ABSTRACT
Elements of these debates often become emotional for communities. For some, growth is regarded as essential for survival-that is, in the absence of growth, there can only be decline. It further appears that one person’s growth can be another’s loss, and smart growth is redefined each time it is used in a different context. In reality, the aspects and impacts of growth are indeed very different from one community to the next, as circumstances change. But, the role that localities can play is a critical one. Henry Cisneros wrote that “America’s economy is made up of a diverse mix of local economies.”1 Thus, the economy of this nation is, to a great extent, a composite of the effects of all the decisions made in America’s cities and towns about the future of growth in their own economies.
