Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) generally describes a mixed-use community that is walkable and compact, with residential, retail, office, and civic buildings in close proximity to one another. These developments get their name from the traditional planning principles that guided the development of many older small towns and neighborhoods around the country. Unlike many conventional suburban developments, TNDs typically include a range of housing types and provide residents with the option of walking, biking, or driving to places within their neighborhood. Some TNDs include a transit connection while others do not. A number of states have written formal TND ordinances into their planning and zoning enabling acts. The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) includes enabling legislation for TND (Article VII-A: 2000). In New Jersey, the standard method for creating large scale, single-developer, traditional development is through a Planned Unit Development (PUD).

The Smart Growth Project Database is an application that tracks a variety of noteworthy development projects throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region. The database focuses on three types of Smart Growth projects: development near transit, traditional neighborhood development (TND), and conservation subdivisions. These types of development were selected because they often embody several of the core principles of Smart Growth: Providing a mix of land uses, Creating a range of housing options, Preserving open space, farmland, and critical environmental areas, Creating walkable neighborhoods, and Providing a variety of transportation choices. This database is meant to serve as a quick and convenient reference tool for planners, local officials, and citizens who are interested in Smart Growth. It includes projects that are proposed, in progress, and complete. The details of proposed developments are subject to change and projects will be updated and added as new information becomes available. The inclusion of any particular project within this application does not serve as an endorsement by DVRPC or its partner agencies. Furthermore, this application focuses on recent developments because they are the most relevant to today's real estate and economic climate.