They may be hubs for housing, jobs, transportation or entertainment. Planning for them all seeks a balance between jobs, housing and urban amenities, so that more transportation trips are local and include public transit, walking and bicycling. Redevelopment of such existing centers is preferred to opening up new areas of farm and forest land. A Town Center is a compact area with a mix of retail, office and commercial activity and housing that serves as a hub of community activity. Easily accessible by area residents, it provides a gateway to other centers via transit.
Town centers are convenient for people who are on bicycles or on foot.
If you drive there, you are able to walk between destinations. Town Centers are logical places for compact housing development because of their nearness to transit, shopping and employment. They often offer community services such as libraries and civic offices, and act as social gathering places where people take advantage of cultural and recreational activities. To accommodate future growth, each city and county is required to show that they can meet certain housing and employment targets. Washington County looked hard at existing growth capacities and opportunities for density increases, and thinks we can meet the targets within the present urban unincorporated area if community plan amendments are approved in some mixed-use areas.