From Growth Controls, to Comprehensive Planning, to Smart Growth: Planning s Emerging Fourth Wave Dr. Tim Chapin Department of Urban & Regional Planning Florida State University Presentation at the APA National Conference Los Angeles, California April 14, 2012
Journal of American Planning Association: Special Issue on Sprawl and Smart Growth Table of Contents for JAPA Winter 2012 Issue (Volume 78, Number 1) From Growth Controls, to Comprehensive Planning, to Smart Growth: Planning's Emerging Fourth Wave by Timothy S. Chapin Can Urban Growth Management Work in an Era of Political and Economic Change?: International Lessons From Israel by Amnon Frenkel & Daniel E. Orenstein Targeting Spending for Land Conservation: An Evaluation of Maryland's Rural Legacy Program by Rebecca Lewis & Gerrit-Jan Knaap** Where the Jobs Are Going: Job Sprawl in U.S. Metropolitan Regions, 2001 2006 by Jerry Weitz & Tom Crawford* Smart Growth Planning for Climate Protection: Evaluating California's Senate Bill 375 by Elisa Barbour & Elizabeth A. Deakin** Smart Growth's Blind Side: Sustainable Cities Need Productive Urban Industrial Land by Nancey Green Leigh & Nathanael Z. Hoelzel* *Presented in a session at 2:30 today **Presented in a session at 4:00 today
The Era of Growth Controls: ~1950-1975 Defining Issues Environmental degradation; Exurban development; Loss of pristine lands; Development of productive agricultural lands
The Era of Growth Controls: ~1950-1975 The Approach Strict regulations to control where growth can and cannot occur; Specification of the amount of new development that can be approved within a jurisdiction Typical Planning Tools Growth Moratoria Development Stop Lines (Growth Boundaries) Rate of Growth Ordinances (ROGOs) Residential Growth Caps Emblematic Policy Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs)
Portland Metro Area UGB UGBs establish a firm development stop-line, beyond which development of any meaningful density and/or intensity is not to occur.
The Era of Growth Controls: ~1950-1975 Geographic Scale(s) Mostly local, with some state activity Level of Public-Private Partnerships Almost non-existent View Towards Growth Growth is a problem to be addressed by strict regulations of land uses and the location of new development. Strict controls can yield desirable development outcomes. The Era s Implied Motto Growth is a problem that requires aggressive oversight by the public sector.
The Era of Comp Planning: ~1975-2000 Defining Issues Environmental degradation; Efficient and timely infrastructure provision; Reducing public sector costs to provide urban services
The Era of Comp Planning: ~1975-2000 The Approach Use a local comprehensive plan to establish a vision for a community, including goals that shape local decisions, objectives that provide measures to monitor progress, and detailed policies that work toward these goals and objectives Typical Planning Tools Comp plans Land Development Regulations Comp plans Capital Improvements Programs Detailed review processes linked to GOPs in Comp Plans Emblematic Policy Urban Service Areas (USAs)
Palm Beach County, FL Urban Service Area USAs are boundaries outside of which infrastructure supportive of urban densities/intensities is not to be provided by the public sector.
The Era of Comp Planning: ~1975-2000 Geographic Scale(s) Active state and local governments, with some regional activity Level of Public-Private Partnerships Limited largely to infrastructure provision View Towards Growth Growth is a cost to be accounted for through comprehensive planning and careful management of public resources. Better management practices should yield more desirable development outcomes. The Era s Implied Motto Plans, regulations and budgets are the solution to the problem of growth.
The Era of Smart Growth : ~1999-Present Defining Issues Environmental degradation; Infrastructure provision; Urban economic development; Placemaking
The Era of Smart Growth : ~1999-Present The Approach Incentives and public investments are employed to promote (re)development within urban cores, suburban centers, and existing towns and villages. There is also attention to placemaking, streetscape design, and the creation of vibrant activity centers served by multiple travel modes. Typical Planning Tools Tax incentives supportive of SG outcomes Infrastructure investments to support urban redevelopment Acquisition and conservation of undeveloped lands Placemaking initiatives Emblematic Policy Priority Funding Areas (PFAs)
Montgomery County, MD PFAs represent those areas within which the state focuses its financial resources. Development is still permitted outside of these boundaries, but with no state support for infrastructure investments.
The Era of Smart Growth: ~1999-Present Geographic Scale(s) Still largely state and local government-led, with a nascent regionalism (that is still finding its way) Level of Public-Private Partnerships Strongly encouraged to support placemaking and urban economic development View Towards Growth Growth is an opportunity for achieving desirable development outcomes. Targeted investments and tailored incentives can catalyze urban investment. The Era s Implied Motto Growth is an opportunity for strengthening urban communities and helping to fix some of the mistakes of the past.
A New Era for Growth Management Policy in the United States? While the profession currently remains situated in the Era of Smart Growth, I believe that ongoing changes within the social, political, and economic environments will contribute to the emergence of a new era. The Great Recession and the Jobs Imperative Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Energy Systems and Supplies The Silver Tsunami (The Baby Boom Generation) These issues will push planners to expand their efforts to new policy arenas and will require practitioners to aggressively tear down the institutional and intellectual silos that have limited the effectiveness of growth management efforts in previous eras.
An Era of Sustainable Growth Defining Issues Environmental Degradation; Infrastructure; Placemaking; Climate Change; Energy Systems; Aging and Health The Approach A combination of incentives and regulations that promote development outcomes appropriate to urban, suburban, and rural locations. Typical Planning Tools Visioning and Scenario Planning initiatives Regional Compacts and Partnerships Even more comprehensive Comprehensive Plans Expedited Review for Desirable Projects Emblematic Policy To Be Determined, but Sector Plans in Florida are a model that brings principles of sustainable development to places looking to move beyond a business-as-usual approach
Sector Planning in Florida Sector Plans (SPs) are intended to yield a more sustainable development plan for large landscapes than would otherwise be achieved through incremental planning decisions made through the typical development review processes. SPs can only be undertaken for areas of at least 15,000 acres in size, which limits this process to truly large-scale, regionally significant projects. SPs are intended to provide a long-term land use vision and capital improvements plan for a large area, as well as detailed specific area plans for districts within this larger geography. At its core, the SP process is about big picture planning, with an emphasis upon issues of urban form, environmental protection, and the efficient provision of public facilities and urban services.
Airport Commercial Areas Residential Areas Conservation Areas Project Specs ~71,000 acre property ~39,000 acres in conservation New airport (now open) Up to 27,000 housing units at buildout Up to 37 million sq ft of nonresidential at buildout
An Era of Sustainable Growth Geographic Scale(s) Regions in ascendancy, with attention also being paid to districts, neighborhoods and streets Level of Public-Private Partnerships Substantial, and essential to successfully design and implement visions and plans View Towards Growth Growth is an opportunity to support the economy, remake our urban centers, suburban strips and rural villages, and promote more sustainable development patterns. The Era s Implied Motto Growth is inevitable and essential, but must be balanced against the long-term desire for sustainable places and systems.
Conclusion I believe that we are on the cusp of the next big change and I am optimistic about our ability to capitalize upon this opportunity. My optimism rests in several factors: The private sector is an active and willing agent in many planning initiatives, coming to understand the linkages between quality of life and economic prosperity. Regional planning has become a widely pursued and valued activity (although we still need good models and a better governance systems to implement these regional plans). The Baby Boom generation will force some changes in our landscapes that in many ways support more sustainable development outcomes (Demographics as Destiny). Planning is more visible than it has ever been, and issues like climate change and energy systems will only increase its visibility in the public and political spheres. Planners and growth management advocates have shown an ability and willingness to learn and adapt.