Ahwahnee Principles

In 1991, the Local Government Commission brought together a group of leading architects to synthesize new ideas and trends in community land use planning. The ideas were drafted into a vision document for local elected officials as an alternative to urban sprawl. The document was presented to 100 local elected officials in the Fall of 1991 at a conference at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite where it received great acclaim. 

The Ahwahnee Principles have three parts: 

1) Community Principles -- provide a definition of land use ideals for communities 

2) Regional Principles -- describe how communities should relate to each other within a region 

3) Implementation Strategy -- creates a plan for local officials  

The Center for Livable Communities is a project of the Local Government Commission helping communities achieve more livable land use patterns. Using the Ahwahnee Principles as the guiding framework, the Center for Livable Communities offers extensive resources on land use planning for sustainable communities including reports, videos, slide shows, and model projects. 

Last updated April 10, 2002

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