THE USE OF SMART GROWTH SCORECARDS/ASSESSMENT TOOLS TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE LAND-­‐USE PRACTICES Marcia Sco=, Bill Stavru, Philip Barnes InsHtute for Public AdministraHon School of Public Policy and AdministraHon University of Delaware Mingxin Li Delaware Center for TransportaHon University of Delaware Sinaya Dayan, Jeff Cragle, JusHn Ma=hews, CurHs Jones Nick J Rahall II Appalachian TransportaHon InsHtute Marshall University Findings Research Aims The Environmental ProtecHon Agency (EPA) and other organizaHons provide smart growth resources that are used to make informed decisions on sustainable land use.1 Smart growth scorecards/assessment tools measure how well plans, policies, and pracHces meet smart growth objecHves of a state, regional, or local government. Few studies have gauged the development, evoluHon, and use of smart growth assessment tools. This research aims to fill this knowledge gap. Paper-­‐based instruments and GIS-­‐based sketch planning tools created in the mid-­‐1990s have evolved significantly. Current smart growth assessment tools are typically 1) user friendly, 2) voluntary, and 3) incenHves-­‐based, providing criteria to gauge what jurisdicHons or projects receive compeHHve funding. New tools show how transportaHon investment decision-­‐making integrates with land development and growth management acHviHes. Free web-­‐based tools provide alternaHves to custom-­‐built assessment tools: §  EPA’s latest GIS-­‐based analyHc tools—SLM and Smart LocaHon Database (SLD)—address the growing demand for data products that consistently compare the locaHon efficiency of various places.3 §  The Smart Growth Area Planning (SmartGAP) tool offers reliable scenario-­‐forecasHng that transportaHon and land-­‐use planners can use to understand how smart growth influences travel demand, the environment, and the economy.4 §  Emerging web-­‐based interacHve reporHng tools serve as models for innovaHve communicaHon with the public, greater accountability, project transparency, and informaHon-­‐sharing capabiliHes among agencies. Figure 1. NYSDOT Smart Growth Checklist for MunicipaliHes2 Research Methodology To evaluate how smart growth assessment tools evolved and are used, several tasks were undertaken: §  Review of sustainable planning, smart growth, and development literature §  Audit of exisHng qualitaHve, quanHtaHve, and interacHve assessment tools §  Study of EPA’s shif from the Smart Growth INDEX® to Smart LocaHon Mapping (SLM) §  Interviews with regional planning organizaHons that developed advanced, interacHve digital tools §  Survey of Mid-­‐AtlanHc planning pracHHoners and advocates on the prevalence, usage, and content of assessment tools a. Green Building Ordinance b. Shared Parking c. Form-­‐Based Codes Figure 3. Web-­‐Based InteracHve DVRPC Smart Growth Maps, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission5 RecommendaHons for Future Development of Assessment Tools While GIS-­‐based and analyHc assessment tools can measure the quanHfiable principles of smart growth, they don’t measure more abstract or parHcipatory elements (e.g., civic engagement). We recommend that: § Planners and decision-­‐makers should complement analyHc assessment tools with qualitaHve evaluaHons. § More web-­‐based, interacHve instruments will further democraHze policy-­‐ and decision-­‐making. § New tools should complement GIS-­‐based and analyHc tools by tracking the more subjecHve aspects of smart growth (civic engagement and place-­‐making). § GIS analysis should combine with parHcipatory dimensions of smart growth to provide a more balanced approach to achieving sustainable communiHes. References 1. EPA. n.d. Smart Growth. www2.epa.gov/smart-­‐growth 2. New York State Department of TransportaHon. 2010. Smart growth checklist. h=ps://www.dot.ny.gov/programs/smart-­‐planning/repository/SGCheck_Development_Print.pdf 3. Ramsey, K. and Bell, A. 2014. Smart locaHon database: Version 2.0 user guide. www2.epa.gov/sites/producHon/files/2014-­‐03/documents/sld_userguide.pdf. 4. Resource Systems Group, Fehr & Peers, R. Cervero, K. Kockelman, and Renaissance Planning Group. 2013. SmartGAP User’s Guide. TRB., Washington, D.C. h=p://onlinepubs.trb.org/
onlinepubs/shrp2/SHRP2prepubC16guide.pdf. 5. Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. n.d. Smart growth tools maps. h=p://www.dvrpc.org/smartgrowth/maps Figure 2. Survey Results