Land-Use Planning for Sustainable Development

Society’s understanding of sustainability has evolved, along with that the language that most clearly conveys its meaning. Efforts toward social-environmental sustainability have become more urgent with an increased research focus on systems-based innovation, and noteworthy legislation. This new edition captures the most current success stories and explains the relationship between innovative land use planning and nature’s impartial, inviolate biophysical principles that govern the outcome of all planning. It focuses on how decision making that flows from and aligns with nature’s biophysical principles benefits all generations by consciously protecting and maintaining social-environmental sustainability.

Thirteen years ago, the first edition of Land-Use Planning for Sustainable Development examined the question: is the environmental doomsday scenario inevitable? It then presented the underlying concepts of sustainable land-use planning and an array of alternatives for modifying conventional planning for and regulation of the development of land. This second edition captures current success stories, showcasing creative, resilient strategies for fundamentally changing the way we alter our landscape.

• Explains the relationship between innovative land-use planning and nature’s impartial, inviolate biophysical principles that govern the outcome of all planning
• Focuses on how decision making that flows from and aligns with nature’s biophysical principles benefits all generations by consciously protecting and maintaining social-environmental sustainability
• Proposes an alternative framework for municipal comprehensive plans framing the community as a living system

Written by two experienced professionals in sustainable development planning, the second edition revisits the successes as well as barriers to progress associated with establishing new community development models, such as EcoMunicipalities. The authors emphasize the necessity and potency of citizen involvement and initiatives. They provide proposals for alternative approaches that rest on lessons from history as well as the research, wisdom, and vision of many individuals and communities whose work they have studied. The book supplies a sturdy platform on which to continually build and innovate progress in sustainable land use planning.