Megachurches, Sprawl, And Smart Growth

A new law review article calls for the need to incorporate megachurches into smart growth planning.

1 minute read

August 2, 2002, 8:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


A new law review article, "Supersizing Religion: Megachurches, Sprawl, and Smart Growth," calls for the need to incorporate megachurches into smart growth planning. Such large, multi-use churches, often located on greenfields, are becoming increasingly popular. The article -- by Jonathan Weiss of the George Washington Center on Sustainable Growth and attorney Randall Lowell -- appears in the St. Louis Public Law Review in August. Introduction: The injection of religion or religious overtones into any area of American public policy creates tension. The emerging field of smart growth to counter the increasing concerns over sprawl proves no exception. Smart growth is not about stopping growth, but about better managing growth so that communities and regions can improve their quality of life and more effectively plan for the future. It is based on such principles as encouraging reinvestment into existing communities and promoting broad-based public participation in planning decisions. But to be successful, no matter the initial tension created, smart growth cannot ignore the role and placement of religious institutions. Editor's note: The link below is directly to an Adobe PDF file.

Thanks to Sprawl Watch

Thursday, August 1, 2002 in St. Louis Public Law Review

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

Two Rivian trucks charging at Rivian branded charging ports.

US Senate Reverses California EV Mandate

The state planned to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, a goal some carmakers deemed impossible to meet.

May 22 - CALmatters

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.

May 22 - 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.

May 22 - The Urbanist