Download - Smart growth communities
Smart Growth Communities
Sales MeetingMay 3, 2011
What is “smart growth?”10 accepted principles that define Smart Growth
1. Mix land uses2. Take advantage of compact building design3. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices4. Create walkable neighborhoods5. Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of
place6. Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical
environmental areas7. Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities8. Provide a variety of transportation choices9. Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective10. Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in
development decisions
What makes a neighborhood walkable?
• A center: Walkable neighborhoods have a center, whether it's a main street or a public space.
• People: Enough people for businesses to flourish and for public transit to run frequently.
• Mixed income, mixed use: Affordable housing located near businesses.
• Parks and public space: Plenty of public places to gather and play.• Pedestrian design: Buildings are close to the street, parking lots are
relegated to the back. • Schools and workplaces: Close enough that most residents can walk
from their homes. • Complete streets: Streets designed for bicyclists, pedestrians, and
transit.
WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOODS
• Environment– Walking is a zero-pollution transportation method
• Health– Average resident of a walkable neighborhood weighs 7
pounds less than a resident in a sprawling neighborhood• Finances
– Increases the value of property• Communities
– Studies show that for every 10 minutes a person spends in a daily car commute, time spent in community activities falls by 10%
Visualize It
Important to Buyers
• Commute time and places to walk are 2 of the top 3 most important community characteristics (NAR)
• Each point of Walk Score is worth up to $3,000 in a typical metro area (CEOs for Cities, 2009)
• Commercial Real Estate: A 10 point increase in Walk Score increases property values 5-8%
2011 Community Preference SurveyNAR: 2,071 Adults (2/2011)
• 56% of respondents survey prefer smart growth communities to ones that require more driving between home, work and recreation
• Willing to sacrifice square footage for less driving:– 80% would prefer to live in a single-family detached
home as long as it didn’t require a longer commute, BUT
– 59% would choose a smaller home if it meant a commute time of 20 minutes or less
• Community Characteristics: When considering a home purchase– 88% placed more value on the quality of the
neighborhood, than the size of the home– 77% want communities with high-quality schools
• Don’t just sell homes, sell neighborhoods!• Different home buyers are looking for all kinds
of neighborhood settings
2011 Community Preference SurveyNAR: 2,071 Adults (2/2011)
Omaha and Smart Growth
• 78th most sprawling of 83 metro areas• It’s a long way from becoming the way of life– Midtown Crossing– Very walkable living choice,
but no one would buy the condos• Would a similar development work better in
west Omaha?• Why are Omaha’s residents resistant to this
lifestyle change?
Omaha and Smart Growth
Get Involved!
• Influence local government to find ways to increase the walk score of your target neighborhoods– Zoning Ordinances
Questions / Comments