Sprawl

Urban Sprawl encompasses a wide variety of afflictions brought about by the sprawling of urban and suburban development into areas that had previously and traditionally been open space - farmland, fields or woodland. Smart Growth is the principle and set of practices that encourages growth to take place within established urban areas, restoring existing buildings, neighborhoods and business districts rather than building new ones in existing green space.  A number of organizations have on-line resources related to Smart Growth initiatives.

• "The Costs of Sprawl in Pennsylvania" - 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania
• "Understanding Sprawl: A Citizen's Guide" - David Suzuki Foundation
• "Stopping Sprawl" - The Sierra Club
• "Smart Growth: An Alternative to Sprawl" - Scenic America

Scenic Blight

An important part of scenic preservation in urban and suburban areas is related to billboard and sign controls.  More and more communities find themselves inundated with larger and more intrusive signs that have degraded both urban and rural landscapes.  Here are some on-line resources addressing the issue.

• Background on Billboards - Scenic America
• Enhancing Your Community Roadscape - Pennsylvania Resources Council
• Model Sign Regulations - The Signage Foundation

Green Building

The Green Building movement has grown a great deal in the last decade and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has been one of the nation's hotbeds of greener design and construction.  Green building standards call for the construction of energy efficient structures that use sustainable or recycled materials in construction. Visit these websites for more.

• "The Benefits of Green Building" - US Green Building Council
• "Building Better: Emerald Cities" - The Sierra Club