Examines how rapid economic development and population growth affect the visual environment in small towns and rural areas. Describes how agencies concerned with the impact of Fort Drum's expansion. Discusses the process of educating local community planners and the public, and a design framework for regulating land use development. (SV)

The potential for explosive urban sprawl is what motivated these authors to create a unit on community planning and the visual environment. They thought this unit would be an excellent way to engage students in a real-world issue that was relevant to their lives, while at the same time addressing social studies, language arts, and science content…