Is there a “compact, mixed-use community” in your future? Probably. But it won’t be near a “sensitive area” — lakeside, riverside, seaside, forest or farm.
Many Americans may find themselves living in a TOD — a “transit oriented development” — where people can walk or bike from their (compact) homes to their jobs or the shopping center.
The advantages of such planned, future development include membership in political organizations and community groups, according to an EPA report released on Monday.
In 148 pages, the EPA advocates locating new development away from “sensitive areas,” choosing previously developed sites near transit hubs instead. It advocates the construction of “compact, mixed-used communities” that are convenient for bicyclists and pedestrians; and the use of “green building” techniques, such as natural lighting to conserve energy.
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