Overview of Growth Management Tools and

Programs from Across the U.S.

Overview of Growth Management Tools and

Programs from Across the U.S.

Patricia E. NorrisMichigan State University

NPPEC, September 23, 2003

Context:

Andy assigned to me, and I accepted, an impossible task.

“Overview of Growth Management Tools and Programs from Across the U.S.”

Growth Management Tools and ProgramsGrowth Management Tools and Programs

Sprawl Growth management Federal programs and growth Institutional change and incentives

more than a marginal change Ongoing policy debates Our challenge

SprawlSprawl “I’ll know it when I see it.” the process in which the spread of development

across the landscape far outpaces population growth (Ewing, Pendall and Chen 2002)

Landscape hasa population widely dispersed, low densityrigidly separated home, shops and workplacesroad network with huge blocks and poor accesslack of well-defined, thriving downtowns or town centers

Growth ManagementGrowth Management

the deliberate and integrated use of planning, regulatory and fiscal authority of state and local governments to influence the pattern of growth and accommodate development that achieves broad public goals (Nelson et al. 2002)

Contrast with growth controls, which limit or ration development

Federal programs and growthFederal programs and growth

National attempts at land use planning failed1968 – 1975

Federal influences on land use are generally indirect, but can be powerful

The 800 lb. gorillastransportationhousing

Recent changes in federal lawRecent changes in federal law ISTEA, TEA-21 and SAFETEA

1991 – states can apply federal highway funds to mass transit, bicycle and pedestrian projects1998 – piloted a program of research and grants to investigate transportation and community and system preservation2003 (proposed) – transportation-related land use planning and growth management by regions and states can receive federal grants

Proposed: Transportation, Community and System Preservation Program

Proposed: Transportation, Community and System Preservation Program

States , local governments and metropolitan planning organizations eligible for grants to:

improve the efficiency of the transportation systemreduce environmental impacts of transportationreduce the need for costly future public infrastructure investmentsensure efficient access to jobs, services and shopsexamine private sector development patterns and investments that support these goals

Location Efficient MortgagesLocation Efficient Mortgages

pilot program in Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco Bay area, and Los Angeles County

Location efficient neighborhoodsresidents can walk to stores, schools, recreation and public transportationtransportation costs are lower

Reduced transportation costs figured into mortgage qualification

(Institute for Location Efficiency and Fannie Mae)

Smart GrowthSmart Growth

enhances and assures neighborhood livability does not depend upon automobile for transport focuses on needs of existing communities first enables all residents to be beneficiaries of

prosperity costs less to support so lower taxes protects open space

(Smart Growth America)

Downtown RevitalizationDowntown Revitalization Situation: large stock of residential and commercial

buildings in need of rehabilitation Problem: state building codes and construction

standards designed to address new construction Solution: New Jersey wrote a new Rehabilitation

Subcodebuildings judged on meeting the requirements to provide a safe buildingbasis for a national model code (HUD)

Focused Growth and DevelopmentFocused Growth and Development Situation: Sprawl Problem: Costs of services, community, loss of

downtowns Solution: Maryland’s Smart Growth agenda

limits expenditures of state funds for schools, roads, sewer and water development to “Priority Funding Areas”targets state buildings, economic development funds, housing loans and industrial development financing to PFAs

Focused Growth and DevelopmentFocused Growth and Development Situation: School buildings in older neighborhoods need

repair or are too small so communities build big new schools on large sites in remote areas

Problem: states use percentage-based rules to allocate funds for school construction, e.g. “60 percent rule”

Solution: Pennsylvania and Maryland no longer use percentage based rules; Maryland provides incentives to maintain and renovate existing schools

Open Space ProtectionOpen Space Protection Situation: Large areas of open space are being

developed or fragmented by development Problem: Agriculture, ecosystems, critical habitat are

sacrificed Solution: New Jersey amended constitution to provide

up to $200 M per year to open space protectionpurchase in fee simple and add to public landpurchase development rightspurchase in fee simple, restrict deed, and re-sell

Open Space ProtectionOpen Space Protection Situation: PDR programs are expensive and regulations

are politically challenging Problem: Rural zoning ordinances Solution: Cluster development, including conservation

design, appeases landowners’ property rights concerns and addresses open space concerns

public and private interests have developed resource manuals and guidebooks to assist local planning commissioners in modifying zoning ordinances

On-going policy debatesOn-going policy debates

Dillon’s rule or home rule? Regional cooperation Open space protection – permanent or

temporary?

Our challenge:Our challenge: Funds allocated for downtown revitalization are not

available for open space preservation Challenge for growth management programs is finding

the right balance across tools and programs Key to finding that balance is public understanding of

alternative approaches, their costs, their benefits, and the trade-offs that may be necessary

Public policy education is necessary to assure public understanding