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114 Putting Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities 25 Sioux Falls, South Dakota, often called "the best little city in America, "' is at the center of one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the Midwest. In order to preserve its small-city character as well as the character of the rural areas surrounding it, the city has entered into joint zoning jurisdic- tion agreements with Minnehaha and Lincoln counties. The extraterritorial planning jurisdiction gives the city of Sioux Falls and the counties equal power in making decisions on zoning in the joint area 2 In December 2009, the city adopted the Shape Sioux Falls 2035 Comprehensive Master Plan. The plan has three main goals: to manage new growth effectively; to plan land use, urban form, and neighborhoods; and to improve overall com- munity sustainability.3 It defines areas for future annexation, as well as areas outside the growth boundary "where the existing rural character is to be maintained." Additionally, the plan Rural communities, like Gold Hill, Colorado, can achieve their visions for growth through policy alignment. Strategy 3.b. Reform policies to make it easy for developers to build compact, walkable, mixed -use places43 Policy alignment Once the vision is translated into the comprehensive plan, the community's zoning ordinance and other policy documents should be updated to ensure that the community vision can be achieved. For example, in many communities, zoning ordinances do not allow mixed -use, compact, walkable communities to be built by -right. To foster the development of great new places, zoning ordinances and /or overlay notes that "both city residents and the rural community have a fundamental interest in preventing scattered and haphazard development in outlying areas." The plan also ensures that as Sioux Falls expands, the city and the counties are work- ing closely together to plan rural area development policies. Through its comprehensive planning efforts and joint planning jurisdictions, which promote collaborative planning between the city and surrounding rural communities, Sioux Falls is ensuring that it will create great new places while maintaining its character and protecting the surrounding working lands. 1 CNN Money.com. "Best Places to Launch a Business -Sioux Falls, SD," http: // money.cnn.com /smalibusiness/ best_ places - launch /2009 /snapshot /314.html. 2 City of Sioux Falls. "Joint Zoning Jurisdiction." http: / /www.siouxfalls.org/ Planning /long range / master _plans /iointjurisdiction.aspx 3 City of Sioux Falls. "Shape Sioux Falls 2035." http: / /www.siouxfalls.org/ Planning /shape zones should actively encourage mixed -use, compact, walkable neighborhoods without the need for time - consuming and unpredictable code amendments or variances. Such an approach creates powerful incen- tives for the private sector to build what the commu- nity wants. Form -based codes, discussed on page 27, provide an option for policy alignment. a Walkability New neighborhoods that have a grid -like street net- work equipped with sidewalks and bike lanes encour- age residents to walk or bicycle to their destinations. Compact and mixed -use developments are also impor- tant components of walkability, ensuring that essen- tial destinations are centrally located and accessible. Walking and bicycling benefit public health, reduce pollution, and create more livable neighborhoods. From economic, environmental, community, and public health perspectives, the development pattern of new rural towns and villages should allow for safe and convenient walking and bicycling opportunities. Distances between rural communities certainly make walking and bicycling more challenging. A good trail system that links neighborhoods with rural routes and downtown destinations in nearby communities can serve as a recreational or tourism resource as well as a commuter route that is protected from higher -speed roads. Trail systems have been shown to provide eco- nomic and social benefits to adjoining areas. The Katy 'Nail, a 225 -mile long trail that runs along the former