Idaho Smart Growth

Creating Quality Infill

Infill development can create vibrant, healthy communities, preserve air quality, provide affordable housing, and promote economic vitality. Infill takes advantage of existing infrastructure, therefore minimizing additional costs to taxpayers. Infill can create the kind of density needed to support public transportation and strong local economies.  On the other hand, poorly designed infill can burden neighborhoods and gives density a “bad name,” making it increasingly difficult to create strong, vibrant communities  , while outdated policies and regulations can make infill difficult and expensive.

In 2008, Idaho Smart Growth and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) completed a study examining infill projects to determine if the feared consequences voiced by neighborhoods during the approval process could be substantiated. This was among the first, if not the first, research of its kind.
The final report is an important tool for local decision makers, neighborhoods, and planners. A critical next step is to translate conclusions into policy recommendations so that local communities can allow and encourage highly beneficial infill development.

Partnering again with ULI, Idaho Smart Growth produced a report including model ordinance language and recommendations ranked by priority and hold public workshops. The recommendations will be distributed to planning departments, neighborhood leaders and developer groups. You can download the report here , the executive summary here, and the powerpoint presentation here.

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