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• L PA • • BOOK REVIEW Continued from page 27 feet make perfect sense for residential areas with i e traffic, Arendt says, and even enhance safety by encouraging motorists to slow down. For those determined to build iso- lated developments in rural areas, rendt provides a wide selection of c ustering techniques that retain as much open space as possible while pre- serving scenic views. Colored drawings with aerial views of alternative devel- opment patterns illustrate how the same amount of construction can vary widely in its impact on the landscape. Builders should find Arendt's chap- ters on open space design, including greenways and buffers, of particular in- terest. By encouraging the clustering of homes–through density bonuses, mu- nicipalities can e open land capes, ower t e cost ot building and amtaimng subdivisions, an Lenriance e value ot completed developments. Arendt cites a growing o y of evi- ence to note that housing clustered around-common open space or green - ways is cost -e ective to build and ap- preciates more rapidly in value than omes on conventional lots. The book is nothing if not thor- ough. It contains chapters on virtually every kind of commercial and residen- tial development —from in -fill con- struction to subdivisions in the most rural areas. Separate chapters offer case studies of 40 outstanding residential and commercial projects dating from 1914.to the present. The liberal use of photographs, drawings, and maps sup - ports the presentation. Methods for preserving farmland, scenic roads, and open space are de- scribed at length. Separate chapters by Dodson and Reid discuss creative ways to cluster development to ensure the preservation of rural areas. A down- town redevelopment plan for Edgar - town on Martha's Vineyard illustrates ways to accommodate new develop- ment without destrovinQ an historic 34 Land Development /Winter 1995 town's timeless character. A chapter by Brabec makes the eco- nomic case for preserving open space. Citing numerous studies that date from Frederick Law Olmsted in the 1850s to the present, Brabec argues that open space pays for itself in terms of reduced demand for government services, in- creased tourism, and an improved qual- ity of life. Yaro, executive director of the Regional Plan Association of New York, devotes a brief chapter to regional plan- ning initiatives, examining statewide ef- forts such as Oregon's plan and site - specific regulatory bodies such as the Cape Cod Commission. Rural by Design is far more read- able than most tomes on planning, and its credibility is underscored by myriad references to specific efforts across the country to conserve open space. It is accompanied by a lengthy bibliography. For people committed to designing better communities than we have seen in the last 50 years, Ru- ral by Design is a valuable reference work. IS Thomas Hylton, a Pennsylvania J ournalist, won a Pulitzer Prize for editorials advocating the preservation of farmland and open space in Chester County, Pennsylvania.