Abstract:
Levofsky writes, \"As metro areas continue to grow, rural communities will play a critical role in absorbing population and economic activity.\" Some rural communities have dealt with this growth through low-density development, including commercial strips, multi-lot planned housing developments, and outlying locations of public buildings. Other areas are employing smart growth techniques to preserve open space, maintain community character, provide adequate, affordable housing, and encourage compact, mixed-use development. Levofsky outlines the different patterns of sprawl and presents seven case studies that highlight smart growth successes in addressing rural sprawl.