • Public parking construction/improvements • Construction required to eliminate archi-

tectural barriers for the handicapped.

Web SitesThe Trust for Public Land (tpl.org) has awealth of resources including a four-volumeseries entitled “Local Greenprinting forGrowth,” a step-by-step guide to defining aconservation vision for a community, obtain-ing the funds for conservation, and acquiringand managing conservation lands.

The National NEMO Network has a use-ful “open space planning packet” full of factsheets and step by step guides available atnemo.uconn.edu/publications/index.htm#planning

Compact/smart growthInformation on smart growth can be found ata number of sources, including:Gulf Coast Institutewww.gulfcoastinstitute.orgSmart Growth Americawww.smartgrowthamerica.orgUrban Advantage transformationsurban-advantage.com

Stormwater best management practicesCenter for Watershed Protectionwww.cwp.orgLow Impact Development Centerwww.lowimpactdevelopment.orgTexas NonPoint Source Bookwww.txnpsbook.org


Zoning and other ordinancesZoning and subdivision ordinances are twoprimary tools that communities can use to en-courage increased density development.

Overlay zones can protect important re-sources and sensitive areas. Typical objectivesof overlay zoning include floodplain manage-ment, historic preservation, and provision ofaffordable housing. Overlay zoning ordi-nances apply in addition to the underlyingzoning regulations, which regulate the type ofuses permitted, such as residential or com-mercial, while the overlay zone imposes spe-cific requirements within a defined area.

Overlay zoning could be used in a towncenter to promote:

• Uniform “build-to” lines• Street-front windows • Shared parking • Minimizing/eliminating curb cuts Form-based codes are an emerging form of

zoning that focus, not on land use or density,but on the actual form and placement of build-ings, streets, and parking. Form-based codesare much simpler than the standard “Euclid-ean” codes and are much better at enablingmixed use and vibrant urban neighborhoods.

Tax Increment Reinvestment ZonesA tax increment reinvestment zone (TIRZ)

is a financing tool created under the TexasTax Code, in Chapter 311. In a TIRZ, a

zone’s base taxable value is established dur-ing the year the TIRZ is created – the “baseyear.” For a period of years, participatingtaxing units, such as cities and school districts,receive tax revenue only on the base year val-ues. As property values rise, taxes on the re-mainder, the “incremental value,” flow backto the TIRZ to finance public improvementswithin its boundaries. TIRZs also have regu-latory authorities to ensure development issupportive of the overall plan for the zone.

Public Improvement Districts (PIDs)Like a TIRZ, a PID, authorized by Chapter372 of the Texas Local Government Code, canprovide funds for construction of public im-provements. But in a PID, property ownerspay an assessment that corresponds to thevalue of the benefit they receive from improve-ments. PIDs may also provide supplementalservices, such as marketing, business develop-ment, public safety, and urban planning.

TIRZ/PID CombinationThis combination can be effective in increas-ing development and redevelopment potentialand financing opportunities. It can be an effec-tive way to finance comprehensive improve-ments on a district-wide basis, while focusingstrategic investments in a particular area.

Enterprise ZonesEnterprise zones are economic developmenttools that municipalities and counties, in part-nership with the State, can use when packag-ing local and state tax and regulatory benefits

to offer new or expanding businesses in eco-nomically distressed areas. Any communitywith a poverty rate of at least 20% is automat-ically an enterprise zone in Texas. A businessoutside an enterprise zone may be nominatedto participate as an enterprise project.

Cities, counties, and other taxing units mayoffer incentives such as tax abatement, tax in-crement financing, sales tax refunds, utility re-ductions, and regulatory incentives to busi-nesses within an enterprise zone. Businessesmay be nominated as enterprise projects,which allows them to obtain state sales, usetax, and franchise tax benefits for five years.

4B Sales TaxThe “4B” sales tax allows cities to use local tax

revenues for quality of life improvements to at-tract and retain employers. This tax, whichmust be established by a local ballot initiative,may be used, among other things, to fund: • Tourism, entertainment, and recreation fa-

cilities • Related store, restaurant, concession, park-

ing, and transportation facilities • Related street, water, and sewer facilities • Affordable housing

Transfer of Development Rights (TDR)TDR programs use market forces to simulta-neously promote conservation in high valuenatural, agricultural, and open space areaswhile encouraging smart growth in developedand developing sections of a community. In aTDR program, a community identifies anarea within its boundaries it would like to


Sidewalks and shops not only produce a sense of community among residents, but provide a means to attract dollars from visitors. Good design in the public realm provides safety and convenience for walkers and bicyclists adds value to any neighborhoood.

Resources

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www.texas-sea-grant.tamu.edu www.glo.state.tx.us/coastal/cmp.html www.noaa.gov www.rpts.tamu.edu/ texasextension.tamu.edu

TAMU-SG-05-701

www.urban-nature.org www.gulfcoastinstitute.org

This• Walkable neighborhoods, towns, and cities

where we know our neighbors?

• Access to beautiful natural areas?

• Fishable and swimable bays and bayous?

• Clean air and water?

Or this• More air pollution?

• More time spent in our car and less with

family and neighbors?

• Degraded water bodies and natural areas?

A collaborative publication

What do we want for our future?

We have choices.

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Documents

This transformation from concrete ditch to urban creek