IS LOS ANGELES-STYLE SPRAWL DESIRABLE

This article reviews the literature on characteristics, causes, and co sts of alternative development patterns. In doing so it debunks argume nts by Gordon and Richardson in favor of Los Angeles-style sprawl. Spr awl is not suburbanization generally, but rather forms of suburban dev elopment that lack accessibility and open space. Sprawl is not a natur al response to market forces, but a product of subsidies and other mar ket imperfections. The costs of sprawl are borne by all of us, not jus t those creating it, and include inflated public spending, loss of res ource lands, and a waning sense of community. The only realistic cure for sprawl is active planning of the sort practiced almost everywhere except the United States (and beginning to appear here out of necessit y).