A development of place and of purpose.
What is sometimes called the “cottage community” movement started in the Seattle area in 1998. One of the earliest projects, Third Street Cottages in Langley, Washington, sold out quickly to buyers who were active singles and couples between the ages of forty and sixty-five. They included a computer software trainer, graphic artist, musician, secretary, realtor, retired librarian, attorney, and a therapist. Nearly all owned only one automobile. Consisting of eight houses, Third Street Cottages sparked widespread interest, drew attention from the national media, received numerous awards, and inspired others, to advance the concept. Dozens of successful cottage projects have since been completed in the Pacific Northwest, and the trend is now moving to other parts of the country.
The emergent concern about sustainability—of the environment and of our communities—is causing people to revisit more traditional forms of neighborhood development that minimize car use, provide walkable streets, offer proximity to transit, and allow meaningful social interaction and a sense of community.
A pocket neighborhood like Concord Riverwalk provides the experience of a single-family, detached house while taking up less land and reversing the decades-long trend of bigger and bigger homes. It allows for more traditional social interactions and sense of community and creates the appropriate physical structure for a true neighborhood.
Smart Growth: Answering the call for more thoughtful living
Smart Growth is a national movement emerging from today’s call for smaller, smarter homes. Smart Growth is exactly what it sounds like – the development of communities that offer more choices, greater personal freedom, good return on public investment, greater opportunity for all citizens, a thriving natural environment, and a legacy we can be proud to leave our children and grandchildren.
When communities choose smart growth strategies, they create new neighborhoods and maintain existing ones that are attractive, convenient, safe, and healthy. They foster design that encourages social, civic, and physical activity. They protect the environment while stimulating economic growth. Most of all, they create more choices for residents, workers, visitors, children, families, single people, and older adults—choices about where to live, how to get around, and how to interact with the people around them. When communities do this kind of planning, they preserve the best of their past while creating a bright future for generations to come.
A Smart Growth strategy enables:
- Managed growth and development that improves our communities
- Opportunity for all and fulfillment of the American Dream
- User-friendly places designed for people
- Safe, convenient neighborhoods with homes people can afford
- Healthy communities for all ages
- Good stewardship of taxpayer money
- Dependable, efficient modes of transportation
- Protection and preservation of our natural heritage and working lands
- A lasting legacy in our communities
