Many people think that sprawl (or scattered growth) is an inevitable result of an economic system that demands lower costs and efficiency. But this is a myth: sprawl development costs more than careful planning and development.

Sprawl is cheaper for developers than careful planning because they can pass much of the cost on to taxpayers. The real cost of sprawl is dispersed through a range of other costs that we, as citizens and consumers, have to pay. Read about the economic, environmental, and social costs of sprawl:

Read more about the Effects of Sprawl

$ Economic Costs

• Scattered development is a burden on local governments because it forces them to provide new infrastructure (schools, roads, police and fire service, gas lines, water and sewer facilities) to serve a dispersed population. In contrast, smart growth development clusters new homes together so services can be provided efficiently. Smart growth development also reinvests in areas where infrastructure already exists.
• Each new unit in a poorly-planned development demands more resources than are received in taxes, and the burden of those costs are passed on to residents in the form of higher taxes.
• Sprawl development forces commuters to travel longer distances to work and to the store, which means families spend more money on cars, fuel, and maintenance and less time together. Smart growth provides a convenient mixture of homes, offices and stores in each community and provides people with the choice of walking, biking or taking the bus to their destination.

Environmental Costs

• When large plots of land are paved, rainwater cannot soak into the ground. Instead of being filtered and returned to our streams and rivers, the polluted water washes directly into our waterways. Scattered development increases impervious (or paved) surfaces because it requires an increase in roads and larger parking lots. As a consequence, we have more pollutant runoff in our waterways.
• Longer driving distances and car trips in poorly-planned communities cause an increase in driving and therefore more air pollution. Cars, trucks and buses are the biggest source of cancer-causing air pollution, spewing more than 12 billion pounds of toxic chemicals each year. By clustering development and providing opportunities to walk, bike, take transit, or drive shorter distances, smart growth minimizes air pollution from cars.
• Scattered development destroys cherished farmland, parks and wildlife habitats. Each year more than 100,000 acres of wetlands are destroyed because of new development. Smart growth clusters development so that farmland and natural areas can coexist with development.

Social Costs

• Poorly-planned development gives us no option but to drive to every destination. The resulting traffic congestion takes time away from the important things in life, such as work or spending time with family or friends. The average American driver spends 443 hours per year behind the wheel.
• Increased driving and traffic means an increase in auto fatality rates.
• The absence of a town center and the absence of a sense of location or "place" result in a lack of community solidarity, decreased civic engagement, and a decreased quality of life.
• Not having pedestrian and bicycle friendly routes decreases the opportunity for exercise. Without alternatives, people are more likely to drive everywhere instead of biking or walking to work, to do errands, or for recreation.
• An increase in sprawl development places pressure on already crowded schools in suburban districts.
  

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