Small Municipality Development Strategies from a Sustainability Perspective

This case involves a civil engineer working for a small municipality faced with a common development dilemma -- how to remain economically viable in order to control growth and avoid merger with neighboring municipalities. The engineer is asked to evaluate development strategies and recommend a course of action to the town council. Town A has turned its downtown into an antique mall, and is focusing on the redevelopment of brownfield areas. Town B has implemented progressive growth management policies, and is pursuing aggressive annexation and industrial recruitment. The engineer must consider the social, economic, and political motivations, as well as environmental and geographical factors, which led to these radically different plans. Deena Murphy-Medley, North Carolina State University, Joseph R. Herkert, North Carolina State University, and Thomas Martin Wiggins, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Case Study / Scenario|Hypothetical / Fictional Case