The Importance of Planning in Rural Communities

honors thesisCollege of Architecture + PlanningCity & Metropolitan PlanningStephen GoldsmithCity and Metropolitan Planning as a discipline is largely focused on the development and problem solving of dense urban living areas. This is largely due to the fact that urban areas contain the most people, therefore they require careful planning in order to function properly. It makes sense. But there is a side of planning that has rarely received widespread recognition until recently, and that is rural planning. Rural areas encompass often small communities, large amounts of open space, and diverse and rich cultural histories. But with that said, rural areas most often do not receive the same amount of attention from the planning community as more dense urban areas do, and because of this, rural areas are often left with little to no help in solving issues that have the potential to irreparably affect them. In this thesis I hope to demonstrate why rural planning is important by discussing the problems faced by rural areas, citing the specific example of Escalante, Utah, some solutions to these problems, in the form of preventative and attentive planning, as well as an example of a rural community that has been forever effected by poor planning choices. Ultimately, the goal will be to prove that all types of people and place deserve effective planning that is representative of the modern age, including rural places and communities