Twenty-Five Years of Smart Growth: Perspectives from Urban and Rural Maryland

Maryland passed groundbreaking state planning legislation 25 years ago. The state’s renowned Smart Growth program applied uniformly to urban and rural jurisdictions across the state. This study presents results from a 2023 survey that explores perceptions of the program across the urban-rural divide in Maryland. Most all respondents believe smart growth has not achieved its goals but remains relevant in Maryland. Urban and rural respondents are divided, though, when it comes to support for revising the original goals to incorporate current priorities, particularly climate change and social equity. Overall, Maryland planners feel they have not made sufficient progress toward achieving the objectives of smart growth and recognize that more must be done on equity, climate change, and more. For planners from Maryland and elsewhere, these findings indicate that while state-level planning can be fruitful, it requires localized nuance and acknowledgement of differing priorities and needs between urban and rural communities.