Principles for the Smart Growth Redevelopment District Process

The Partnership Steering Committee has been working on developing a starter set of Principles that will convey the purpose of and guide the initiative.

• Sustainability refers to the long-term viability of a community from ecological, social, and economic perspectives.
• Transit must be approached as a long term investment in the future of our region that leverages private investment to sustainably renew communities.
  Economic vitality and opportunity at the neighborhood level is critical to the economic viability of the region.
• Mobility (the ability of a person to travel from one place to another) is more fundamental than transportation (the act of travelling).
• Cultural and socioeconomic integration promotes increased levels of social capital, fosters the exchange of ideas, and stimulates the innovation required for our community to remain competitive.
• Neighborhoods must be complete, providing residents with all necessary components of daily life, as well as flexible, accommodating changes in economic and household conditions.
• Ecological quality must be improved by redevelopment activities and through increased connections between residents and natural systems.
• Energy sources and systems must be renewable, distributed, and neighborhood-based.

This is a draft, and probably will remain a draft until this fall, so all feedback is welcome.