New transit service to the South Coast will likely bring new jobs and homes to the region. New growth, however, can bring some unwanted changes, eating up farms, fields and forests and eroding the historic villages and cities that help make the South Coast so special. The scale and geographic reach of the South Coast Rail project offer unprecedented opportunities to protect our communities and our natural environment, while finding ways to welcome and shape new growth.
This approach is what's often called smart growth. We combine transportation, economic development, and environmental goals with old-fashioned frugality and common sense. We don't waste resources or land. We plan ahead to preserve the long-term, global competitive advantages of the whole region — the people and communities who live and work in the region, abundant water, and the traditional village and city patterns of development that are highly energy-efficient.
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