Test Your "Smart Growth" IQ

Sustainable Long Island Asks, "Do You Live in a Smart Growth Community?"

A Smart Growth Checklist

Regional
□ There is a master plan or Big Picture that is considered for future development that acknowledges its impact on other communities

Community Development Process
□ My community asks me to get involved in creating the future of the community
□ My community asks for my input before beginning the planning process
□ All of the community is involved - there are a diversity of people and opinions expressed
□ There is an open & predictable development process & community standards for development
□ My community considers the impacts of future developments

Economic Development
□ My community has a balance & diversity of business types and services
□ We provide jobs/wages for local residents to live locally

Transportation & Parking
□ My community is easily accessible to/from other areas
□ There are viable alternative transportation methods to automobiles (and supported by the local businesses)
□ My community's parking space is used efficiently and attractively, mostly behind buildings
□ There are interconnected & developed streets with no over dependence on single large roads
□ My community's street design encourages pedestrian and bicycle use with narrow street widths and traffic calming

Environment
□ My community is designed around environmental considerations (wetlands, watersheds)
□ There are walking trails, bike paths & open spaces to connect developed areas
□ There is effective pollution and storm water drainage and promotion of energy conservation
□ My community encourages the use of native plants in landscaping with minimal dependence on pesticides
□ There has been identification and redevelopment of abandoned properties (brownfields) or formerly boarded up buildings

Encourages Complete Communities with Mix of Uses
□ My community provides for a variety of needs in one place with about a15-minute walking distance between services, stores, recreation, housing & jobs
□ There is a diversity of culture, recreation and housing in my community

Design & Placemaking
□ My community has abundant public spaces (parks, greens, town squares) easily accessible to the entire population
□ Our building design reflects the local culture & architectural heritage
□ Our garages are recessed in homes & visual prominence of the automobile is reduced
□ My community preserves historic sites & elements
□ Our main roads are attractively landscaped
□ My community uses energy saving materials in building construction

Housing
□ There is a diverse economic range & usage of quality constructed housing

Community Services
□ My community has sewer hookups, garbage collection, education, healthcare for all residents

© 2004 Sustainable Long Island www.SustainableLI.org
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So, how "smart" are we on Long Island? If you are like most of us, chances are you weren't able to check off too much beyond "my community has garbage collection," and then at twice the cost your neighbors across town are paying.

Let us know what's happening in your hometown -- the smart, the dumb, and the completely inance. E-mail The Community Alliance at info@thecommunityalliance.org, or post a comment to this blog.