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MetroFuture calls for significant changes in the region’s development patterns, with a greater focus on growth in city, town, and village centers and other locations where infrastructure is available to support growth.  MetroFuture calls for a larger share of new job growth in the Inner Core and Regional Urban Centers, with a relatively smaller share in the lowest density Developing Suburbs.  MetroFuture also seeks to curb commercial and industrial sprawl by focusing economic development in town centers, near transit, and existing major employment centers.  This approach will conserve open space, and the concentration of jobs will make them easier to serve with new transit.  Infrastructure upgrades may be needed to support additional growth, but there will be less need to extend infrastructure to new locations.  

A variety of tools can be used to focus economic growth in locations consistent with the MetroFuture plan.  State and local economic incentive programs should be adjusted to prioritize assistance to proposals consistent with MetroFuture and the Commonwealth’s Sustainable Development Principles.  Municipalities need assistance with new zoning and planning tools to redevelop existing commercial and industrial land for higher density uses.  The public sector can encourage market response to these plans through prompt and predictable permitting processes and by marketing smart-growth locations to the development community.  More resources are needed to address environmental contamination that is a barrier to development of otherwise ideal sites in appropriate locations. 

1)    Target economic incentive programs and technical assistance to locations consistent with the MetroFuture land use plan

2)    Increase employment density in appropriate suburban job centers

3)    Streamline approvals through community involvement, expedited permitting, and pre-permitting

4)    Bring a Smart Growth perspective to economic development marketing