Useful Links

While there are many aspects of smart planning, and literally hundreds of resources on that and other related subjects, such as sprawl, planning, sustainability, and community development, we have chosen these links to other sites for your use. We have found them extremely helpful and informative. If you wish to "nominate" future supportive links to appear on our site, please don't hesitate to contact us with your suggestions.

• Smart Growth Online
  About Smart Growth

  In communities across the nation, there is a growing concern that current development patterns -- dominated by what some call "sprawl" -- are no longer in the long-term interest of our cities, existing suburbs, small towns, rural communities, or wilderness areas. Though supportive of growth, communities are questioning the economic costs of abandoning infrastructure in the city, only to rebuild it further out. Spurring the smart growth movement are demographic shifts, a strong environmental ethic, increased fiscal concerns, and more nuanced views of growth. The result is both a new demand and a new opportunity for smart growth.
  

• New Rules
  
• Local Government Commision
  About The Local Government Commission

  A nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization, the Local Government Commission (LGC) is composed of forward-thinking elected officials, city and county staff, and other interested individuals. Commission members are committed to developing and implementing local solutions to problems of state and national significance.

• Rocky Mountain Institute

  Rocky Mountain Institute is an entrepreneurial, nonprofit organization that fosters the efficient and restorative use of resources to create a more secure, prosperous, and life-sustaining world.

• Institute for Local Self-Reliance

  The Institute for Local Self Reliance (ILSR) is a small organization with a remarkable track record for breaking new ground in promoting sustainable communities. In 1978 RAIN magazine described ILSR as an organization that "puts hard numbers on soft dreams". In 1993 United States Senator Paul Wellstone called ILSR "one of this country's leading practical thinkers in the area of sustainable economic development".

• Main Street National Trust for Historic Preservation
  What the Main Street Program is doing in America's communities

  Since 1980, the National Main Street Center has been working with communities across the nation to revitalize their historic or traditional commercial areas. Based in historic preservation, the Main Street approach was developed to save historic commercial architecture and the fabric of American communities' built environment, but has become a powerful economic development tool as well.
  

• Sierra Business Council

  The Sierra Business Council (SBC) is a nonprofit association of more than five hundred businesses, agencies, and individuals working to secure the economic and environmental health of the Sierra Nevada region for this and future generations. Founded in 1994 and based in Truckee, California, the council explicitly rejects the notion that Sierra communities must choose between economic and environmental health. On the contrary, we view environmental quality as key to the Sierra Nevada’s economic prosperity, and natural resource conservation as essential to building regional wealth.

• Sustainable Communities Network
  About Sustainable Communities

  Imagine what a safe, livable, healthy community might look like. Around the country citizens are coming together to create a vision of what their community might be and to develop steps toward making these visions come true. Alternatively called "healthy," livable" or sustainable communities, these efforts are integrative, inclusive and participatory. In many communities -- large and small, rural and urban -- issues are being addressed in an interconnected manner. They are demonstrating how innovative strategies can produce communities that are more environmentally sound, economically prosperous, and socially equitable.

• Collaborative Economics
  ADVISORS TO CIVIC ENTREPRENEURS

  We seek out civic entrepreneurs who have the passion, vision, and commitment to blaze a new pathway for their community. They understand that a new kind of leadership is required to create great places, with thriving economies and world-class quality of life.

• Alliance for Regional Stewardship
  Regional stewards are leaders who are committed to the long-term well-being of their regions.

  Regional Stewards recognize the interdependencies between four spheres: new economy, livable community, social inclusion, and governance. They work across boundaries of jurisdiction, sector, and discipline to connect these four spheres and create opportunities for their region.

• The Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse

  The Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse mission is to make the tools, techniques, and strategies developed to manage growth, accessible to citizens, grassroots organizations, environmentalists, public officials, planners, architects, the media and business leaders. At the Clearinghouse we identify, collect, compile, and disseminate information on the best land use practices, for those listed above.

• Environmental League of Massachusetts

  The Environmental League of Massachusetts is dedicated to protecting the air, water, and land for the people of the commonwealth. We do this by voicing citizens' concerns, educating the public, advocating for strong environmental laws, and ensuring that our laws are implemented and enforced.

• Cape Cod Commission Meeting Schedule