Planners Book Club — June 2007

Smart Growth in a Changing World

Smart Growth in a Changing World was the June 2007 selection of APA's Planners Book Club.

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The U.S. population is likely to grow from 281 million in 2000 to 433 million in 2050, while sprawl in urban regions doubles. Most of the growth will take place in nine multi-city regions, where development is already rolling over fields and forests much faster than necessary, unbalancing the natural environment, creating huge traffic problems on highways and at airports, and burning petroleum at rates far greater than the rest of the world. Meanwhile, our global competitors are investing in smart growth: high-speed rail; regional rapid transit; compact, mixed-use development; and natural resources conservation. Smart Growth in a Changing World shows how balanced transportation and natural resources preservation can make new development sustainable, as well as more efficient and more equitable.

Here are some questions to get your discussion of Smart Growth in a Changing World started:

In Chapter 1, Jonathan Barnett writes about a growth crisis that could be created both by the increasing U.S. population and by the nation's vibrant economy, high standard of living, rich natural resources and abundant land. Why does he think that such favorable elements can help create a crisis?

Chapter 1 says low-density urban sprawl is the normal U.S. growth pattern, deeply embedded in the official processes that fund and approve new development. What policies could change this pattern? Can individual planners and citizens help create these policies?

Not all parts of the country are growing at the same speed. Chapter 2 shows that much of the growth can be expected to take place in nine multi-city regions, some of them crossing state boundaries. What do these projections tell us about planning for future growth in the U.S.?

In Chapter 3, Kaid Benfield writes about the runaway American Dream. What is running away and why does it compromise the dream?

Benfield tells us that gasoline consumption in the U.S. currently accounts for 11 percent of world energy production. Will improvements in automotive technology cut energy consumption enough to make the highway-based transportation system sustainable in the U.S.?

Shelley Poticha in Chapter 4 writes that global competitors like Europe and Japan have multi-city regions, but they also have balanced transportation systems. Can the U.S. continue to be competitive without similarly balanced transportation systems?

In the case study of the Northeast Megalopolis, Robert Yaro and Armando Carbonell state that all projected population increases to 2050 could be accommodated within existing urbanized areas. To do so, some growth would have to be diverted from popular development locations to areas currently bypassed. Would it ever be feasible to do this? How could such a change be accomplished?

Chapter 8 describes three components of smart growth: green, civic, and neighborhood. Many of the policies required can be shaped by local government. How well does your local government manage growth? Would any of the measures described in Chapter 8 be helpful in your community?

More about Smart Growth in a Changing World.