Smart Growth -- NJ discusses Arlington, VA

from this morning's GlobeSt. 96/17):

Last updated: June 17, 2008 12:14pm
Experts Urge State to Pursue Smart Growth
By Brianne Harrison

"NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ-Panelists and speakers at PlanSmart New Jersey’s Smart Growth Economy Project Conference agreed that smart growth is the way of the future and is the best method of producing socially, economically and environmentally healthy communities. New Jersey, with its dense population and strong rail lines, could become a smart growth leader if the state puts its mind to it." ....

"To illustrate his point, Anderson contrasted the smart growth area of Arlington, VA with the growth patterns that have become typical in many areas in recent years. Arlington features high-density development surrounding metro stations, with some low-density development nearby to provide housing choices. Most towns in the US have developed with sprawl patterns—shopping in a separate area off of a major road, with housing cut off from retail. This arrangement forced people into cars, resulting in more pollution, traffic and obesity due to a decline in daily exercise." ...

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Smart growth envisions mixed-use environments with a variety of transportation modes, including public transport, bike trails and sidewalks. Demand for this type of community is strong, according to Anderson, research shows that one-third of people want smart growth, and that demand for detached homes on large lots has dropped while demand for attached or small homes on small lots has risen to exceed supply.

Such communities tend to have healthier residents with more disposable income, and they are more environmentally friendly. Densely developed areas tend to be much more efficient than suburbs when it comes to CO2 emissions, according to Anderson, and people who live in walkable communities are 7% less likely to be obese. Those who live near public transportation also spend less overall on transport, giving them more disposable income. High-density development can be a boon for the tax base as well: Anderson explained that Arlington hosts 30-million sf of development on only two square miles of land, and that 33% of the area’s tax revenue comes from only 7.6% of its land.