Smart Growth and Politics

I'm still in the process of catching up on the news, especially stuff that came out over the Christmas break that fell by the wayside. But let me note this Baltimore Sun article on Martin O'Malley's plans to revive the Office of Smart Growth in Maryland, which also fell by the wayside during the Ehrlich administration. The need to tackle sprawl will be especially acute in the next few years, as more BRAC jobs come into the area.

One issue the article raises, which I hadn't considered before, is the political implications of Smart Growth; namely, that by directing development toward existing urban areas, one risks denying economic growth to suburbs, exurbs, and rural areas. Of course, economic growth isn't a zero-sum game; and indeed, many rural Marylanders (e.g., in Frederick County) see sprawl as a threat to their way of life. Still, there is a paper to be written about the economic winners and losers of Smart Growth policies, and whether clamping down on sprawl produces unintended consequences vis-à-vis the equitable distribution of prosperity.

UPDATE: In fact, it already exists, albeit from a biased source.