Avoiding More Waukesha-Type Sprawl

You've heard of Smart Growth? This is Really Smart Growth:

The Washington County board voted 17-11 on Tuesday to begin the first county-wide development rights purchase program in Wisconsin to minimize sprawl construction and maximize farming.

This is good news for southeast Wisconsin, where the water table is already under great pressure from over-pumping in Waukesha County - - while streams and other surface waters, including Lake Michigan, are suffering everything from species invasions, to polluted runoff from roads and parking lots, to sewage overflows.

Ag lands in Waukesha County are disappearing at a fast clip: Washington County has decided that one county-wide sprawling mess in the region is enough, and is willing to spend public dollars to finance land preservation for the common good.

Way to go!