FLASH: The Fordham Law Archive of Scholarship and History
Abstract
This article discusses Maryland\u27s Smart Growth and Neighborhood Conservation Initiative, the nation\u27s first statewide, incentive-based program to reduce the impact of urban sprawl. It has been used as a model by other states and espouses the notions that no growth is bad and the economy and environment are intertwined. Maryland attempts to change the bottom line of development decisions by making it more attractive and less costly to build in designated growth areas. The article identifies the next steps in Maryland\u27s Smart Growth initiative and concludes that Maryland and the United States must be successful in these and similar efforts to avoid a future of environmental and economic harm as a result of sprawl