Mandating Statewide Planning Goals: Does it Work?

Abstract

The apparent shift of power and responsibility from local to state level agencies over land development decisions has been well documented over the last half decade. However, for the most part, this has been merely a “paper change,” a change that calls for greater local action at the threat of state intervention. This intervention may come by direct state control of specific types of areas or activities or through imposition of state administrative review processes for those areas or activities.