Buffalo Creates Plan To Fight Sprawl

"Erie and Niagara counties rely on a provocative development practice: Each year, they build lots of new homes even though they lose lots of people.

More homes means more schools, more roads and sidewalks, more water and sewer lines - all supported by fewer people. That means higher taxes.

"We can't continue down this road," said George Grasser, a prominent real estate attorney and an advocate for "Smart Growth" policies. "Other communities have done it. Now we have to do it."

Grasser says the "it" can be found in the Framework for Regional Growth, a new strategy, five years in the making and now poised to become Erie County's vision of how to guide development over the next 15 years.

Supporters, who met last week with writers and editors at The Buffalo News, say they expect the County Legislature to endorse the framework Thursday."