Foundations of

Compact and

Sustainable Development

Solutions for Sustainable

Communities

2011 NHC Learning

Conference

Presenters

Mariia Zimmerman, US Dept of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities

David Dixon, Goody Clancy Associates, Planning and Urban Design division

Rollin Stanley, Montgomery County, MD, Office of Planning

“For HUD, sustainability means tying the quality and

location of housing to broader opportunities, like access

to good jobs, quality schools, and safe streets. It means

helping communities that face common problems start

sharing solutions. It means being a partner to sustainable

development, not a barrier.”

~ HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan

6 Livability PrinciplesProvide more transportation choices to increase safety, accessibility, and reliability while reducing household transportation costs.

Promote equitable, affordable housing that expands location- and energy-efficient housing choices

Improve economic competitiveness of neighborhoods by giving people reliable access to employment centers, educational opportunities, and other basic services.

Target Federal funding toward existing communities through place-based policies

Align federal policies and funding to remove barriers to collaboration, leverage funding and increase the effectiveness of existing programs.

Enhance the unique characteristics of all communities, whether rural, suburban or urban.

When Thinking about Design

and Development,

Remember…

1. No one size fits all … consider community

character, goals, and assets

2. Envisioning Density Helps

3. Continuous public engagement from

plan to implementation

4. Test with Market-based realities

5. Design matters!

Common Community Concerns:

Urbanization

Traffic and crime

Unplanned growth and its consequences

Changing demographics

For most of us,

Change IS

Frightening.Don’t lose that which makes

your community special,

unique, and valued by current

residents.

Engage residents, employers, local businesses, property owners, elderly, youth …

Identify what people value now

Plan for tomorrow

Recognize the market

Identify co-benefits and ways to be achieved

Utilize data and visioning tools

Public Engagement

Land Use Decisions Occur Primarily

at the Local Level• Plan for densities that

support the desired mix of

jobs, housing, and civic uses

• Place higher density nodes

around transit areas as they

provide existing

infrastructure and

opportunities for investment

Arlington Virginia’s Orange Line Corridor,

Photo source: www.sierraclub.org

More choices in restaurants, shops, housing;

More activity – on the streets and sidewalks; and on transit

Community Benefitsthat pencil out: affordable housing, parks, art, jobs

Agglomeration benefits for employers and urban markets?

What goals is your

community trying

to achieve?

• Common Measures

of Density

• FAR

• Dwelling Units/Acre

• Net vs. Gross Density

• Height vs. Density

• Housing Types and

Scales

E

Different visions of Compact Development

No one size fits all: housingSingle-family 1-12 du/acre

4.7 du/a

Rowhomes 8-30 du/acre

Low- to mid-rise 20-100 du/acre High-rise 80+ du/acre

21.8 du/a

52.9 du/a 89.9 du/a

Source: www.lincolninst.edu

No one size fits all: transit

Source: Center for Transit Oriented Development

When Thinking about Design

and Development,

Remember…

1. No one size fits all … consider community

character, goals, and assets

2. Envisioning Density Helps

3. Continuous public engagement from

plan to implementation

4. Test with Market-based realities

5. Design matters!

Federal Support for Local

Planning Initiatives

HUD’s Community Challenge and Regional

Planning Grant Programs

www.hud.gov/sustainability

DOT’s transportation planning programs for

state DOT’s and MPOs www.planning.dot.gov

EPA’s smart growth technical assistance

programs www.epa.gov/smartgrowth

Partnership for Sustainable Communities

www.sustainablecommunities.gov