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Managing Coastal Growth

Over the next 15 years, coastal population is expected to increase by approximately 27 million people. To help coastal managers address the resulting growth, NOAA’s Coastal Services Center recently examined the costs and impacts of three hypothetical designs for land development. A conventional design creates large lots and consumes the maximum amount of land, while not considering natural resource protection or civic green space. A conservation design protects natural resources by steering development around sensitive natural areas and clustering homes on smaller lots. A new urbanist design creates civic-oriented centers around large open spaces, resulting in a commercial and residential mix. By visiting the Center’s Web site, coastal managers from around the nation can now compare the development costs and impacts for these three widely different alternatives.