Home

Smart Growth and Transit Oriented Development

People love living in Southeastern PA! It's no surprise that Philadelphia's suburbs are growing. New homes, new communities, new services are sprouting up (some might say sprawling) all over the region, most without regard for access to transit, location, density, mix of uses or open space preservation. The Council's Smart Growth work helps create diverse, convenient, transit-accessible, walkable communities.
Smart Growth is a way to develop and grow communities in ways that are convenient, environmentally friendly and diverse. What makes a community a Smart Growth community? Some elements of this type of development include:
  • Walkable neighborhoods
  • Range of housing options and prices
  • Community collaboration
  • Re-use of existing towns and villages with established services and infrastructure
  • Preserve open space, farmland, and critical environmental areas
  • Nearby access to transportation choices such as rail, bus, bike and walk
  • Mixed use of land - residences, businesses, parks, etc.

Smart Growth isn't just for smaller suburban communities. Developments in Philadelphia can also use these principles to guide growth. In an urban area like Philadelphia, the movement towards smart growth principles is often called "new urbanism" or "transit oriented development."
AttachmentSize
NN_TOD_Exec_Summary_web[1].pdf1.19 MB
Tags: