Modern urban planning (known by its current buzzword “growth management practices”) is a hot topic right now, given the constraints of population growth, environmental concerns, and city centre vs. suburb living patterns. There are four major categories of growth management practices currently in vogue, and this book addresses all of them: “Protection” planning programmes, designed to safeguard human habitation areas from deterioration by either the natural or man‐made environment through regulations and land use techniques; “Restoration” planning programmes, focused on restoring deteriorated human habitation areas, such as inner cities; “Creation” planning programmes, involved in the establishment of new areas of human habitation, including the promotion and protection of the environment; “Preservation” planning programmes, established to safeguard and preserve already existing desirable areas of human habitation, including the man‐made and the natural environment.
The book is divided into four sections. The first section contains five chapters, and examines the concept of cities and growth, the interrelationships of environment and transportation, the impact of regulations on development, counties and growth management practices, and states and growth management practices. Section 2, by far the largest and most interesting, is a collection of best practices models, which the editor feels are an important and significant body of knowledge by itself. There are 44 chapters in this section, highlighting current growth management practices in a number of cities and states. Some of the cities discussed include Boston, Las Vegas, Memphis, St. Paul, and Vancouver. Some of the states discussed include Texas, Georgia, Maryland, Colorado, and Montana. Quite a few best practices models are examined, which are listed in the preface by the editor. Some of these include: digital services, planning, and city centre renewal; park improvements and inner‐city revitalization; safety improvements through enhanced urban design practices; land trusts, non‐profit organizations, and open space preservation; and “green” practices and enhanced growth practices to protect the environment. The third section looks at future trends with growth management practices. These five chapters take an in‐depth look at such issues as infrastructure, environment, telecities, and sustainable communities. Finally, the fourth section comprises a number of appendices. It includes a listing of periodicals focused on the topic, with detailed subscription information and a short description of each. A glossary of terms, a listing of acronyms and abbreviations, a detailed listing of each of the best practices cities and states mentioned in the book with contact information and websites, and a list of contributors along with an index.
This reference work combines not only the theoretical and philosophical backgrounds of growth management, but also provides an extensive listing of best practices. Both public and academic libraries would do well to obtain a copy of this book, as citizens and scholars alike will find the information applicable for teaching in the academic environment, as well as practical and informative for those interested in local, county, and state planning. The author is a well‐known expert on this topic, having written Cities and Nature (Kemp, 2006) and Cities and Cars (Kemp, 2007), among many others.
