Welcome to the NYS Department of State Smart Growth Newsletter!
Welcome to the NYS Department of State Smart Growth Newsletter! This newsletter will share information from DOS’ Smart Growth Community Planning Program, explore our Smart Growth planning principles and discuss how to effectively implement them on the ground in your community. It will also highlight efforts from communities across the state.
What is Smart Growth?
Smart Growth is a community and land use planning approach focused on making places more livable, resilient and equitable. It is articulated by a series of guiding principles that, together, will begin to address many of the challenges facing New York communities today: from improving housing availability and affordability to building and sustaining a dynamic small business environment to minimizing the impacts of extreme weather events. The DOS principles are listed below.
- Allow for and encourage neighborhoods with a mix of uses, such as residential, commercial and community spaces.
- Enable a diverse mix of housing types, providing opportunity and choice for people of all ages, abilities and incomes.
- Prioritize infill and redevelopment of existing buildings to revitalize neighborhoods and downtowns, including areas around public transit.
- Provide well-planned, equitable, and accessible public spaces for people of all ages and abilities.
- Encourage compact neighborhood design and concentrated development around existing infrastructure.
- Preserve open space, agricultural resources and natural resources.
- Prioritize transportation options that are safe and accessible for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists and public transit users.
- Promote climate resiliency and adaptation, preferably through nature-based solutions, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Build on unique traits to create an attractive and welcoming community with a strong sense of place.
- Engage in an inclusive, collaborative public planning process that considers the needs and character of the community.