ABSTRACT
Smart growth is a term rising rapidly in use and ambiguity. The origin of the term is uncertain, though some credit Harriet Tregoning, former Director of the Development, Community and Environmental Division of the US Environmental Protection Agency and now the smart growth Czar in the cabinet of Maryland's Governor Glendening. The chapter focuses on smart growth policies adopted by the State of Maryland. Maryland is perhaps best known for its Rural Legacy Program. The program is specifically designed to protect agricultural lands and other natural resources from urban development. Brownfield is a term used to describe underutilized or abandoned sites, usually in the inner city, that need cleaning up before they can be improved or redeveloped. Experience with redevelopment programs in other states offer little insight into the potential for the Live Near Your Work Program. In conclusion, Maryland's smart growth programs are indeed innovative but build on a long history of urban policy experiments.
