Compatible Land Use Near Military Installations: The Problem and the Local Government Response

Abstract

Most military installations were initially sited far from population centers to ensure safe training and maximum operational value. Over the last several decades, however, these installations have grown in size and, in the process, have become major economic engines. For example, Joint Base Andrews, home to Air Force One and several other military and state units, employs over 17,000 military and civilian personnel and contributes $1.1 billion annually to the greater Washington, D.C., area. As a result of this economic activity, the once rural areas that surrounded installations are now increasingly home to a mix of residential, commercial, industrial, and other land uses, many of which are incompatible with military operations. These land uses not only undermine mission readiness by limiting operations, but they threaten public safety and diminish quality of life.