Theory and Practice in Planning the Suburbs: Challenges to Implementing New Urbanism, Smart Growth, and Sustainability Principles1

1. The author is deeply indebted to Blake Laven and Katherine Perrott for their research assistance and skills in conducting the interviews. Many respondents generously made time in their busy schedules to share their perspectives. This research was supported by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Abstract

Although municipalities across Canada have adopted principles of new urbanism, smart growth, and sustainability in their planning and policy documents, new suburbs continue to reveal the influence of conventional development practices. This paper examines challenges to implementing new planning principles and reveals some of the ways that the development market selectively resists planning objectives in three Canadian urban areas. Interviews with planners, councillors, and representatives of the development industry indicate that, while land cost pressures contribute to increasing suburban densities, developers may challenge planning principles related to urban form and function. The study finds that weak political commitment and market pressures frustrate planners' desires to create accessible and open communities. Conceptual distinctions between planning approaches important to theory become blurred in practice.

Keywords:

• New urbanism
• smart growth
• sustainability
• implementation
• Canada

Notes

1. The author is deeply indebted to Blake Laven and Katherine Perrott for their research assistance and skills in conducting the interviews. Many respondents generously made time in their busy schedules to share their perspectives. This research was supported by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

2. This paper focuses on what Grant (1994b) refers to as substantive theory and Neuman (2005, p. 137) calls “normative city planning theory”: that is, this kind of theory gives planners guidance on what good urban practice requires.

3. For instance, a scan in 2004 found several organisations with postings related to these issues; e.g., EPA, 2004; GreenOntario, 2004; SmartGrowthBC, 2004; Smart Growth Network, 2004.

4. Freeholder is the common form of ownership in Canada where the owner purchases the right to use the land freely, subject to the underlying rights of the Crown. Freehold properties normally rely on public roads, while condominium properties use private streets.