Planning Reform in the New Century

Do urban growth boundaries actually manage growth? How can the chaotic common law of vested rights be tamed? How can we make the development review process fair? Should housing policies be taken out of the hands of local boards? Planning's leading thinkers tackled these questions and others in a December 2004 conference sponsored by the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies at the Washington University School of Law and the American Planning Association. Planning Reform in the New Century ? is the record of their spirited debate. Planning has reached a turning point. Problems the profession has grappled with for years remain unsolved. Programs once heralded as panaceas are stumbling. Current legislation is inadequate for the demands of the new century. With tough criticisms and bold ideas, these planners, lawyers, and researchers offer their perspectives on the pitfalls and opportunities that await the profession. Their observations on statutory reform, affordable housing, growth management and the role of the comprehensive plan in land-use decisions are a blueprint for planning reform.