NATIONAL AWARD FOR
Smart * Growth
A CHI EVEiMENT


        United States
        Environmental Protection
        t Agency

-------
A  message from...
EPA Administrator  Lisa  P.  Jackson
On behalf of everyone at EPA, I'm happy to congratulate the
2010 winners of the National Awards for Smart Growth Achievement.
Through your work, people across the nation have access to housing
and transportation choices that are better for the environment and
easier on their wallets; natural and cultural treasures are better
protected; and communities are growing vibrant downtowns that
nurture local businesses. These efforts are models for communities
looking to grow more environmentally and economically sustainable
and improve the quality of life for their residents.

Smart growth achievements also serve to improve the work of the
Partnership for Sustainable Communities, a federal interagency
alliance of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the
U.S. Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development. The Partnership is bringing
together expertise and resources to ensure that development
strategies meet the housing, transportation, and environmental
needs essential to the success of every community.

I'm proud to recognize the work you are doing and the advances you
have made  in this important field. Thank you for helping to create a
sustainable future.
Lisa P. Jackson
Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
"Well-conceived, effectively
implemented environmental
protection is good for economic
growth... A clean, green, healthy
community is a better place to
buy a home and raise a family;
it's more competitive in the race
to attract new businesses; and it
has the foundations it needs for
prosperity."
                                                                       — EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson,
                                                                                       March 8, 2010

-------
How Smart Growth  Protects the  Environment
In June 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Department of Transportation
(DOT) joined together to form the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.
The partnership is guided by six livability principles that emphasize protecting
the environment while also improving access to affordable housing, increasing
transportation options, and lowering transportation costs. This coordinated,
integrated approach aims to foster healthy, accessible, safe communities that
support a thriving natural environment.

The following examples, drawn from previous award winners, highlight the benefits
of adopting an integrated approach where community development based on smart
growth principles supports a healthy social and natural environment.

•   2005 Winner,  Built Projects—City of Lakewood, Colorado for Belmar: When
    completed in 2007, the Belmar neighborhood helped give Lakewood residents
    more transportation options by creating a walkable downtown with 1 million
    square feet of shops and restaurants as well as 1,300 new homes. Encouraging
    walking and bicycling helps reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

•   2008 Winner,  Equitable Development—Mercy Housing California and San
    Francisco Housing Authority, San Francisco, California for Mission Creek Senior
    Community: Mercy Housing's environmentally friendly, affordable housing for
    seniors includes several innovative, emission-reducing components, including
    solar panels and materials made from rapidly renewable resources and recyded-
    product content.

•   2009 Winner,  Overall Excellence in Smart Growth—Lancaster County,
    Pennsylvania for Envision Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan and
    Implementation:  Lancaster County developed a comprehensive, countywide
    plan to manage growth and maintain the county's distinctive sense of place over
    the next 25 years. Under this plan, more than 62 projects have been completed
    that will  improve  quality of life in the county and, ultimately, reduce pressure to
    develop on the area's rural lands.
Lakewood is currently constructing seven rail
stations in its "Transit Mixed-Use District" to
provide additional transit options to residents and
to promote transit-oriented development.
The Mission Creek Senior Community fosters active
aging through scheduled physical activities and
improved accessibility to local parks and walking paths.
Lancaster County's growth management and
nationally recognized farmland preservation
programs help preserve the agricultural
economy rural character, and distinctive
culture of the area.

-------
About the  Award
Smart Growth Principles

• Mix land uses.

• Take advantage of compact
  building design.

• Create a range of housing
  opportunities and choices.

• Create walkable neighborhoods.

• Foster distinctive, attractive
  communities with a strong sense
  of place.

• Preserve open space, farmland,
  natural beauty, and critical
  environmental areas.

• Strengthen and  direct
  development toward existing
  communities.

• Provide a variety of transportation
  choices.

• Make development decisions
  predictable, fair, and cost-
  effective.

• Encourage community and
  stakeholder collaboration in
  development decisions.
EPA created the National Award for Smart Growth
Achievement in 2002 to recognize exceptional approaches
to development that respect the environment, foster
economic vitality, and enhance quality of life. Over the
past nine years, EPA has received 695 applications from
47 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. This
year,  EPA received 71 applications from 25 states.

The winning entries were selected based on their effectiveness in creating
sustainable communities; creating a robust public involvement process;
generating partnerships among public, private, and non-profit stakeholders;
and serving as national models.

Award winners were selected by two separate panels. The first consisted of
experts from the planning and design professions, non-profits, academia,
and federal agencies. The second was an internal EPA panel that provided
additional comments. EPA's Associate Administrator of Policy, Lisa
Heinzerling, made the final award determinations.

-------
Award Winners
Overall Excellence

Smart.Growth@NYC: Policies and Programs for Improving Livability in New York City
New York, New York
New York City Department of Transportation with the Departments of Health, Design and Construction, and City Planning


Smart Growth and Green Building

Miller's Court
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development, Seawall Development Company, Hamel Builders, and
Marks, Thomas Architects
Programs, Policies, and  Regulations
Making the Greatest Place: Metro's Strategic Implementation of the 2040 Growth Concept
Portland, Oregon
Metro
Rural Smart Growth
Gateway!  Corridor Action Plan
Maine
Gateway 1 Communities and Maine Department of Transportation
Civic Places

Mint Plaza
San Francisco, California
City and County of San Francisco, Martin Building Company, CMC Landscape Architects, and Sherwood Design Engineers

-------
Overall Excellence in Smart Growth
Smart.Growth@NYC:  Policies and  Programs for
Improving Livability in  New York City
New York City Department
of Transportation with the
Departments of Health,
Design and Construction,
and City Planning

New York, New York
As the largest city in the United
States, New York City faces
a constant challenge with
maintaining  and expanding its
existing infrastructure to support
an ever-growing population.
PlaNYC 2030, Mayor Bloomberg's
2007 blueprint for responsibly
growing New York City, provided
the inspiration  for multi-agency
coordination on innovative smart
growth policies and projects.


For More Information:
Wendy Feuer
Assistant Commissioner,
Urban Design and Art
New York City Department of
Transportation
Tel: (212)839-6680
wfeuer@dot.nyc.gov
In 2005, New York City's carbon emissions were less than
1 percent of total U.S. emissions, while the city was home to
2.7 percent of the country's population. New York City has
achieved a relatively small carbon footprint, given its size,
through  its commitment to creating compact and walkable
neighborhoods.

On Earth Day 2007, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg launched PlaNYC 2030,
an innovative and ambitious initiative to help the city continue thriving while
absorbing an expected 1 million additional residents by 2030. PlaNYC tackles
New York City's environmenta and health challenges of today. PlaNYC
includes 127 policy goals to create a greener, greater New York—a city with
more affordable housing and open space, reduced traffic congestion, and
improved air and water quality. Smart.Growth@NYC refers to four initiatives
that grew out of PlaNYC: the Street Design Manual (SDM), the Active Design
Guidelines (ADG), the Food Retail Expansion to Support Health (FRESH)
program, and the Bicycle Parking Amendment.

The SDM is a comprehensive resource for implementing world-class
street designs that support multimodal transportation and help achieve
environmental and other community goals. All city agencies working on
streetscape projects use guidance from the SDM when implementing new
ways of accessing transit, promoting bicycling, and providing or enhancing
public spaces in New York's diverse neighborhoods. The New York City
Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) used these guidelines to test a
protected bike lane along 9th Avenue, which, following analysis and positive
community response, led to 20 additional miles of protected bike lanes
throughout the city. Successful projects have encouraged other city agencies

-------
The redesigned Times Square includes
new pedestrian areas as a result of the
"Green Lights for Midtown" project,
a major initiative in the city's efforts to
improve mobility and safety, which was
implemented in April 2009.
                                  The FRESH program brings healthy food choices to
                                  underserved areas around the city.
The protected bike lane on 9th Avenue was installed
in fall 2007. In its first year, crashes involving all street
users were down 56 percent, while bicycle ridership
along the avenue increased 50 percent.
to implement policies that achieve multiple environmental and community goals.
For example, the emphasis on bicycle facilities in NYCDOT's Bicycle Network
Master Plan created demand for safe bike parking, which led to a change in zoning
legislation to require indoor bicycle parking in new multifamily residences. These
initiatives have proved effective, as commuter bicycling increased a staggering
220 percent from 2000 to 2009.

Building on the guidelines included in the SDM, the ADG are part of New York
City's effort to counter rising obesity rates by encouraging physical activity
and healthier living. The ADG includes the FRESH program, which identifies
underserved areas and  uses zoning and financial incentives to make it easier for
grocery stores to locate in those areas, giving residents easier access to healthy
food choices. The program is targeted toward densely populated communities
with low rates of car ownership and high rates of poverty and diet-related diseases
like obesity and diabetes. Other municipalities are already drawing from New York
City's experience with FRESH.

With these and other forward-thinking PlaNYC-inspired initiatives, New York City
will continue to be a model for sustainable communities.
                                                                                       "Over the past five years, the
                                                                                        greatest improvement to New
                                                                                        York City has been the focus
                                                                                        on reclaiming and repurposing
                                                                                        outdoor space for the public's
                                                                                        use. From bike lanes to
                                                                                        pedestrian plazas to new parks,
                                                                                        the ability to safely experience
                                                                                        the city on two wheels or two
                                                                                        feet is remarkable."

                                                                                                     — Jonathan Prosnit,
                                                                                                        Brooklyn resident

-------
Smart Growth  and Green Building
Millers Court
Baltimore City Department
of Housing and Community
Development, Seawall
Development Company,
Hamel Builders, and Marks,
Thomas Architects

Baltimore, Maryland

Miller's Court offers new
development and business
opportunities in the center of a
neighborhood that is transitioning
into a thriving, convenient
community. The project has
spurred new developments from
a small boutique bakery to a
200,000-square-foot mixed-use
development.

For More Information:
Thibault Manekin
Principal
Seawall Development Company
Tel: (443) 602-7516
tmanekin@seawalldevelopment.com
Miller's Court is a model of integrating mixed-use
redevelopment with preservation of a landmark historic
building and sustainable design principles to help revitalize
an entire community.

Located in Baltimore's historic Charles Village neighborhood, the renovated
Miller's Court is a model for adaptive reuse of historic structures in urban
neighborhoods. In a transitioning area of the city, this project directed
development towards the existing neighborhood and revitalized a
long-abandoned property to create new office and residential spaces.
The project has also been a catalyst for surrounding neighborhood
development by creating a sense of stability and demonstrating long-term
commitment to the community.

Miller's Court was planned and designed to intentionally build community.
The development was the first to take advantage of Baltimore's inclusionary
housing ordinance. Under the program, the developer received financial
support in exchange for ensuring that a percentage of the apartments
would be  affordable to moderate-income residents. Miller's Court's mixed-
use program consists of office and conference space targeted to local
non-profit organizations—particularly ones that support the school system
and Baltimore youth—coupled with 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartments.
These apartments are marketed to teachers new to Baltimore, such as those
in Teach for America. The city hopes that if these teachers and new city
residents enjoy their two years there, they will opt to continue to live and
teach in the city after their initial commitment period ends.

-------
Miller's Court residents can enjoy the
courtyard during the day and at night.
A view from a Miller's Court apartment with its large
windows for daylighting.
Miller's Court residents relax in the courtyard
during the day.
Miller's Court's success comes in part because it offers convenient, environmentally
friendly housing options. Tenants are close to many amenities, including a dry cleaner,
supermarket, pharmacy, banks, and restaurants. Miller's Court is pursuing Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) New Construction Gold certification and has
a brochure that explains its innovative features. These features include large windows
for natural daylighting, enhanced air ventilation filters for improved air quality, low
volatile organic compound (VOC) adhesives and paints to reduce pollutants in the air,
and a greenhouse on the premises. Commercial and residential tenants share a central
courtyard that fosters interaction with a mixture of plantings, open space, an outdoor
fireplace, and a bocce court. The surrounding  neighborhood has several nearby bus
lines that give residents access to the wider Baltimore region. Furthermore, most of
the residents teach in the same schools, which makes carpooling easier. The location,
sustainable materials, water and energy efficiency, natural lighting, indoor air quality,  and
innovative design process make Miller's Court an  attractive place to live and contribute
to the project's  success.
                                                          "[Miller's Court is] a
                                                           vision of collaboration
                                                           and neighborhood
                                                           revitalization realized in
                                                           the cooperation of the
                                                           non-profit organizations
                                                           with offices on site and
                                                           the residential tenants
                                                           within the Baltimore
                                                           community at large."

                                                                     — Oman Tbdd,
                                                                   Teach for America
                                                                         participant

-------
Programs, Policies,  and Regulations
Making the  Greatest  Place: Metros Strategic
Implementation of the  2040 Growth Concept
Metro

Portland, Oregon


Metro, the elected regional
government of the Portland area,
is encouraging sustainable land
use for future population growth
through  its Making the Greatest
Place effort, which builds on the
2040 Growth Concept.


For More Information:
Tom Kloster
Transportation Planning Manager
Metro
Tel: (503) 797-1832
tom.kloster@oregonmetro.gov
Community vitality, human and environmental health, and social
equity are key motivations behind the Making the Greatest
Place effort. They shape the major goals of every project,
program, and plan included in it—from providing access to
transportation choices to investing in compact communities to
preserving farms and forests.

In 2005, Metro forecast that the Portland metropolitan region would grow
by 600,000 people by 2030. To prepare for this growth, Metro initiated a
comprehensive policy and investment effort, Making the Greatest Place, to direct
growth toward central development and employment areas and transportation
corridors while protecting farms and forestland. Metro was able to implement
this effort because its Metro Council has the ability to make land use and
transportation decisions for the region.

Making the Greatest Place builds on the 2040 Growth Concept, the Portland
metropolitan region's long-range plan, developed through active participation
from thousands of Oregonians and adopted by the Metro Council in 1995. This
blueprint acknowledges population growth as inevitable while simultaneously
expressing the region's intent to incorporate growth within existing urban
areas as much as possible and expand the urban growth boundary only
when necessary. It calls for maintaining connections with nature, preserving
existing neighborhoods, strengthening employment and industrial areas, and
concentrating growth in designated centers. Since 1995, local governments
have amended their comprehensive plans and targeted public infrastructure to
designated growth areas.

-------
The Springwater Corridor is a popular
multi-use trail for both recreation and
commuting.
By building compact development projects, the regie
has relieved pressure on the urban growth boundary.
Portland residents and visitors wait for the light rail,
one of the city's many transportation options.
Metro addressed the growth forecasts through a comprehensive, coordinated approach,
embarking on a set of policy and investment initiatives in 2009 that were ultimately combined
into Making the Greatest Place. The three primary actions comprising this effort included:

1. Adoption of the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan, which outlines multimodal
  transportation investments;

2. Adoption of urban and rural reserves designations indicating which areas will be
  included in or excluded from growth over the next 40 to 50 years; and

3. Local policy and investment commitments to help the region better accommodate
  growth over the next 20 years.

Comprehensive transportation and land use and development components support Making
the Greatest Place. Transportation components include multimodal plans for regional
transportation and Metro's Active Transportation partnership. Land use and development
elements include identifying urban and rural reserves for future development or preservation
and Metro's transit-oriented development program. Among other outcomes, this approach
has helped facilitate increased travel choices. In fact, over 90 percent of the region's residents
live within half a mile of transit. The average Portland resident drives four fewer miles per day
than  residents of other comparable U.S cities. Together, the programs and policies created by
Making the Greatest Place are helping Portland's compact neighborhoods thrive and reducing
the need to expand the region's urban growth boundary.
                                                       "Since I moved to downtown
                                                        Portland 16 months ago, I
                                                        have rarely used my car. I get
                                                        to most of the places I want
                                                        to go via foot or bicycle and
                                                        only occasionally need to
                                                        combine transit into my trips.
                                                        The bicycle and pedestrian
                                                        facilities that Portland is
                                                        establishing downtown
                                                        and in other core area
                                                        neighborhoods enable me to
                                                        live the kind of lifestyle that
                                                        contributes not only to my
                                                        health but that of the planet."

                                                                        — Mary Vogel,
                                                                      Portland resident

-------
      Rural Smart Growth
      Gateway 1  Corridor Action  Plan
      Gateway 1 Communities
      and Maine Department of
      Transportation

      Maine


      The Gateway 1  Corridor Action
      Plan covers a 100-mile stretch
      along U.S. Route 1 from
      Brunswick in southern Maine
      to Stockton Springs, framing
      Maine's central  coast area. This
      collective effort by 20 towns is a
      noteworthy initiative to preserve
      the economy, environment, and
      quality of life along this regionally
      significant corridor.


      For More Information:
      Kat Beaudoin, AICP
      Chief of Planning
      Maine Department of Transportation
      Tel: (207) 624-3300
      kat.beaudoin@maine.gov
The collaboration among 20 independent towns along the
Gateway 1  corridor is a model for other communities that
want to preserve rural and scenic resources, particularly along
state highways.  In partnership with the Maine Department of
Transportation (MaineDOT), the towns created an action  plan
to direct growth toward designated core areas to protect the
corridor's "Main Street" feel and rural landscapes.

In 2005, representatives from the 20 towns formed a steering committee
and began collaborative planning efforts for preserving the scenic and rural
character along Route 1, a state highway critical to each town's economy. The
towns' mutual dependence on Route 1 provided incentives for collaboration
and resource allocation (both financial and technical) to help achieve common
goals. Through workshops and town meetings, the committee created the
Gateway 1 Corridor  Action Plan, a model for rural smart growth.

A Community-Centered Corridor (CCC) pattern of development is the action
plan's guiding element. Along the heavily traveled corridor, which functions
as a main street for many communities, a conduit for tourists in the summer,
a heavy-haul truck network, and a link to several of Maine's major employers,
this CCC approach is projected to reduce traffic congestion. The approach
will  also, for the first time, establish public transportation as a viable option
along the corridor, which is of particular interest to the area's older population.
Further, the plan is projected to reduce commercial strip development and
traffic on residential  roads. The CCC will cut the loss of rural lands and habitat
by a quarter over 30 years as well as conserve almost all of the priority scenic
10

-------
The city center of Bath has retained
its small-town feel due to the
Gateway 1 effort.
This scenic view along Route 1 as it passes through
Lincolnville shows the rural landscape that is being
preserved through the CCC pattern of development.
The Gateway 1 Steering Committee met to discuss
the best approach for the Corridor Action Plan, which
was adopted in July 2009.
views. It also lays the foundation for a projected 30 percent increase in local jobs—many
of which are seasona and low income—and prioritizes the need to enable workers to
live near their jobs.

To implement the CCC pattern of development, MaineDOT and the communities
agreed to a set of programmatic and financial commitments. Sixteen communities have
agreed to implement the action plan by amending their local plans and ordinances,
supported by $500,000 from MaineDOT. If the communities institutionalize this
agreement through a Corridor Coalition, then the state will provide another $1.3 million
in project  funding. The Corridor Coalition also creates a process to recommend priority
transportation investments to MaineDOT and provides a coordinated voice for regionally
significant land development proposals. In addition, MaineDOT will provide the coalition
with a biennial allocation to support the highest priority regional transportation needs.

The project innovations are particularly relevant for rural-but-suburbanizing corridors
where towns have limited data, resources, and staff, and where state agencies
could provide more sophisticated planning, data gathering, and outreach than
would otherwise occur. The action plan offers a model for sustaining the economy,
environment, and quality of life in small-town, scenic, rural corridors around the country.
                                                      "Route 1 is a public resource.
                                                       The Gateway 1 process
                                                       links the planning of
                                                       transportation improvements
                                                       and the planning of land
                                                       use together in order to
                                                       preserve this resource. We
                                                       need only look at Route 1
                                                       [outside of the Action Plan's
                                                       range] in York County to see
                                                       what the highway will look
                                                       like in 25 years if we are not
                                                       successful."

                                                                 — Jim Upham, AICP,
                                                          Steering Committee Member
                                                                   representing Bath
                                                                                                                    11

-------
       Civic  Places
       Mint Plaza
      City and County of San
      Francisco, Martin Building
      Company, CMG  Landscape
      Architects, and Sherwood
      Design Engineers

      San Francisco, California

      Mint Plaza, in downtown San
      Francisco, is a formerly derelict,
      city-owned alley converted
      into a lively public plaza and
      festival space with an innovative
      stormwater system. The project's
      contemporary design respects
      its historic context while also
      providing a flexible public place
      that brings the surrounding
      community together.

      For More Information:
      Michael Yarne
      Development Advisor
      Mayor's Office of Economic and
      Workforce Development
      Tel: (415) 554-6969
      michael.yarne@sfgov.org
As many municipalities struggle with limited resources to
improve and maintain the public realm, a local developer,
working with the city and county of San Francisco, successfully
transformed Jessie Street, a neglected city-owned alleyway,
into Mint Plaza, a neighborhood public space.

Since its completion in 2008, Mint Plaza has become a model of adaptive
public space design and a successful example of converting an automobile-
focused and previously unsafe alleyway into pedestrian-only civic space. As
a result, Mint Plaza now supports  various public gatherings-from a weekly
farmers' market to a seasonal "People in Plazas" event with free music and
dance performances-and enhances the neighborhood's public image.

Several nationally registered  historic warehouses and a decommissioned
U.S. Mint building frame the  18,000-square-foot plaza, creating an
intimately scaled outdoor "public living room." The transformation of Jessie
Street has attracted substantial new private investment into the surrounding
neighborhood, including four locally owned restaurants and cafes as well as
the renovation of the nearby San  Francisco Chronicle newspaper's former
headquarters. Three regional public transportation systems, including two
rai systems, are a two-minute walk from the plaza, which has helped attract
residents and businesses.

The project also exemplifies  a successful private-public partnership that
required minimal public investment-city funds comprised only $150,000 of
the project's $3.2 million capita budget. The developer, Martin Building
Company, created a Community Facilities District that levied a 30-year
special property tax on certain properties to provide the up-front funds
12

-------
Mint Plaza's outdoor walkway allows
residents to leisurely enjoy the
surrounding neighborhood.
A lunchtime concert is one of many events contributing to
the "public living room" of Mint Plaza.
The weekly farmers' market attracts
vendors to the plaza.
for the design and construction of the project through tax-exempt bonds. The
developer also formed a non-profit organization, Friends of Mint Plaza, to raise
funds to manage ongoing maintenance and programming on the plaza.

The plaza is a model for using sustainable design principles in dense urban
areas that require substantial amounts of paved surfaces. The plaza's shifting
planes direct rainwater into treatment gardens and an underground infiltration
basin, reducing runoff and helping to protect San Francisco Bay. This system is a
low-tech, easily reproducible design and is the first instance of fully integrating
an environmentally responsible design of this scale in a San Francisco public
open space. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission now uses this system
as a model for other projects.

The plaza has been a catalyst for improvements in the neighborhood and
greater city. As the surrounding neighborhood adds more residences and
businesses, the design's simplicity will ensure that the plaza can adapt to new
activities and a changing downtown.
                                                "As a resident, Mint Plaza functions
                                                 as our urban 'front yard' and
                                                 provides a safe and nurturing
                                                 environment for my son and his
                                                 friends. As such, the plaza has
                                                 already created a unique sense
                                                 of public space ownership in a
                                                 sometimes impersonal downtown.
                                                 Residents view the plaza as  a
                                                 place for living rather than merely
                                                 a public park or a conduit to get
                                                 from here to there."

                                                                — William Duncanson
                                                     Mint Plaza neighborhood resident;
                                                          Principal, Salazar Duncanson
                                                                    Birchall Architects
                                                                                                                    13

-------
       Continuing  Achievements  of  Past Award  Winners
Street improvements have enhanced pedestrian access
to shops, retail, and housing throughout Charlotte.
Abyssinian Development Corporation remains
committed to bringing affordable homeownership to
Harlem residents and recently renovated two buildings
into 32 condominium units.
14
City of Charlotte Urban Street Design Guidelines,
Charlotte, North Carolina
2009 - Policies and Regulations

Since 2009, the city of Charlotte has continued to use the Urban Street Design
Guidelines (USDG) to create complete streets. Over the past year, 35 street,
intersection, sidewalk, or streetscape projects have been completed, including the
second phase of East Boulevard where a five-lane street was converted into a three-
lane complete street. In a major step towards full implementation of the USDG, city
staff are introducing amendments to the subdivision, zoning, and tree ordinances.
These amendments require by-right land development projects to provide better and
more complete streets. These efforts are intended to provide Charlotteans with more
transportation options, healthier and more appealing neighborhoods,  and the long-
term benefits that great streets bring to a community.
Abyssinian  Neighborhood Project, Harlem, New York
2007 - Equitable Development

The original community development initiative involved the building of 200 affordable
housing units,  planning for 200 additional units, new commercial space in renovated
buildings, and job training resources for the community. In 2008, Abyssinian
Development Corporation began renovations for Abyssinian Towers, a senior housing
complex. The corporation has pledged to keep rents affordable for 40 years. All of
the apartments are reserved for seniors aged 62 or older with incomes at or below
60 percent of New York City's average median income. The corporation received
loans from HUD and New York State's Housing Finance Agency, federal Low-Income
Housing Tax Credits, and a real estate tax exemption from the city. In light of their
success, developers involved in the Abyssinian project have also been  consulted in the
redevelopment of other neighborhoods across the country.

-------
Old Town, Wichita, Kansas
2006 - Built Projects

Old Town received the award in 2006 for revitalizing warehouses and a
light industrial district into a successful mixed-use neighborhood. The
warehouses were originally used for retail and storage along the old train
lines but were abandoned when the freight industry shifted away from
rail. Since 2006, the revitalization of Old Town has continued its success.
In 2008, the American Planning Association named Old Town one of
the 10 Great Neighborhoods of that year. It is now home to more than
130 businesses, and Amtrak service may be extended between Wichita
and Oklahoma City, which would bring Wichita's history full circle with the
train once again part of the city's identity.
Downtown Wichita's historic streets are home to
abandoned warehouses that have now been converted
into new businesses and homes.

Pasadena, California
2005 - Policies and Regulations

Since 2005, the Pasadena City Council has continued to improve quality
of life while protecting the environment. In 2008, the council approved
stricter amendments to previous green building standards, including
requiring LEED Silver certification for new municipal buildings and
requiring all new projects to register with the U.S. Green Building Council.
The city also offers LEED-accredited professional experts to guide new
projects through the LEED process at no cost to the applicant, and
$1,000 rebates are offered for every affordable housing unit provided in a
green building.


The Art Center College of Design's South Campus
building, originally a 1940s-era aircraft testing facility,
has been renovated as a LEED-certified green building
featuring a roof-top  garden with drought-resistant plants
to reduce stormwater runoff.
                                                                                                                      15

-------
       Acknowledgements
       Thanks to our Review Panel  Members

       Mike Bellamente
       National Association of Development Organizations

       Story Bellows
       National Endowment for the Arts

       Elizabeth Blazevich
       American Architectural Foundation

       Deeohn Ferris
       Sustainable Development Group

       Frank Giblin
       General Services Administration

       Liz Guthrie
       American Society of Landscape Architects

       Anita Hairston
       Policy Link

       Scott Kratz
       National Building Museum

       Doug Loescher
       National Trust for Historic Preservation

       Dwayne S. Marsh
       U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Joel Mills
American Institute of Architects

Cynthia Nikitin
Project for Public Spaces

Danilo Pelletiere
National Low Income Housing Coalition

Jeff Price
Federal Transit Administration

Chris Pyke
U.S. Green Building Council

Sharlene Reed
Federal Highway Administration

Richard Reinhard
Downtown DC Bus/ness Improvement District

Dru Schmidt-Perkins
7000 Friends of Maryland

Sam Zimbabwe
Reconnecting America
16

-------
Photo Credits

Front cover: Photo courtesy of EPA

How Smart Growth Protects the Environment (page 2):
Lakewood, CO: Photo courtesy of Denver Regional Transportation District
San Francisco, CA: Photo courtesy of Mercy Housing California and San Francisco Housing Authority
Lancaster, PA: Photo courtesy of Lancaster County Planning Commission

Award Winners (pages 5-14):  Photos courtesy of award winners unless otherwise noted

Smart Growth and Green Building, Baltimore, MD (page 8): Two left-hand photos courtesy of Marks, Thomas Architects;
far right-hand photo courtesy of Seawall Development Company

Civic Places, San  Francisco, CA (page 14): Photos courtesy of Martin Building Company

Continuing Achievements of Past Winners (pages 15-16):
City of Charlotte Urban Street Design Guidelines: Photo courtesy of the City of Charlotte
Abyssinian Neighborhood Project: Photo courtesy of Abyssinian Development Corporation
Old Town, Wichita, Kansas: Photo courtesy of Wichita Downtown Development Corporation
Pasadena, California: Photo courtesy of the City of Pasadena
National Building Museum
 NATIONAL
 BIMI 1HNC
 MUSEUM
            The 2010 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement ceremony was held at the National Building
            Museum in Washington, DC on December 1. The National Building Museum, created by an act of Congress
            in 1980, is America's leading cultural institution dedicated to exploring and celebrating architecture, design,
            engineering, construction, and urban planning. Since opening its doors in 1985, 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.
                                                                                                                     17

-------
NATIONAL AWARD FOR
AC H    V   M   N

-------