Smart Growth

The LWVS Board has voted to endorse the "Smart Growth Principles" that are serving as the basis of the "Challenge to Sprawl" public education campaign sponsored by the local Chapter of the Sierra Club. These Principles are consistent with the LWVS adopted Positions on Land Use, Housing, Transportation and Water. They also agree with the findings of the Leagues' 1998-99 "Sustainable Communities" study, and the feedback from members following recent Unit meetings on Water, Transportation and Land Use. The Campaign is regional and does not focus on any particular organizations, individuals, or projects.

The Sierra Club is part of "Smart Growth America", a nationwide coalition promoting a better way to grow; one that protects farmland and open space, revitalizes neighborhoods, keeps housing affordable, and makes communities more livable. They refer to surveys that indicate Americans want to give priority to improving services, such as schools, roads, affordable housing and public transportation in existing communities, rather than encouraging new housing and commercial development and new highways. The following problems and goals constitute the Principles endorsed by the LWVS.
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Sacramento Metropolitan Area residents should be concerned about sprawl because it contributes to the:

• Irreversible loss of open space, farmland, and wildlife habitat
  
• Persistent environmental problems of air and water pollution, and traffic congestion
  
• Decline of urban neighborhoods as people and businesses move to the suburbs and beyond
  
• Overtaxed municipal services that are stretched to serve growth at the fringe
  
• Degraded quality of life through income segregation of communities and limited affordable housing
  
  The Challenge to Sprawl Campaign urges residents and policy makers to support smart-growth goals that:
  
  1. Protect ecological resources, including open space, farmland, rivers, and wildlife habitat.
  
  2. Accommodate additional growth by first focusing on the use and reuse of existing urbanized land already supplied with infrastructure (infill).
  
  3. Promote housing opportunities and choices for all household types and income levels.
  
  4. Provide a variety of transportation choices, including comprehensive public transit, adequate bicycle routes, and walkable communities.
  
  5. Coordinate regional planning so that there are agreed upon strategies and policies for acknowledging and minimizing the regional impact of growth on transportation, housing, schools, air, water, wastewater, and natural resources.
  
  6. Assure inclusive public involvement in decisions about land use, transportation, water, sewer, schools, libraries, parks and recreation, and public safety.
  
  7. Create incentives to develop distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place.
  
  8. Enforce development decisions that are consistent with adopted community and general plans that are adopted through a public process.
  
  9. Require that all infrastructure planning be consistent with the urban services boundary.
  
  10. Ensure that development pays the full cost of new infrastructure, including roads and sewers.

Members interested in learning more or assisting with this campaign should contact the Campaign Coordinator, Mary Brill at 395-0139 or marybrill@jps.net or LWVS Natural Resources Director, Rick Bettis.