Building Livable Communities [View All]

[Telly Savalas]

Making our cities and towns livable is an issue which has completely disappeared from the radar in the United States. At present, suburban sprawl is the primary form of new development. This mode of development encourages reliance on single passenger motor vehicles, pits local governments against one another, exacerbates problems of economic inequality, and is a nightmare for the environment. ( see http://www.urban.org/pubs/urbansprawl/one.htm )


Whatever one thinks of Bill Clinton, it must be acknowledged that the Clinton-Gore Livability Agenda was a step in the right direction. The goals of the program were to:

• Preserve green spaces that promote clean air and clean water, sustain wildlife, and provide families with places to walk, play and relax.

• Ease traffic congestion by improving road planning, strengthening existing transportation systems, and expanding use of alternative transportation.

• Restore a sense of community by fostering citizen and private sector involvement in local planning, including the placement of schools and other public facilities.

• Promote collaboration among neighboring communities -- cities, suburbs or rural areas -- to develop regional growth strategies and address common issues like crime.

• Enhance economic competitiveness by nurturing a high quality of life that attracts well-trained workers and cutting-edge industries.

(from http://www.smartgrowth.org/library/gore_pr11199.html )

It's time for the leaders of the Democratic Party to make a stand on this issue. The federal government needs to be a partner to local governments to encourage and empower them to restore sanity to their development policies.