What is Smart Growth

Smart Growth is when a city sets boundaries to avoid the loss of Green land. The plan is to concentrate the growth of a new city in the center instead of building further out. This plan will include building cluster homes near retail centers and parks. It is considered a mix-used development with a range of housing choice.

The developers are required to build homes with available and walk able sidewalks, with public transportation easily accessible and bicycle friendly lane.

Walkable paths are important. I used to live in Azusa where 40% of the residential areas do not have sidewalks. For this reason, I did less walking. I drove everywhere because it was not an easy walking experience when you have two kids and trying to avoid oncoming traffic, yet you really had no firm spot or pathway to walk on. Pretty much were walked on the streets and shared it with cars. So after several attempts, I decided I would not take a walk to the store anymore. I drove. However, I love walking and in my last resident, I was within walking distance to the nearby pharmacy and love to walk there during the weekend. Sometimes we drive to the nearest park. Then I take my little girl and put her on the stroller and we would walk to the supermarket which was a block away from the park. I would do my weekend grocery shopping.

List five tools cities can use to promote smart growth?

1. Concentrate development along mass transportation routes

2. Limit building permits.

3. Issue growth boundaries.

4. Build the cities around a greenbelt.

5. Promote cluster housing development

Ban motor vehicles in certain cities. Establish car free areas. This will promote the use of public transportation. The government should use the fees generated from increase taxes for driving on certain roads and peak hours to build more public transportation. It is only fair that public transportation is cheaper than driving your own car. I remember when I got my first job; it was located in Downtown LA. The streets in Downtown LA are very congested. I lived only 3 miles from home but had to transfer at least 3 different buses before I can arrive home. This was a hassle. However, overtime the fare for the buses increased tremendously. Living in LA can be confusing. There are different types of public transportation and each one has their own rules and passes. How is anyone able to keep up with it? There are also different zone? The bus pass should be used to take you anywhere. If I use the buses as my only means of transportation to everywhere, I may have to buy all the different types of passes and carry them with me all the time. That would probably cost as much as having a car without the hassle.

MONTHLY PASSESBaseZone
1Zone
2Zone
3Zone
4Zone
5

LADOT Pass$40$56$71$86$99-

Metro Pass
$52
$67
$82
-
-
-

EZ transit pass
$58
$73
$88
$103
$118
$133

Reduce automobile dependent. Make public transportation more accessible. The public transportation in my area does not serve the need of the community. Many LA county residents commute to Orange County for work. There should be public transportation that has direct service to Orange County.

Employers should promote carpool and public transportation. If employer's issues free bus passes to employees, more employees will take the bus. There should be consideration to weather as well. The employers should be flexible and allow the employee to leave early and rainy days.

Walkway. Build more friendly walkways. I would prefer the kind that shields you from wind, rain and the sun. Like the one similar in the picture found in Brazil. Southern California weather can be really hot and walking in your shoes and office attire is not easiest. Waiting for the bus is also a waste of time sometimes. It would be advisable that the schedules of the bus are posted at each stop. It is better than asking the commuters to carry a book of each scheduled pick up. This will save time for example, If I arrive at the bus stop 6:00pm, and the next stop is not coming until 6:30, I know that I can run into the store across the street and purchase a few items. This way I use my time wisely.

1. Concentrate development along mass transportation routes

2. Limit building permits.

3. Issue growth boundaries.

4. Build the cities around a greenbelt.

5. Promote cluster housing development

These tools can be effective in my community because there would not be another plaza being built in the middle of an already developed city. This will only generate more pollution and traffic. If there is already a retail center nearby within walking distance that is good enough for the area. Building and designing new home development along mass transportation routes reduces the time it takes to enter the highway. It will also encourage more public transportation usage because it is convenient.

I remember the recent dilemma in 2004. Residents and council men fought the building of new Wal-mart center on an abandoned lot. When I look at the situation then I thought Wal-mart is causing problem by building a huge superstore in the middle of a residential area. However, according to Smart Growth this is advisable and a good solution. I notice the neighborhood I am living in do not have a retail store within walking distance we can purchase our daily necessity from. So the Wal-mart center serves the purpose, allowing for convenience and walking distance. This complements the neighborhood instead of destroying the neighborhoods. It makes sense to promote cluster housing development. Wal-mart employed a lot of workers who live around the area and can walk to work daily.

I would like to walk to the park more often. Building homes around neighboring parks, a lake is ideal. The trees will absorb of the pollution and also reduces some of the traffic noise (After-all the neighborhood is built along a mass transportation route)