These days it seems that population growth is on the minds of everyone in the Central Valley. Workshops, conferences, think tanks, and alliances are taking on the issues of livable cities, the New Urbanism, sprawl, stagnation, smart growth and no growth. In a flurry of planning over land use, everyone -- from the smallest farmer to the most seasoned legislator -- is grappling with issues associated with growth. In a region where a population of five million people will increase to 10 million in a generation, the issue of growth is understandably a hot topic. In this edition of "New Valley" we'll see how three centers of urban growth are doing as they plan their futures, and how their pasts and presents have changed because of an expanding populace. This is our New Valley: Boom or Bust. |