The mission of the Washington Smart Growth Alliance (SGA) is to research, identify and encourage land use development and transportation policies and practices that support smart growth in the Washington, DC, region. Formed in 2000, the SGA consists of five partners: ULI Washington, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Greater Washington Board of Trade, the Coalition for Smarter Growth and the Metropolitan Washington Builders’ Council. While these five distinct groups representing developer, civic and environmental interests often sit at opposite sides of table when it comes to land use issues, they have elected to put aside their differences for the SGA and work together on common goals for smart growth. Together, these organizations create a unique partnership for success.

The goals of the SGA are

• To enhance regional collaboration;
• To encourage mixed-use, pedestrian- and transit-oriented development projects;
• To promote housing and transportation choices for a range of incomes throughout the region; and
• To respect and conserve significant environmental, cultural and recreational resources.

Recognizing the major challenge to gaining the necessary approvals for projects that are consistent with smart growth principles, the SGA created the Smart Growth Project Recognition Program. The program seeks to help projects consistent with smart growth principles obtain local approval by informing regulators, public officials, citizen groups, developers, and others of the merits these projects would bring to the community and the region

Following the recommendation of the February 2006 Potomac Conference, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the Greater Washington Board of Trade, and The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region in March/April 2006 endorsed a 90-day exploratory effort to consider whether a regional visioning process might help improve regional economic and social outcomes, and if so, how such a visioning process might work. They commissioned a 50-person joint organizing committee of public, civic, and private sector leaders to do so; this Report and Recommendation reflects the work of this organizing committee. The committee members are listed in the back of the report.