Co- Founders Wendy Allen and Charlene Lee joined forces in June 2000 to develop a one day workshop for County Commissioners on Effective Growth Management Strategies via Alabama’s Local Government Training Institute at Auburn’s Center for Governmental Services. This led to a decade of work focused on developing partnerships and coordinating educational efforts related to achieving healthier communities via use of smart growth principles, green building, and Complete Streets policies.

Now Smart Coast has moved from broad educational efforts to two concrete, specific initiatives designed to create healthier communities and businesses. The initiatives are: Healthy Coastal Communities and Green Coast Council.