Publication Date

Spring 2003

Degree Type

Master's Project

Degree Name

Master of Urban Planning (MUP)

Department

Urban and Regional Planning

First Advisor

Professor Asha Weinstein

Abstract

in the last 30-40 years, the concept of sustainable development has gained increased recognition in the U.S. and abroad. It can generally be defined as development that maintains “the optimal balance of natural, economic and social systems over time.”'

The leading impetus for writing this paper is that much of the development occurring in the U.S. today is not sustainable and this threatens our society’s longevity. The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) captures the seriousness of this threat in the following quote: In one ecosystem and one planetary cycle after another, our impact already exceeds what is sustainable in the long run. We risk not only damaging the diversity and beauty of our natural environment, but endangering the resources and environmental services on which our welfare and survival depend."

I’ve chosen to focus on the State of Maryland in this paper because, as Chapter Three discusses, its growth patterns of the last 30 years exemplify unsustainable development. The pre-dominant form or type of development occurring there during this time frame has been sprawl. Sprawl can be broadly defined as a form of growth that stretches physical development over large areas of land in a decentralized pattern, thereby threatening the quantity and quality of critical natural resources such as open space, air, and water.

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