Land Use in America

Guided by the principle that planning minimizes the destruction of natural resources, the authors and the contributors whose in-depth papers make up the second half of the book offer a measured and encompassing analysis of how land should be used. The issues are varied: deteriorating agricultural land, toxic water sources, suburban sprawl and consequent tax increases for extended services, burgeoning disaster relief resulting from unleashed developments on vulnerable floodplains and hillsides. Citing private property and its associate rights, Diamond and Noonan maintain that ""Achieving community land use goals must be done in a way that treats private landowners and those who derive their livelihood from the land fairly."" Land trusts, they say, are ""one of the most exciting prospects for the 21st century."" The 900,000 members of the community land trusts have helped protect more than four million acres of land. Still, although property rights must be addressed, most contributors conclude there is a need for municipal, regional and state coordination and an awareness of ecosystem landscapes beyond mere arbitrary tracts of land. Planning is critical, typified by the disastrous example of L.A., which saw a population increase of 45% between 1970 and 1990 and a geographical bulge (and bilge) of 300%. There are success stories here as well: Fort Collins, Colo., for example, requires the city to identify land use goals but allows the private sector to determine how to meet them. In the authors' view, ""planning is not a radical doctrine"" and the country should learn to embrace its benefits. This lodestone book fulfills its lofty ambition-it is a great source for understanding this complex, sensitive subject. (Mar.)