Land-use institutions and natural resources in fast-growing communities at the urban-rural fringe

In the last several decades, urban decentralization and the conversion of formerly natural or agricultural areas have become the norm in much of the United States. Effective policies to constrain or mediate such growth and its effect on rural landscapes are a major priority at local and regional levels. Past research on landuse policies’ ability to protect natural resources has not paid sufficient attention to the effects of the land market; rising land values, particularly when spatially differentiated, complicate policy efforts to stave off development in environmentally valuable areas. In this chapter, we review key lessons from the literature and provide examples from empirical work in Ohio, Indiana, and Arizona. Better understanding of spatial impacts of land-use institutions across a wide range of contexts will enable planners and policy makers to craft more effective policies balancing costs and benefits of development.