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New Urbanism - What is It, and How Does it Benefit Us?

Have you heard of new urbanism? Or Smart Growth? Do you have a clue as to what these are or how they impact us? Are these some cute new buzzwords in the real estate world? Not at all!

Chances are you may have heard of one of these already. But if not, you likely will. And you will be hearing more and more, as single buildings as well as municipalities around the country embrace the new urbanism emphasis on design for communities which are livable, with greater appreciation for environmental impact, ecology and energy efficiency.

And Smart Growth initiatives, such as in Carlsbad, will become more widespread in order to cope with population growth, traffic, and resources in our communities by focusing on improved planning and development.

New urbanism is a school of thought based on urban and residential design of the 1900s which emphasized pedestrians but without ignoring those who commuted. And we are seeing it in more and more communities throughout the US.

San Elijo Hills, a master planned community adjacent to Carlsbad (to the east), exemplifies the principles of New Urbanism. These principles include:

walkability (many residents can walk to the town center and amenities like shopping, a media center, library, park and more)
a mix of housing (single family detached homes, condominiums, affordable housing, varied pricing)
diversity of use (residential, retails, office, educational) and residents (ages, races, economic groups)
interconnectivityof streets (flow of traffic eased through a hierarchical grid of smaller one-way streets, improving walkability; a pedestrian network)
urban design and quality architecture (many homes are built with porches and hidden garages, in enduring styles like Craftsman, and an overall emphasis on beauty, comfort and use of space)
a traditional neighborhood structure (with an obvious center and edge - there IS a town square with fountain, surrounded by a park - and a mix of uses and densities within a fairly limited area
smart transportation (no train)s here, but roads link the community to other communities, and the pedestrian-friendly design allows for increased used of non-vehicular transportation)
and more

New urbanism benefits cities, developers, residents and local businesses. But to be effective it must be incorporated into the early planning and development. And these principles must be considered in the zoning codes.

Unlike so many subdivisions in Southern California, San Elijo Hills, in San Marcos, was planned from the very beginning to incorporate residential, landscape and urban design that would create a more livable, walkable, and neighborly community.

It is more than a master planned community because of the design features incorporated into the landscape, preservation of the environment, the layout and placement of buildings, architectural styles, grid structure of streets, location of resident amenities, schools and civic services, the emphasis on walking, and much more.

More and more communities appear to be taking issues such as these into the planning for their growth and development, and to more effectively cope with burgeoning populations, increased traffic, need for more adequate and affordable housing, and environmental issues.

Unfortunately, as the New Urbanism website points out, many communities have zoning codes already in place that restrict, or perhaps prohibit new urbanism from being built, so there are obstacles to overcome. However, coalitions like Smart Growth America, elected officials, city planners, developers, urban planners and many others continue to work toward improving our communities, and in turn to deal with the serious negative impact on the environment, such as global warming and pollution.

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JEFF DOWLER, ABR, CRS, e-PRO, SRES, Ph.D., REALTOR

RE/MAX Associates - Encinitas (760) 840-1360 direct or text

Email: Jdowler@remax.net

Website: www.jeffdowler.com

Posted by Jeff Dowler ~ Carlsbad Real Estate ~ 760-840-1360 on 09/26/2007 01:16 AM

Comments (34)

carlsbad, san elijo hills, san elijo hills homes, san marcos, jeff dowler, buyers, sellers, agents

This post has been included in California Information San Diego County, CA Information San Marcos, CA Information

34 Comments on New Urbanism - What is It, and How Does it Benefit Us?

SEP

2007

Hi Jeff - Not only am I getting to know you, but your gorgeous community, too! That's an added bonus!

Mr. Carlsbad,

You really know what is happening around your area.

Jeff - I love these. I think it is so interesting how urbanisms become part of the cultural lexicon and then actually become words. Every year Websters adds some of these words - then not only do they have street cred, they are actually legit. This year they added: "ginormous" now officially defined as "extremely large: humongous". Maybe some of these words will ultimately gain the prestige of being added to the dictionary. One can only assume that this would be the ultimate nod for an urbanism. ;)

Your localism posts are incredible,full of great content and need I say the photos anchor me to continue reading! I see you as an expert and if I had to move to Carlsbad I would be calling Jeff Dowler!

Thank you, Linda. What a nice thing to say! Adn in my first comment, too! I find that I am continuing to learn a great deal about the area as well.

Jeff

Neal - wow, another compliment. Thanks.

Jeff

Maureen - It IS interesting, isn't it. I find this whole concept intriguing and am glad it is gaining momentum. I read a lot about the new urbanism and it is kinda scary to hear about the issus and how many of the steps towns take, thinking they are improving things (adding more roads, for example) actually contribute further to the sprawl, and related issues. And I have never heard of ginormous - where have I been?

Jeff

Hey Michele - thanks for the kind words. I guess that really IS the goal of our localism posts, isn't it? Glad it makes a positive impression.

Jeff

Jeff - This kind of lifestyle can be an interesting change for those of us who live in houses where we need to hop into the car to get to everything. A friend of mine lived in a high rise while remodeling his home. Whenever they needed anything, they hoppped into the elevator and walked to one of the shops or stores that were just outside their building. They sure enjoyed the convenience of having everything - groceries, restaurants and even a movie theatre just outside their front door.

We are seeing a bump in interest in this concept here in Lancaster County - but no project has gotten off the ground as of yet.

Jeff, I had not heard that term before, but reading about it here in your Post I would have to say that it is a concept that should be pursued every where else.

Marlene - you are so right. What I find appealing in the focus on the design and concerns about the environment, Many folks are so used to having their cars (and wanting them) that to make a switch to a community where they are not needed much would be a huge change. But when you consider the impact on the environment, it makes so much sense.

Jeff

Jeff - this sort of design is picking up speed and interest around the country. I suspect we will see dramataic changes over the next decade, espeically as concerns about globall warming, traffic, housing n general, and so on become more prevalent and issues that community leaders are forced to deal with.

Jeff

George- I tend to agree. It is a challenge in many communities because of resistance from developers, zoning folks, and residents. But as land becomes more scarce I think more and more development will need to consider these issues, and the public will become more interested. We are seeing changes already here in CA.

Jeff

I've lived in a high rise in Phoenix (perhaps the epitome of sprawl) for three years and love it. I was a bit concerned when I got married two years ago that my wife would not enjoy the lifestyle and would eventually want to leave. Fortunately she loves it too. Living and participating in an "urban" community provides a more neighborly and intimate environment; almost like a small town feel and yet in the middle of a huge city. W

Jeff - This is excellent - I think you have aptly answered questions many did not know the answer to. We have a couple of these rising here in Indy.

SEP

2007

When I first heard the term with the "new" attached to it I chuckled. It's the same concept of the "old" town I grew up in.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Jeff- I would really like to see more of these projects that offer a mix of commercial and residential.. I think it is the way of the future for much of CA

Jeff - This is the first I've heard of new urbanism. The concept is phenomenal. I'd like to see it catch on in Temecula - Murrieta. Hey... are you going to the CAR EXPO?

The 3,000 square footer on a .75 acre lot is falling slowly out of favor with planning experts. Lancaster is looking for more initiative from builders for high-density development. Farmland is precious....

Will- I think more and more people will see the advantages of this sort of living. Those who are used to having yards and green space find it difficult to transition. But the tradeoffs are the nearby amenities (restaurants and shopping), less need for a car, and so on. There is a great deal of this sort of living being built, or recently built in downtown San Diego and folks are fairly rapidly buying them up and moving in. Downtown is growing!

Jeff

Thanks, Paula. The more I learn the more interested I become in these concepts. Clearly things need to be done to deal with the housing and traffic issues we face, as do many other communities.

Jeff

Elaine - ha ha. I think that is the point, though. That we are moving back toward design that really worked well in the past, but needing to take into account new technology, increased housing costs, more people, traffic, environmental and energy efficiency, and other issues.

Jeff

Kaye- I agree. And I think we WILL see more as there is increased pressure from groups that support this sort of development, and if the government becomes more proactive around the global warming issues. We have a ways to go, though.

Jeff

Tom - thanks for your thoughts, and I agree. I think we will see more and more of this, especially in areas where there is room for development. And the town's planning boards are willing to embrace these issues.

I will be at the CAR expo on Tech Tuesday for sure and probably also Wednesday. We should catch up!

Jeff

Jeff - we are seeing that here, too. But in some areas open land is disappearing fast, and it seems not in a planful or controlled way. We have a ways to go on these issues.

Jeff

Carlsbad, it's a mighty pretty town, you have there. Thanks for the photos.

Jeff,

New urbanism is a great concept and is gaining acceptance all over the place. Even here in Southern Nevada developers are now building communities with that in mind. It's also eco-forward type of building that is slowly becoming the movement of the century.

Robert - I think so too. And the weather ain't too bad either. :)

Jeff

Esko- Glad to hear that it is spreading in your area too. I imagine there is more around than we know about but I suspect that will change over time. I think in combination with the green/eco-building movement we are headed in the right direction, but so much more needs to be done, and soon.

Jeff

SEP

2007

I've always viewed the Irvine Company (up in Irvine) as being well ahead of the development curve - they've done some nice work, planning in parks and greenways, mixing SFRs and townhomes.

Jeff, you're correct that zoning laws can interfere with the good to be accomplished by nurturing "smart growth" communities.

My business partner and I attempted to create one of these communities on the south shore of Lake Superior and the local zoning folks killed the idea. Less than two years after it was rejected, I would run into former members of the zoning committee on the street who would confide in me that it was unfortunate the plan didn't go through.