Constrained Policies

LAND USE AND HOUSINGHOW LAND USE ANDHOUSING POLICESPRODUCE MULTIPLEBENEFITSSecurity and Emergency Preparedness:Balanced growth minimizinggreenfield development at urbanfringes reduces exposure to wildfiresand other natural disastersthat can tax our public safety services.Public Health: Neighborhoods thatgenerate fewer and shorter vehicletrips and greater transit andnon-motorized use mean better airquality and fewer dangerous pollutants.Environmental Justice: By cleaningup and redeveloping brownfieldsand providing urban parks, citiescan revitalize urban cores whereresidents have too often been subjectedto environmental hazards.Climate Change: Mixed land useswith access to transportation cansave residents up to 512 gallons ofgasoline per year and reduce over4 metric tons of CO 2per year.All cities in the region are encouraged to adopt greenbuilding standards by 2012 (green building standards aspart of local planning and permitting represents a key elementof the Compass Blueprint Growth Vision – sustainability.Green building will also be a key to achieving thesustainability goals identified in the Water, Solid Waste,Energy and Air Quality chapters of this RCP.).19