The Devil's on the Fringe

How do we counter the negative effects of sprawl, yet accomodate the rapid increase in population growth expected in western Kane County over the next 20 years? It turns out the Urban Land Institute has recently released through its bookstore a 24-page booklet titled "Ten Principles for Smart Growth on the Fringe." Here are summaries of the ten principles featured in their report:

1. Create a shared vision for the future...and stick to it.
2. Identify and sustain green infrastructure.
3. Remember that the right design in the wrong place is not smart growth.
4. Protect environmental systems and conserve resources.
5. Provide diverse housing types and opportunities.
6. Build centers of concentrated mixed uses.
7. Use multiple connections to enhance traffic mobility and circulation.
8. Deliver a range of transportation options from the start.
9. Change regulations and zoning to make it easy to do the right thing.
10. Preserve the essential character of the community.

Now that looks like a simple list of things to monitor while growing our communities. And yet, I will tell you it is not easy to hit all of those planning marks. Under each of the smart growth principles is a myriad of growth-related details. As they say, "The devil's in the details." So it goes with managing growth and controlling sprawl on the fringe.

You can also find a worthy variation of these ten Smart Growth principles featured on page 8 of the affirmation document of the Kane County 2030 Conceptual Land Use Plan.

If you are really interested in learning more about smart growth, there is new CD-ROM available called Smart Growth Shareware. It features over 100 smart growth publications. Look for it under "Just out!" at the Smart Growth America homepage. "It's free, I tells ya!" And, only one click away.