'Smart Growth' Replaced by 'Intelligent Cities'

30 January 2011 - 7:00am

The term "smart growth" may be approaching the end of its shelf life, according to some. Its replacement: "intelligent cities".

USA Today explores the changing lexicon of urban planning today.

"That's not to say the principles of smart growth are dead. On the contrary, he says, they're very much alive and so widely accepted that they've become old hat. New Urbanism, the design movement frequently at the heart of smart growth, encourages a mix of homes and businesses in a pedestrian-friendly environment and is common practice now in cities big and small.

"Intelligent cities," the new darling lingo of planners, reflects the times. It captures the essence of 21st-century technology that can help track when and how many people cross a street, water and energy consumption and peak hours at every transit stop. It also will soon allow bidding on a parking space via cellphone (the space goes to the highest bidder)."

Source: USA Today, January 28, 2011
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If hundreds of people in your community raised reasonable concerns about a planning program you developed, how would you respond? Perhaps you might call a community meeting, or ask community elected officials to reach out to community leaders.