Sometimes developers boast that their projects are Smart Growth projects because they have one or two New Urbanist features. Beware of these three models, which are often hyped but seldom hit the mark:

Commercial Strip Development: These “strip malls” along the highway miss the New Urbanism mark by a country mile. They are typically designed for the convenience of cars, not pedestrians, and do not foster a mixed-use environment where people can walk easily and safely while doing their errands.

Lifestyle Centers: These new outdoor shopping malls are supposed to replicate the ambience and attractiveness of real downtowns, but lack the vitality of attractive streets. Few residents stroll them, and public spaces are rarely anything other than big parking lots.

Clustered Rural Subdivisions: Clustering does not reduce sprawl. Sure, the practice provides open space, sometimes even shared recreational areas, but that’s all. Even if there are sidewalks, they do not lead to meaningful destinations. Everything you need still requires getting in the car. Worse, clustered subdivisions add to traffic congestion because they still have cul-de-sacs instead of street grids, and increase rural taxes because they require extending public services across costly long distances.

A final note: Some new developments have sidewalks, front porches, narrower lots, garages in the rear, and street grids but still don’t make the grade because they neglect the most crucial component—location. They are far from stores, workplaces, and other neighborhoods. New Urbanist developments are all about walking a lot more and driving a lot less, and that just doesn’t happen when a development is built on a disconnected greenfield.