Managing Growth
Lack of regional coordination on transportation, development, and natural resource planning contributes to haphazard development patterns at the suburban fringe and accelerates the loss of forests, farmland, and other coastal resources. This sprawling development increases the amount of impervious surfaces within a watershed, sending polluted runoff downstream and increasing the risk of flooding. As the demand for housing in coastal counties increases, property values rise, making it difficult for teachers, emergency workers, and other employees to find housing they can afford in the towns they serve. And without adequate protection, scenic views, public access to the coast, and natural recreational areas are at risk.
To manage this increasing growth effectively, communities are seeking ways to channel new development to appropriate areas, reducing the impact to natural areas and minimizing the impacts of natural hazards. In some areas regional patterns are considered when making land use and transportation decisions. Land trusts are partnering with the real estate community to create innovative strategies to protect open space and habitat. Communities are using technologies such as geographic information systems (GIS), 3--D visualizations, and other tools to understand the effects of growth and how to manage it. Many communities are also undertaking efforts to education decision makers about planning to direct development away from sensitive areas.
One program, the Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) seeks to educate decision makers about the relationship between land use planning and natural resource protection.
Read a case study: Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO)