ABSTRACT
The extraordinary development gradient within the territory speaks of the difficulty federal government agencies have in determining the extent of the nation's urban land. A defining line between what is urban and what is rural no longer seems to exist. A group of architects and planners met at the Ahwahnee Lodge in Yosemite National Park in the fall of 1991 to rethink the prevailing policies and design attitudes guiding the development of urban land. The County's urban-rural demarcation line exists in support of rural conservation programs, helping also to contain growth into a tighter ring around the city of Baltimore itself. Most Americans regard dense urban areas as undesirable places to live and will work there only if they can readily retreat back to their suburban lairs. If the US Congress suddenly mandated urban densification, requiring families to live in a townhome or apartment, there would be massive political upheaval.
