Smart <* Growth
ACHIEVEMENT
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
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mistrator Steve Johnson
OGRCm Of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, I extend my congratulations
to the recipients of the 2007 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement.
During my 26 years as a public servant, have witnessed what can be achieved when
partners come together to address our nation's environmental challenges. And today, we see
those amazing results all around us. Our air is cleaner, our water is purer, and our land is
better protected than just a generation ago.
As we move forward and advance environmental ethics like smart growth, together we are
not only building on our nation's environmental accomplishments, we are creating a lasting
legacy for our children and grandchildren.
By turning to smart growth approaches, these award-winning partner communities are
transforming environmental eyesores into sources of local pride, preserving ecologically
sensitive open space, and protecting our precious air and water resources.
President Bush and EPA see smart growth as smart for the environment, smart for our
economy and smart for our quality of ife. And together with our vital community partners-
including these 2007 award recipients—we are helping America responsibly build toward
that healthier, brighter future.
Stephen L.Johnson
Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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How Smart Growth Protec
nvironment
growth StrdtGCJIGS help communities achieve not only their economic and social goals, but also their
environmental goals, such as cleaner air and water, open space and critical habitat preservation, and redevelopment of
vacant land. The following examples, drawn from previous award winners, highlight the benefits of using smart growth
principles to shape development.
* The Commonwealth of Massachusetts was honored in 2006 for its commitment to using state funds to support infill
development. Research has demonstrated that infill development improves air and water quality and uses less land than
building on greenfields. The Massachusetts infill strategy, which targeted infrastructure investments to existing areas,
protected 35,000 acres of land that would otherwise have been developed. In addition, the state's bond program to
support transit-oriented development has generated about 100 planned or completed developments near transit, yielding
37 million square feet of new development. Locating new growth near transit reduces development pressure on open
space and gives people options besides driving, which can reduce automobile emissions and help protect air quality.
• Demonstrating the benefits of good waterfront development, Winooski, Vermont (pictured at right), was honored in 2006
for its downtown redevelopment project. Informed by an extensive public process, the project revitalized the small town
with new development that preserved or restored nearly 100 acres of natural habitat, returned vacant properties to
productive use, and built RiverWalk, a promenade that connects downtown to the river and its adjacent natural preserve.
Public investment of $38 million to support the more pedestrian-friendly downtown area has yielded private investment of
more than $169 million, 500 new homes, and 300,000 square feet of offices, shops, and restaurants. The effort not only
reoriented the town to its historic waterfront, but also expanded housing and transportation options for Winooski residents.
« Highlands' Garden Village, a 2005 award winner, employs several water-quality protection strategies, including its very
location: a 27-acre former amusement park in the middle of Denver. Directing growth to already degraded land protects
regional water resources. The amount of development in this compact, mixed-use project would have used 100 acres
if developed on a greenfield at average Denver densities. Instead, the project put 306 housing units, office space, and
90,000 square feet of neighborhood serving retail on 27 acres. In addition, the site is laid out in a way that makes
walking around the neighborhood easy and pleasant. Approximately 140,000 square feet of open spaces and pedestrian
paths flow throughout the site, as does a restored urban creek. Sunken gardens, drought-tolerant landscaping, and
stormwater detention areas reduce the amount and improve the quality of the water running off the site.
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About the Award
Take advantage of compact
building design.
3. Create housing opportunities and
choices for a range of household
types, family sizes, and incomes.
4. Create walkable neighborhoods.
5. Foster distinctive, attractive
communities with a strong sense
of place.
6. Preserve open space, farmland,
natural beauty, and critical
environmental areas.
7. Strengthen and direct development
towards existing communities.
8. Provide a variety of
transportation choices.
9. Make development decisions
predictable, fair, and cost-effective.
1 0. Encourage community and
stakeholder collaboration in
development decisions.
EPA Created the National Award for Smart Growth Achievement in 2002
to recognize outstanding approaches to development that benefit the economy, the
community, public health, and the environment. Over the past six years, EPA has
received 481 applications from 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Each award winner has successfully used the principles of smart growth to improve
existing communities or to build new communities that expand economic development
opportunities, enhance quality of life, and preserve the natural environment. Through
innovative ideas and collaboration, the winners crafted policies and projects that foster
healthy, vibrant, and diverse communities.
This year's rotating category recognizes the special growth challenges that waterfront
and coastal communities face. The natural beauty and wildlife habitat that attract
people and development to these areas also require careful protection. Coastal and
waterfront communities must balance the need to accommodate more homes, jobs, and
schools with their responsibility to preserve environmentally sensitive areas for ecological
function and recreational use. Smart growth principles help waterfront and coastal
communities protect water quality and critical natural resources; attract tourism and
business revenue; and maintain historic waterfront and coastal character. By helping
communities find better development choices, smart growth approaches can also reduce
the pressure to build upon sensitive coastal or waterfront areas.
The award winners were chosen through a multi-step process. A panel of experts
representing a broad range of constituencies with interest and expertise in the built
environment and the principles of smart growth assessed the entries. An internal EPA
review panel provided additional comments. EPAs Associate Administrator for Policy,
Economics, and Innovation made the final award determinations.
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Winners
Overall Excellence
New Columbia: Building Community Together
Housing Authority of Portland • Portland, Oregon
Built Projects
High Point Redevelopment
Seattle Housing Authority • Seattle, Washington
Policies and Regulations
Vermont Housing and Conservation Board
State of Vermont
Waterfront and Coastal Communities
Balanced Growth through Downtown Revitalization
Town of Barnstable • Hyannis, Massachusetts
Mixed-use developments allow residents to walk
to local shops while running daily errands.
Equitable Development
Abyssinian Neighborhood Project
The Borough of Manhattan • Harlem, New York
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ce in Smart Growth
New Columbia: Building
Community Together
Housing Authority of Portland
Portland, Oregon
Local businesses and residents were
hired for portions of the construction
and former residents who wish to
return have done so. The ethnic
diversity of the neighborhood was
unaffected by the revitalization. New
Columbia remains one of Portland's
most diverse neighborhoods.
For More Information:
Pamela Kambur
Community Relations Manager
Housing Authority of Portland
Tel: 503-802-8508
Email: PamelaK@hapdx.org
VII Id was an isolated and distressed 82-acre public housing
site. The Housing Authority of Portland (HAP) partnered with public and private
stakeholders to redevelop the site and create New Columbia, a neighborhood built to
improve economic opportunity, community livability, and environmental quality for both
old and new residents.
The new development increased the number of housing units from 462 rentals to
854 rental and ownership units. Housing options range from low-income apartment
rentals comprised of families at or below 60% of median family income to market
rate single family homes. The site was reintegrated into the surrounding neighborhood
by connecting to the traditional street grid. Amenities in the new neighborhood
include community college classrooms, a new Boys and Girls Club, the Rosa Parks
elementary school, parks, and retail destinations including a coffee shop and the Big
City Produce store.
The 28-member Community Advisory Committee (CAC) conducted a series of Sunday
morning design workshops to engage local residents. Through this process, residents
advised on all aspects of the project. The New Columbia Newsletter, which was
created by the CAC, informed residents of the project's progress.
The site was designed to improve on the environmental performance of the old
development. All residents are within a five-minute walk of public transportation.
Two mixed-use buildings in New Columbia have LEED certification and LEED Gold
was awarded to the new school. By replacing the old sub-surface infrastructure,
New Columbia has 80% less underground piping than comparable developments.
Approximately 98% of all stormwater is now processed on-site, which prevents further
contamination of the Columbia River Slough. The "green street" system includes
approximately 100 vegetated pocket swales. The streets design purposely avoided
mature trees—saving more than 50 percent of the existing tree stock.
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New Columbia: Building Community Together
ill
New Columbia provides a range of
housing opportunities for residents of
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New Columbia's "green
street" design, including
1 00 pocket swales helps
reduce stormwater runoff.
We moved back
because it looks like a
always wanted to come back because I like the part of to
like the park,
ana its close to wnere I work.
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High Point
Redevelopment
Seattle Housing Authority
Seattle, Washington
SHA built the vibrant High Point
community by leveraging public
and private investments. Sixty
percent of the $21 0 million
housing budget came from private
sources, including land sales,
affordable housing tax credits,
and capital investments. Due to the
environmentally sensitive design,
the High Point redevelopment is
estimated to save approximately
$17 million annually by reducing
energy demand, wastewater
treatment needs, and road
maintenance.
For More Information:
Tom Phillips
Senior Development Manager
Seattle Housing Authority
Tel: 206-615-3414
Email: TPhillips@Seattlehousing.org
The Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) worked closely with community
members to rebuild a formerly crime-ridden and dilapidated 120-acre hilltop neigh-
borhood into a mixed-use, mixed-income, and environmentally sensitive community.
Using green building principles, High Point's more than 1,700 new units are
expected to consume less water, electricity, and natural gas than the old community's
716 units. The 600 rental housing units built by SHA are all certified at the
highest standards established by Built Green™, a building program that certifies
environmentally friendly products in King and Snohomish Counties, Washington. This
project is the nation's first Energy Star-rated rental housing development with tankless
heating systems and front-loading washers and dryers. Approximately 10% of the
rental units are Breathe Easy® homes, designed and built for asthma sufferers.
The site occupies 10% of the watershed of Seattle's most significant salmon stream.
The old public housing site contributed significant amounts of polluted runoff to the
nearby stream. The new development included a new natural drainage system under
the entire site—the nation's largest. Now, water entering the stream from High Point
is as clean as if it had percolated through a natural meadow - despite more than
doubling the development's density.
The award-winning design of High Point addresses social sustainability by involving
residents, connecting the site to surrounding neighborhoods, and mixing uses and
incomes. The resident design committee met bi-weekly and participated in the design
of buildings and open space. The new development includes new parks, a public
ibrary and health clinic, and retail space to come in 2009. The mixed-income
neighborhood is comprised of 50/50 ratio of rental and owner-occupied units. The
redevelopment has increased low-income housing opportunities by 43%. Additionally,
owner-occupied units have sold for up to 50% above Seattle's median home prices,
representing a growing desire to live in this once blighted community.
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High Point Redevelopment
DUIlf for the residents,
not ror the housinq authority ana not for me architects.
of the community.
long-time High
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Vermont Housing and
Conservation Board
State of Vermont
VHCB utilized more than $150
million in private equity raised
through the low-income housing and
the historic rehabilitation tax credits
to create mixed-use, mixed-income
developments located near existing
transit systems. These investments
have created pedestrian-friendly,
walkable communities while limiting
the impacts on valuable open spaces.
For More Information:
Pam Boyd
Communications Director
Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
Tel: 802-828-5075
Email: pboyd@vhcb.org
The State Of Vermont promotes compact settlements surrounded by
rural countryside. The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board supports this goal
by funding affordable housing development in existing population centers and by
preserving historic resources, farmland, forests, and public access to recreational lands.
The agency pursues affordable housing, land conservation, and historic preservation
initiatives under a single unique, synergistic program, which balances priorities.
Statewide, the agency ensures that investments in one area will not adversely
impact another priority. In pursuit of these goals, the agency has strategically funded
affordable housing investment projects to focus development in village centers;
employing existing structures with on-site water and sewer lines. This initiative promotes
mixed-use, mixed-income and walkable neighborhoods. Legal agreements guarantee
permanent affordability, recycling the state's investment for future generations of renters
and homeowners. Since 2002, VHCB investments of $84 million have supported
the development of 3,191 affordable homes and 44 historic buildings and the
conservation of 37,279 acres of farmland, natural areas, and recreation lands.
VHCB has focused its policies and programs on the redevelopment and revitalization
of Vermont's village centers while striving to conserve its vast open spaces and
economically-important farmland. As a result, VHCB has conserved over 37,000
acres of farmland and open space in the last five years. This accounts for more than
10% of Vermont's best agricultural soils. Additionally, VHCB has provided business
planning and technical assistance to 150 farmers. This effort is helping to protect
Vermont's vital farmlands and rural character.
The program's policies have preserved open spaces and improved environmental
quality. Land preservation protects watershed functions, reduces stormwater runoff,
and cleans up contamination. Compact redevelopment in village centers has provided
increased transportation options, thus reducing auto-related emissions.
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Vermont Housing and Conservation Board
-..
'ICe and grant awards, VHCB has been an active, engaged, ana
partner in helping the Town of Manchester add much needed affordable hoUS
i its downtown while also helping to COllSGlvG high priority farmland that remains ir
active agricultural use today. We are most thankful for VHCB's assistance in
a us to
achieve these key community goals.
- Lee A Krohn, AICP, Planning Director, Town of Manchester,
Vermont; Chair, Manchester Community Lane
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>ugh Downtown
yanms,
Public space and streetscape
improvements have been integral
in the revitalization of Hyannis. The
redevelopment plan has reconnected
residents to the waterfront and
downtown by creating pedestrian-
friendly walkways. Bicycle and public
transit routes are reconnected to main
streets and residential neighborhoods
while new residential developments
are linked harmoniously to natural
For More Information:
Ruth J. Weil
Director of Growth Management
Town of Barnstable
Tel: 508-862-4678
Email: Ruth.weil@town.barnstable.ma.us
In recent decades, the Town of Barnstable, Massachusetts, a coastal
community on Cape Cod, has experienced tremendous growth. Hyannis, one of the
town's seven villages saw growth at its edges characterized by low density residential
subdivisions and strip retail, while its downtown was plagued with vacant storefronts
and disinvestment. This pattern strained local infrastructure and impacted the town's
fragile natural resources and historic character.
Over the past three years, the community and local decision-makers created a
development strategy that encourages growth and development in Hyannis's urban
center (where municipal water and sewer are available) while reducing growth pressure
on environmentally sensitive areas along the coast. Specifically, the town has:
• Adopted expedited permitting process for downtown development, inclusionary zoning,
workforce housing incentives, design guidelines, and downtown mixed-use zoning;
* Made extensive infrastructure investments in streetscapes and wastewater treatment;
' Created development offsets that move development from outlying areas to
downtown; and,
* Improved connections and public access to the waterfront.
The result has been a renaissance for downtown Hyannis. Since the smart growth initia-
tive, there have been 93 new residential units (nine affordable) created with another
141 units planned. Approximately 22,000 square feet of commercial space has been
completed with an additional 100,000 square feet planned. The redevelopment has
already resulted in 342 new jobs and $25 million in private investment.
The town has purchased land and transferred development to downtown —protecting
sole source aquifers and other sensitive natural areas. Downtown development
occurs on city water and sewer infrastructure rather than the septic systems typical of
development in outlying areas. The town made significant investments in the treatment
plant and adopted the use of low impact design techniques such as green roofs and
rain gardens. The net result has been more protection for undeveloped areas and
greener redevelopment driving the downtown resurgence.
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Balanced Growth through Downtown Revitalization
:t,Li III Tiit i
The addition of a pedestrian-
friendly walkway in Aselton Park
provides public access to the
waterfront.
•f '-^1.
have been remarkable, thanks to ou
collaboration with local stakeholders and the imlementation of SITlOrt
wat just a ew years ago was a igte an unerperorming viage center is now a pace were peope
tO live, WOrk Ond ploy. Bo
resientia an commercia eveoment is
downtown and newly hstered arts and culture proqrar
— lohn Klimm, To
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opment
Abyssinian
Neighborhood Project
The Borough of Manhattan
Harlem, New York
The Abyssinian Neighborhood
Project area, located within
Manhattan, was once marked
by vacant lots and abandoned
buildings. The Abyssinian
Development Corporation launched
a community development initiative
to increase affordable housing
options, revitalize the business
corridor, and expand job training
opportunities to the community.
For More Information:
Scott Stringer
President
Office of Manhattan Borough President
Tel: 212-669-8300
Email: bp@manhattanbp.org
Through partnerships with The Abyssinian Baptist Church, New York City
Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Urban Technical Assistance
Project at Columbia University and the Office of the Manhattan Borough President,
Abyssinian Development Corporation (ADC) developed a strategy to expand the
housing and commercial options for central Harlem. Over 200 affordable housing
units were built with an additional 200 affordable units planned. These include 25
units of transitional housing for homeless families, 68 rental units reserved for formerly
homeless families, and 1 35 rental units to accommodate low- and moderate-income
families. The Abyssinian Neighborhood Project created 15,000 square feet of
commercial space for five local businesses, which has helped revitalize the central
Harlem business corridors.
A key element of the project was to address the social and economic needs of the
community. Comprehensive programs were developed to link education, job training,
and cultural enhancement. For example, ADC established an award-winning Head
Start educational institution, constructed a state-of-the-art educational facility, and
helped to create and support five block associations and a neighborhood leadership
group. Additionally, ADC has implemented Youthbuild, a workforce development
program that has provided on-the-job construction trade training for 40 teens and
young adults.
Neighborhood revitalization achieved multiple positive environmental outcomes by
building near available infrastructure; cleaning up abandoned buildings and vacant
lots; and creating new green space. This type of infill development minimizes the impact
of stormwater runoff by reusing existing paved surfaces when compared to greenfield
development. Residents now have ample access to biking and walking routes and
public transit, which improves air quality when compared to places that rely solely on
automobiles for daily travel. Benefits derived from improving economic opportunities,
environmental quality, and the physical character of the community create a model of
community-based planning that can be replicated to serve other communities.
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/elopment projects, such as the
Laura B. Thomas House, provide
affordable housing for families on fixed
incomes, while returning the building to
productive use.
a client of ADC and a resident of The Abyssinian Neighborhood,
watchinq the ffGH5/Or/7}Qf/OH takinq place here is truly
wor an sop in my neigoroo, gives me an oter resients a
Sense of enaement, ownershi and most imortantl, CO/71/711/H/
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2002 Winners
Overall Excellence in Smart Growth
Arlington County, Virginia
Built Projects
Town of Breckenridge Planning
Department, Colorado
Policies and Regulations
City/County Association of Governments
of San Mateo County, California
Community Outreach and Education
Massachusetts Executive Office of
Environmental Affairs, Massachusetts
The Department of the Navy provides a variety
of types and sizes of homes to meet the different
needs of military families.
In Arlington County, Virginia, higher-density
development is clustered around the Metro
stations along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.
2003 Winners
Overall Excellence in Smart Growth
Metropolitan Council, Minneapolis-St. Paul
Metropolitan Area, Minnesota
Built Projects
Department of the Navy
Policies and Regulations
Cuyahoga County Treasurer's Office, Ohio
Community Outreach and Education
Georgia Office of Quality Growth
Public Schools
Wake County Public School System/City
of Raleigh, North Carolina
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2004 Winners
Overall Excellence in Smart Growth
Town of Davidson, North Carolina
Built Projects
City of Greensboro, North Carolina
Policies and Regulations
City of Santa Cruz, California
Community Outreach and Education
Sacramento Area Council of Governments,
California
Small Communities
San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico
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«
i Juan Pueblo, New Mexico,
design for Tsigo Bugeh Village is inspired by
traditional pueblos, with buildings clustered
around two plazas.
When the city of Orlando transformed a closed Naval
Training Center into an exciting new community, 16
extra acres of parkland were created using innovative
underground stormwater management systems.
2005 Winners
Overall Excellence in Smart Growth
Denver Urban Renewal Authority, Colorado
Built Projects
City of Lakewood and Lakewood
Reinvestment Authority, Colorado
Policies and Regulations
City of Pasadena Planning and
Development Department, California
Small Communities
Town of Redding, Connecticut
Military Base Redevelopment
City of Orlando, Florida
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Through innovative strategies and collaborative
problem-solving, the city of Wichita, Kansas has
created a new neighborhood near downtown.
2006 Winners
Overall Excellence in Smart Growth
Massachusetts Office for Commonwealth
Development, Massachusetts
Built Projects
Old Town Wichita, Kansas
Policies And Regulations
Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing
Initiative, Pennsylvania
Small Communities
Winooski Downtown Redevelopment
Project, Vermont
Equitable Development
Bethel Center, Chicago, Illinois
For more information on the past winners, visit:
www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/awards.htm
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Acknowledgements
National Building Museum
The 2007 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement
ceremony was held at the National Building Museum
in Washington, DC, on November 14. The National
Building Museum, created by an act of Congress in
1 980, is America's leading cultural institution dedicated to exploring and
celebrating architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban
planning. Since opening its doors in 1 985, the Museum has become a
vital forum for exchanging ideas and information about such topical issues
as managing landmark preservation, urban revitalization, sustainable and
affordable design, and suburban growth. Its engaging exhibitions and
education programs, including innovative curricula for school children and
stimulating programs for adults, annually attract nearly 400,000 people,
making the museum the most-visited institution of its kind in the world.
Thanks to our Review Panel
Laurence Aurbach
Noreen Beatley
John Carey - University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program
Theodore Eisenman - The Highlands Coalition
Deeohn Ferris - Sustainable Community Development Group, Inc.
John W. Frece - National Center for Smart Growth, University of Maryland
Martin Harris - National Association of Counties
Andrew Kleine - Corporation for National and Community Service
Sophie Cantell Lambert - The Urban Land Institute, Washington
Hugh Morris - National Association of REALTORS®
Elizabeth Morton - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Richard Reinhard — Downtown DC Business Improvement District
Sue Schwartz - City of Greensboro, North Carolina
Julia Seward - Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Sarah van der Schalie - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Photo Credits
Front cover: Central park, New York City, NY. Photo courtesy
of Brett Vanakkeren
Winners page: Newbury Street, Boston, MA. Photo courtesy
of Liisa Ecola.
2002 and 2003 Award Winners: Arlington, VA. Photo
courtesy of Arlington County. Gateway Village, San Diego,
CA. Photo courtesy of the Department of the Navy.
2004 and 2005 Award Winners: San Juan Pueblo, NM.
Photo courtesy of Jamie Blosser. Baldwin Park, Orlando, FL.
Photo courtesy of Baldwin Park Development Company.
2006 Award Winner: Old Town Wichita, KS. Photo courtesy
of the City of Wichita, KS.
Acknowledgements: Belmar, Lakewood, CO. Photo courtesy
of the City of Lakewood, CO.
Belmar, new downtown center in Lakewood, CO,
has transformed a declining shopping center into
a vibrant gathering place for residents.
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Smart * Growth a
i
ACHIEVEMENT
For more information about the National Award
for Smart Growth Achievement and EPA's other
smart growth activities, see:
www. e pa. g ov/s m a rtg ro wth
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
1 807-T
Washington, DC 20460
Recycled/Recyclable
Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper
(Minimum 50% Postconsumer) Process Chlorine Free
fice of Policy, Economics, and Innovation (1807-T) • EPA 231-K-07-001 • November 2007
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