Suburban Sprawl vs Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND)

Suburban sprawl is the result of mainland "zoning" concepts that strictly separate uses and activities into single locations.

It is typically composed of subdivisions of homes without community services such as local stores, parks and amenities.

As a result the automobile dominates the setting, thus requiring more and more roads that repeatedly fill up with traffic. This form of growth is a wasteful use of precious resources.

Principles of TND
The master plan for Olowalu Town is compatible with Maui's small town traditions and ensures that a meaningful and distinctive community is created.

At Olowalu, we are committed to Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND). This innovative concept uses specific planning and design tools to guide the environment for existing and new communities, with the ultimate objective to build towns and com­munities that are pedestrian-friendly, comfortable, safe, and ecologically and economically sustainable.

Suburban Sprawl	Traditional Neighbor­hood Design
General Characteristics
Segregated land uses Congested roadways Continuous outward growth of communities Inefficient use of resources	Mixed-use communities Pedestrian-friendly Wide range of housing for all income levels Environmentally sustainable
Traffic & Roadways
Designed for cars and unsafe for pedestrians Congested connector roads High-speed streets, wide and open Dead end, cul-de-sacs	Designed for people, not cars Multiple connected and parallel roadways Low-speed streets, lined with trees and sidewalks
Community
Sprawling suburban developments Require car to get to services and schools Social and civic facilities an afterthought	Multi-generational communities Walking distance to schools and parks Social and civic facilities planned within town
Land Use
Sprawling suburbs and isolated land use No sense of community Reduced open space and uncontainable growth	Smaller neighborhoods and efficient land use Distinct sense of place Open space and urban boundaries
Infrastructure
Large, expensive infrastructure systems Extensive transmission lines	Efficient, small-scale infrastructure systems Fewer transmission lines
Environmental Resources
Low-density developments pave over open space Large development footprint Many car trips required per day	Clustered, higher-density communities Small urban footprint on environment Designed to encourage walking, reduce car trips