Jeffrey H. Dorfman,
Professor, Dept. of Agricultural & Applied Economics,
The University of Georgia:
Local governments must ensure balanced growth, as
sprawling residential growth is a certain ticket to
fiscal ruin*
* Or at least big tax increases.
See
The Economics of Growth, Sprawl and Land Use Decisions.
- Green spaces increase property values of surrounding land
- Green and open spaces can provide environmental amenities for free
- If green spaces contribute to quality of life, you
attract people and jobs to community
Note and jobs, not just people: jobs so the people can work
and afford the houses they live in.
But this doesn’t mean exurban subdivisions with big yards: