Smart
growth supports the integration of mixed land
uses into communities as a critical component
of achieving better places to live. By putting
uses in close proximity to one another, alternatives
to driving, such as walking or biking, once
again become viable. Mixed land uses also provides
a more diverse and sizable population and commercial
base for supporting viable public transit. It
can enhance the vitality and perceived security
of an area by increasing the number and attitude
of people on the street. It helps streets, public
spaces and pedestrian-oriented retail again
become places where people meet, attracting
pedestrians back onto the street and helping
to revitalize community life.
Mixed
land uses can convey substantial fiscal and
economic benefits. Commercial uses in close
proximity to residential areas are often reflected
in higher property values, and therefore help
raise local tax receipts. Businesses recognize
the benefits associated with areas able to attract
more people, as there is increased economic
activity when there are more people in an area
to shop. In today's service economy, communities
find that by mixing land uses, they make their
neighborhoods attractive to workers who increasingly
balance quality of life criteria with salary
to determine where they will settle. Smart growth
provides a means for communities to alter the
planning context which currently renders mixed
land uses illegal in most of the country.
