Learn about our Foundations for Smart Growth technical assistance with previous recipient communities. Access blog posts, next step memos, and more:

Implementing smart growth 101

The Implementing Smart Growth 101 workshop provides best practices to local leaders in urban, suburban and rural communities working to create housing and transportation choices near jobs, shops and schools. Our technical assistance provides the resources to refine and implement local priorities with smart growth strategies that make sense for your community.

1. Since the workshop: Pagosa Springs, CO moves towards smart growth
2. Since the workshop: Osage Nation uses tourism boom to generate economic development
3. Pittsburg, KS is mining its past for a prosperous future
4. Helping a North Little Rock neighborhood find a prosperous path forward
5. Macon-Bibb County, GA is making its revitalization vision a reality
6. Since the workshop: Region-wide prosperity is collaborative effort in Graham County, NC
7. Franklin, TN hosts workshop to consider development strategies for economic growth
8. Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes of Poplar, MT host workshop on planning for sustainable growth
9. Dauphin County, PA hosts workshop on smart growth implementation
10. Port Isabel, TX hosts workshop on implementing smart growth strategies
11. Since the workshop: Port Isabel, TX looks at the bigger picture of redevelopment
12. Smart growth in the Smoky Mountains – Graham County, NC to host strategy workshops
13. Smart Growth America’s Leadership Institute hosts infill policy workshop in Billings, Montana

Complete Streets policy development & implementation

Complete Streets policies ensure that all future street projects respond to the needs of everyone using the roadway. These workshops help communities set new priorities for transportation investments, write a policy and tackle implementation challenges.

1. Since the workshop: East Central Wisconsin adopts Complete Streets policy
2. Lowell, Massachusetts Pursues Complete Streets
3. Why Huntsville, AL wants to build more Complete Streets
4. Complete Streets workshop helps Hot Springs, AR improve public health
5. Kenosha County, WI hosts workshop on developing a Complete Streets policy
6. Cuyahoga County, OH hosts public workshop on Complete Streets
7. Houston hosts workshop on implementing Complete Streets
8. Virginia Beach looks to implement complete streets policy through strategy workshop
9. Deerfield Beach participates in “complete streets” policy workshop with help from Smart Growth America
10. Indianapolis works to implement its strong Complete Streets policy with Smart Growth America workshop
11. City of Portsmouth, NH hosts workshop on how to implement its Complete Streets policy
12. City of Memphis, TN hosts workshop on how to implement its Complete Streets policy
13. Public support spurs progress at complete streets workshop in New Orleans
14. Houston hosts workshop on implementing Complete Streets

Cool planning: local strategies to slow climate change

The Cool Planning: Local Strategies to Slow Climate Change workshop seeks to actively involve communities in the process of finding solutions that can be implemented at the local level to slow climate change. Specific community development, land use, and transportation planning techniques that can enable communities to reduce their carbon footprints are covered in depth in this workshop.

1. East Central Florida hosts workshop on planning for regional resilience
2. Boulder, CO targets carbon reduction through transportation at smart growth strategy workshop
3. A workshop helps Eastport, Maine find ways to reduce heating costs
4. Kimberly, Idaho aims to implement cool planning program with aid from Smart Growth America’s technical assistance
5. Since the workshop: Boulder, CO continues to develop new transportation strategies for sustainable development

Transit-oriented development

This workshop provides workshop attendees with an understanding of successful transit-oriented development and how it can help regional leaders shape growth.

1. SeaTac, WA looks to make the most of three light rail stations with an “Implementing TOD” workshop
2. Knoxville, TN welcomes Smart Growth America for workshop on transit-oriented development
3. West Baltimore, MD hosts workshop on preparing for the Red Line and future transit-oriented development
4. Smart Growth America holds workshop in Cincinnati, OH on implementing transit-oriented development
5. Greer, SC explores transit options along Route 29 with help from Smart Growth America

Parking audits

Parking audits provide a neutral setting where an impartial parking expert can evaluate local policies and practices and offer advice based on the state of the practice, with an emphasis on what works well and what should be avoided. The audit can be community-wide or can focus on a specific district.

1. New ideas for a historic district in Kansas City, MO
2. Columbia, MO aims to get parking right
3. Since the workshop: Complete Streets improvements kick off Kaua’i County, HI’s downtown renaissance
4. County of Kauaʻi, HI seeks parking solutions for Līhu’e Town Core
5. Workshop addresses parking supply and demand issues in Missoula County, MT
6. Newark, OH looks to support downtown businesses through better parking policies

Planning for economic and fiscal health

Smart growth policy can help communities save money now, reduce their liabilities for the future and use targeted investment to spur economic development. The “planning for economic and fiscal health” workshop draws on successful private and public sector lessons to help local leaders foster smart growth communities that cost their taxpayers less to build, run and maintain.

1. Since the workshop: Tulsa, OK tackles infill housing
2. Since the workshop: Chattanooga focuses on infill growth and affordable housing
3. Working with Quitman, MS to analyze their strategies for long-term growth
4. Anchorage, AK looks to revitalize its downtown with Smart Growth America
5. Since the workshop: Huntington, WV and a place-based approach to economic development
6. Longwood, FL works to support long-term growth with a workshop from Smart Growth America
7. Bolstering economic development in Spokane, WA’s East Sprague District
8. Leveraging community history and scenic location for economic and fiscal resilience in Fort Pierre, SD
9. Cheyenne Metropolitan Planning Organization focuses on long-term development goals during Smart Growth America workshop
10. Bentonville, AR workshop will inform the city’s comprehensive plan update
11. Person County, NC plans for residential and economic growth
12. Anderson, CA works to build a resilient economic identity
13. Huntington, WV hosts workshop to implement Plan 2025’s vision of reinvestment
14. Pasco County, FL hosts workshop on revitalizing U.S. 19 corridor
15. City of Indianapolis, IN hosts workshop to inform Plan 2020: The Bicentennial Plan for Indianapolis
16. Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization hosts workshop on economic and fiscal health
17. Queensbury, NY hosts workshop for revitalizing town’s Main Street
18. Since the workshop: Fairfax, VA identifies new development potential along Fairfax Boulevard
19. Reno, NV hosts workshop on smarter development
20. Northwest Colorado hosts workshop to discuss strengthening economy
21. City of Fairfax, VA to host public workshop on planning for economic and fiscal health
22. Planning for economic and fiscal health in Charlotte, NC
23. Buena Vista Charter Township looks to address long-term fiscal and economic goals during smart growth strategy workshop
24. Winchester, CT residents to discuss economic development, fiscal health at workshop next week
25. A game plan to change development patterns in Gwinnett County, Georgia
26. Helping Byram, NJ turn its Village Center vision into reality

Sustainable land use code audit

Audits of local land use codes are being undertaken by an increasing number of communities that recognize their zoning and subdivision regulations are an important key to long-term sustainable development patterns and practices and economic growth. These code audits examine 10-12 sustainability issues such as energy conservation, renewable energy, and community health that are chosen by the community and provide an assessment of barriers and regulatory gaps in the codes to attaining community sustainability goals in these areas and potential implementation strategies.

1. Since the workshop: Sitka, AK tackles housing affordability
2. Since the workshop: Royal Oak, MI focuses on sustainability
3. Changing zoning codes to make Charlottesville, VA more vibrant and sustainable
4. San Diego works to align zoning laws with sustainability goals
5. Blue Springs, MO hosts workshop on sustainable land use code audit
6. Village of Park Forest, IL hosts workshop on sustainable land use
7. Pittsburgh shoots for sustainability amid an economic comeback
8. Helping Pima County, Arizona, audit its land use codes

Using LEED-ND to accelerate the development of sustainable communities

The LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND) rating system combines the principles of smart growth, new urbanism, social equity, and green construction into the nation’s first integrated system for certifying sustainable neighborhood development. This workshop focuses on the power of LEED-ND to accelerate green economic development.

1. With LEED-ND, Sanford, FL could be the next best example of green development
2. Chula Vista, CA hosts Smart Growth America workshop on sustainable building practices through LEED ND
3. Tacoma, WA guides economic revitalization with LEED-ND
4. Since the workshop: Focus on sustainability and neighborhood development helps fuel economic revitalization in Tacoma, WA
5. Since the workshop: Chula Vista, CA strives for energy efficiency and sustainable development

Walkability audit

This workshop includes a technical presentation, a walkability audit, partnership-building activities, visioning exercises, a short design session, and the creation of a working group. The workshop can be developed to accommodate local needs and contexts, and has been effectively used in all regulatory environments.

1. Salisbury, MD hosts downtown walkability tour
2. Carlisle, IA hosts workshop on walkability

Regional planning for small communities

This workshop is designed to help small communities understand how to plan for and manage growth in a regional context. The workshop helps participants develop the capacity to identify where growth is most likely to occur and to create strategies for managing growth that preserves community character while enhancing economic competitiveness and quality of life.

1. Tucker County communities work toward creating a collaborative vision for economic growth
2. Northern Maine counties work toward joint regional plan

Smart growth zoning codes for small cities

Small cities and rural areas often have very different growth and development issues from big cities, but their zoning codes are often drawn from the same templates. This workshop offers a menu of simple changes that local governments can make to their zoning codes to promote smart tailored for small cities and rural areas.

1. With vision for a more walkable downtown, Alcoa, TN digs in to its zoning codes
2. North Central TX tweaks development codes for transit readiness
3. Green River, WY hosts workshop to align development code with master plan
4. Town of Campbell, NY hosts workshop on smart growth zoning codes for small cities
5. Hershey, PA updates its comprehensive plan

Transportation performance measurement

An introduction to transportation system performance measurement and reporting. Based on broad, inclusive public conversations about desired future conditions, communities can establish objectives-driven planning, programming and design processes coupled with monitoring and reporting methods that improve the accountability and effectiveness of their transportation programs and systems.

1. Helping Des Moines, Iowa refine its transportation strategy
2. Evaluating land use codes and transportation performance in Oklahoma City

(Re)Building Downtown

This tool helps communities create walkable development quickly and efficiently. The SGA team helps local public officials clarify local challenges and identify strategies to do this, including improving regulations for land use, establishing clear public investment practices, and reforming administrative processes. We also work collaboratively to develop data-driven policy arguments to demonstrate the benefits of walkable downtown development.

1. Since the workshop: Fitchburg, MA focuses on key downtown projects