Smart Growth & Urban Infill- Working with Sierra Club Task Force

The Sierra Club updated and approved its Urban Infill Policy in 2019. The Board of Directors then appointed a task force of experts to create a guidance document for activists to use to advocate for smart growth and good infill development in their communities. Being asked to serve on this task force was an honor. To provide meaningful guidance to activists across the country in applying the organization’s Urban Infill Policy at the local level, we included an overview of how land-use decisions get made, how to get involved in the process to ensure that urban infill policies are included in local plans and ordinances, what types of housing and transportation projects, plans, and policies members can support and oppose; and how to guarantee adequate and meaningful public participation, especially by historically underrepresented groups. The task force members worked hard over a period of eighteen months. Urban infill is defined as adding new development to already developed neighborhoods, increasing density through new housing, as well as commercial, retail, and public facilities. It is a key strategy for minimizing sprawl and vehicle miles traveled, both of which are Sierra Club priorities in order to advance climate action, public health, and environmental justice.

Sierra Club Smart Growth & Urban Infill