Growth Management Principles and Practices shows how to integrate diverse growth management practices into a comprehensive system that balances potentially competing planning goals.

Authors Nelson and Duncan argue that growth planning must be coordinated among different levels of government and across regions in order to be effective. Studies of growth trends, profiles of regulations in various states, and numerous tables and photographs illustrate the benefits of properly integrated growth management activities and the adverse effects of unmanaged growth and poor planning.

The authors also explain how growth management fits into a broad policy framework. They look at how growth management can protect taxpayers, help governments plan for public facilities when and where they're needed, distribute facility costs according to burdens imposed and benefits receives, and protect local and regional economic bases.