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14 Planning November 2001 Smart Money- By Michael Barrette Smart growth plans are m, Y but local - overnments have a hard time fm chn the cash to carry out the mandates. arlierois year,city conventional means.It has set aside money in when it comes to helping communities pre- officials in Rochester,New York,completed a its annual budget for comprehensive planing. pare smart growth plans.Wisconsin is one.In groundbreaking new comprehensive plan. It also has dedicated a portion of its federal 1999, the state legislature passed a measure "Rochester2010:The Renaissance Plan,"which Community Development Block Grant allot- requiring every city,village,county,and town took two-and-a-half years to prepare, is ori- ment to planning. While CDBG funds are to produce a comprehensive plan that meets ented toward smart growth;.it encourages often associated with large-scale projects such certain standards.The legislation outlined 14 pedestrian-friendly design and increased den- as land assembly and convention center devel- goals for the local plans,correlating with goals sines in 28 design districts. Zoning director opment, planning is also a legitimate use of set for state agencies.They include:encourag- Margaret Wuerstle says the city is now rewrit- the money—if a city has the political will to ing urban redevelopment; providing trans- ing its zoning code to reflect the goals of the dedicate funds to this cause. portation alternatives; protecting natural at- new plan and has already begun work on an In Rochester,says Wuerste,that will comes eas,farmland,and forests;promoting affordable update. directly from the mayors office. For the past housing;and fostering intergovernmental co- several years,smart growth has been high on operation. And who is paying for all this the agenda of Mayor William A.Johnson,Jr. According to Dave Ciesliewicz, executive 1E planning? "The mayor understands the concepts and director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, the In most communities,truth be told,funding the importance ofsmart growth,"says Wuersde. 1999 legislation was necessary because only i a smart growth plan is not very different than He also understands the importance of engag- 29 percent of Wisconsin's communities 4ad funding any other sort of plan. Some states ing the community.More than 400 commu- any sort of land-use plan in place and the have funding mechanisms in place,but many niry groups took pan in the planning process plans that did exist were often outdated or others, including New York, do not, which that led up to Rochester 2010. poorly conceived. means that local governments are left to their To motivate local governments, the state own devices. State aid provides "two carrots and a stick," in Rochester has funded its entire effort by Some states are more generous than others Ciesliewicz's words. One carrot is the state's