Inclusive, Vibrant Communities

Our past choices about where and how we grow have led to limited and unaffordable housing, and left too many of us dependent on driving for almost everything. 

Smarter land use means more inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable communities: communities that are safe and convenient for walking and biking to daily needs – schools, stores, parks, and jobs; offer a diversity of housing options for people at different income levels; and are served by reliable, frequent public transit.

It’s good for our environment, good for people, and good for business.

Direct new homes and businesses to existing communities with access to transit

Providing more homes and businesses in existing communities with transit supports connected, economically thriving communities. It is also more sustainable and efficient than chasing sprawl development with new and costly infrastructure. Instead, focusing growth in already established communities allows us to welcome new neighbors and means private developers can contribute to modernizing aging infrastructure, like our schools, transit services, roads, sidewalks, and stormwater facilities.

Create compact, walkable, bike-friendly, mixed-use communities

We envision communities where each of us can conveniently meet our daily needs, and have more choices in how we get around. Walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented communities can provide easy access to jobs, services, retail, and community gathering spaces. This creates opportunities for connection and requires shorter and fewer car trips—reducing household transportation costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

Preserve rural farms, forests and natural areas 

The smart growth approach to land use reduces pressure to convert farms and forests and natural areas to development – which is key in this era of climate change. Instead, smart growth focuses on turning existing and underutilized parking lots and commercial spaces into mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods with homes and businesses. Along with tools like agricultural zoning and conservation easements, this allows us to protect our farms, forests, natural areas, and drinking water supplies. 

Latest Happenings


Testimony: Proposed rezoning of the U Street police/fire station sites (DC, Support)

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We want to again express our support for the proposed rezoning for the U Street police and fire station sites from MU-4 to MU-10. This proposal follows the land use designation change adopted in the 2021 Comprehensive Plan amendments and will make the site’s zoning consistent with the Future Land Use Map (FLUM). 

TAKE ACTION: Help Capitol Heights Metro station attract quality, transit-oriented development!

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With your help, we can help Capitol Heights Metro station turn into a safer, more walkable, vibrant mix of housing and businesses with great places to catch the bus and Metro. 
EVENT: Branch Ave Metro tour and placemaking meetup, Oct. 3, 2023

EVENT: Branch Ave Metro tour and placemaking meetup, Oct. 3, 2023

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Connectivity + placemaking: Unlocking development around transit at the Branch Av. Metro station, with RISE Prince George's. On Oct. 3, 2023, in collaboration with RISE Prince George's, we explored Prince George's effort to focus future growth within the beltway and established communities by taking a look at the Branch Avenue Metro

We can’t save Downtown Largo by destroying it

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Rethink the I-495/Medical Center Drive interchange project FACT SHEET CSG-Factsheet-Beltway_Medical-Center-Drive-at-Downtown-Largo-InterchangeDownload

CSG Support for Connecticut Avenue Development Guidelines

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We are pleased to express our support for the revised Development Guidelines for the commercial areas on Connecticut Avenue in the Cleveland Park and Woodley Park Historic Districts. The revised Development Guidelines will help us meet the Comprehensive Plan goals of increasing housing, and improving the mix of uses, while ensuring building forms that integrate with the historic districts and foster a people-friendly streetscape around the Cleveland Park and Woodley Park Metro stations.