Imagining A Better City? Try The SmartCode

"More than 150 people attended an opening session Thursday night, at which Orr and other consultants presented the concept of "Smart Code," regulations that are used in communities where it is agreed that economic development is the No. 1 goal.

'We want to relieve homeowners from the increasing tax burden,' Orr said. "Smart Code says ... if you want economic development, you have to decide how you want your neighborhoods to look and where you want development, and tell developers what you want.'

The town would be broken down into five "transects," or settings that range from rural to urban, and within those settings, things like sidewalks, porches, facades, and terraces would be regulated for their appropriateness."