Coordinating opposite approaches to managing urban growth and curbing sprawl - A synthesis

The purchase of development rights to farmland and open space has recently gained in popularity as a growth management tool. A purchase of development rights program pays the landowner for the unearned increment in exchange f or strong deed restrictions. limiting the use of the property. On the other hand, land value taxation, a modification of Henry George's Single Tax, wo uld tax land more heavily than improvements, thus encouraging the developme nt of land. While land value taxation and the purchase of development right s appear to be opposing fiscal policies, they could be employed together as part of a regional planning strategy to encourage in-fill development with in and near cities and to curb sprawl by retaining farm, forest, and ranch lands.