Open Space Protection: Conservation Meets Growth Management

This paper is a comprehensive review of existing federal, state, and local open space protection programs and their role in shaping metropolitan growth. The report primarily finds that, despite their widespread use, programs to protect and

1 minute read

April 18, 2002, 5:00 AM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


Programs to protect open space are some of the most popular strategies adopted to help manage urban growth in the United States. Although states and metropolitan areas have been preserving open space for a variety of purposes since the mid 19th century, they have been adopting open space initiatives in near record numbers in the last decade. With the rapid growth of many metropolitan areas, the link between open space policies and growth management is becoming clearer than ever before. However, the impact of open space preservation on metropolitan development patterns is not yet well understood. In fact, open space programs have rarely been examined as overt growth management tools. This paper provides an overview of the nature, quantity and objectives of open space programs in the U.S. and, utilizing existing literature, begins to speculate how they may affect the shape and form of metropolitan areas.

Thanks to Kurt Sommer

Friday, October 7, 2005 in The Brookings Institution

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Metal U.S. Geodetic Survey marker in stone in Arizona.

Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency

The National Geodetic Survey maintains and updates critical spatial reference systems used extensively in both the public and private sectors.

30 minutes ago - Wired

Close-up of 10 mph speed limit sign.

Washington Passes First US ‘Shared Streets’ Law

Cities will be allowed to lower speed limits to 10 miles per hour and prioritize pedestrians on certain streets.

1 hour ago - The Urbanist

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

2 hours ago - CBC