From Planetizen: "Study: Sprawl Costs the U.S. Economy $1 Trillion Annually"

There's talk of widening the Florida Turnpike, many more communities being built and more proposed west of I-95, and the need for more/wider east/west roads to accommodate this westward development. At the same time there are groups in every urban town and city along the coast of Palm Beach County that oppose any new development whatsoever in their already urban community. Meanwhile it's estimated 800 people, on average, are moving (permanently and seasonally) to the State of Florida each day and that number will increase as the economy heats up. Does that make any sense? 

Put it this way: the people trying to "save" their urban coastal community from "over-development" are contributing to the western sprawl in Palm Beach County. It's that simple. Instead of opposing development in our urban areas the question should be: "how to develop and fill our existing cities and towns to accommodate an increase in population?"

There's a huge cost associated with sprawling communities. Read this article to find out how high that cost is. From the article by Todd Litman published on March 19, 2015:

     A major new study estimates that sprawl costs the U.S. economy more than a trillion dollars annually, and results, in part, from planning and market distortions. Smart policy reforms can result in more efficient and equitable development.
     A major new report, Analysis of Public Policies that Unintentionally Encourage and Subsidize Sprawl, written by the Victoria Transport Policy Institute for the New Climate Economy in partnership with the LSE (London School of Economics) Cities program, estimates the costs of sprawl, identifies planning and market distortions that foster sprawl, and describes smarter policies that can help correct these distortions.
     The new report defines smart growth—the opposite of urban sprawl—as compact, connected and coordinated urban development. [emphasis added] Smart growth cities and towns have well-defined boundaries, a range of housing options, a mix of residential and commercial buildings, and accessible sidewalks, bike lanes and public transportation. By reducing per capita land consumption and infrastructure and transportation costs, smart urban growth policies can deliver significant economic, social and environmental benefits.

So who exactly are the true environmentalists?