Habitat Protection Program
Sprawl, Smart Growth, and Citizen Action

Compact Development and Its Benefits Today, new development is increasingly being built in distant locations, adding to commute times and fuel costs for those who drive to work. Additionally, as budgets shrink, local and state governments must contend with the rising costs required to effectively and safely service their sprawling communities. By directing new development back to urban centers, cities can be re-energized and neighborhoods can become more culturally vibrant and economically diverse. By redirecting new development away from more rural, undeveloped areas, green space and environmentally sensitive areas are avoided.

Communities with greater populations offer better investment incentives to businesses and improve the likelihood of better public transportation services for community residents. 

The benefits of compact development include:                

• Reducing automobile travel, which improves commute times and traffic congestion, and reduces gas consumption
• Providing incentives for neighborhood retail and amenities such as boutiques, groceries, coffee houses, and sidewalk cafés
• Encouraging walking and biking, which promotes a healthier lifestyle and reduces car emissions
• Creating more secure and friendlier neighborhoods – people living in more compact communities are more likely to walk, shop locally, and know their neighbors
• Allowing for more public parks and biking and walking trails as well as natural areas
• Providing opportunities for affordable housing for a greater number of people by including a variety of housing options such as garden homes, townhouses, duplexes, and single family homes

This street in Seaside, Florida shows how attractive a compact development can be.

Compact neighborhoods mix residential and retail, which promotes walkability (i.e. less dependence on the car) and a strong economy.