ABSTRACT
The development of growth management is marked by several shifts, from urban containment to 'smart growth'. Land use development in the United States (US) is best understood as a product of socio-economic development. Upon examination of the multitude of sprawl promoting policies and planning practices in the US, the dissatisfaction with the negative effects of urban sprawl has given rise to the evolution of growth management from the 1960s to the present. The multitude of growth management approaches shows the complexity and uncertainty of planning processes. Despite the fact that growth management activities have evolved over time, observations regarding a lack of coordination and the monitoring of growth management activities have to be taken seriously. The particular way in which growth management is dealt with must be analyzed within the particular planning context of the US which has generally been an urban growth situation.
