Many still believe that growth is jeopardizing Austin's charms. Second , Austin learned from failed slow-growth tactics, political leaders say. In 1975, for example, voters rejected bonds for sewer lines, partly in hopes of discouraging growth. But newcomers still arrived, many of them finding homes in outlying areas where utilities were available. Instead of containing growth, Austin achieved greater sprawl.
Friction still exists, but there is also unprecedented cooperation.
With every traffic jam and crowded school, the consequences of growth become more apparent, said Glenn West , president of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. I think there is a better recognition that growth is going to happen with Austin or without Austin, and we would be much smarter to help direct some of that growth,'' West said. Though Portland, San Diego and other cities have been operating under growth-management laws for decades, Smart Growth is a relatively new label. It was borrowed from 1990s anti-sprawl efforts in Maryland and Colorado and was favored by focus groups that found the phrase to be impartial , said Harriet Tregoning , urban and economic development director at the Environmental Protection Agency. Last year, the EPA created the Smart Growth Network to coordinate anti-sprawl efforts nationwide.