How Practical Is Smart Growth?

24 August 2000 - 8:00am

Richard Carson argues that smart growth only slows growth, while New Urbanism simply makes increased density more enjoyable.

Smart Growth, which has been much in the news lately, promises many answers to the problems that face planners today. But like the equally trendy New Urbanism, it is an intellectual solution, not necessarily a practical one—and not necessarily a new one. In reality, smart growth only slows growth, while New Urbanism simply makes increased density more enjoyable. Carson is the community development director of Clark County in Vancouver, Washington, and the former planning director of Metro, the Portland, Oregon, regional agency.

Source: Planning Magazine, August 23, 2000
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Like the allegories and myths that each camp employs, I too have simplified for the purposes of communicating my point.