Tiny Maryland Town Wants Smart Growth

With less than 300 residents, the town of Vienna, Maryland, has been grappling with the idea of growth for years. The town's mayor is now supporting a plan that will let the town grow, but not explode.

1 minute read

July 19, 2006, 6:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg

The new plan for growth involves acquiring nearly 400 acres of farmland and building about 300 homes, effectively tripling the town of Vienna's small population. But the mayor doesn't want to just sprinkle homes on the new land. He's planning on integrating this new development with existing homes, utilizing existing infrastructure, and designing homes to match the existing style.

"A preliminary plan envisions houses designed to match the white clapboard homes in the older part of Vienna, linking new and old in a seamless extension of streets that were first laid out when the town got its charter in 1706. New neighborhoods and old would be centered on a new town square with a new Town Hall building, Mayor Russell Brinsfield says."

"Supporters say Vienna's project is classic smart growth -- a carefully planned cluster of neighborhoods linked to water and sewer and other services instead of new homes scattered across scarce rural farmland on wells and septic systems."

FULL STORY: Vienna tries to plan growth

Saturday, July 15, 2006 in The Baltimore Sun

Community / Economic Development Infrastructure Land Use Urban Development Maryland

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.