Benefits of Smart Growth
(from West Coast Environmental Law Website)

Smart growth strategies to development are often less expensive than conventional suburban development because they make use of existing serviced land and green infrastructure. They also support more people living in serviced areas, which decreases the cost of infrastructure per household and increases the viability of transit and commercial services.

At the same time, smart growth provides many social and environmental benefits by integrating affordable housing throughout neighbourhoods and managing urban development for green infrastructure functions.

Smart growth decreases development costs A popular perception exists that smart growth costs more – it requires developers and municipalities to do more to make urban areas look nice and green. In many cases, this is untrue. Smart growth focusses on using resources more efficiently and changing how development takes place on the site to minimize the need for infrastructure and maximize the nearby amenities. In fact, suburban development patterns require more infrastructure per capita than do smart growth approaches.

Narrower residential streets and other innovative development standards can save between $4,000 and $6,000 per unit, and also reduce storm water runoff and encourage traffic safety.

One study from the University of British Columbia demonstrated that infrastructure in a smart growth subdivision would cost $12,000 per unit less than in a conventional subdivision. Likewise, the diversity and clustering of housing decreases land costs and the amount of paved surfaces.

For more information on the benefits and rational behind smart growth, read A Case for Smart Growth by West Coast Environmental Law in the Resources Section.