Cluster development, an alternative to the prevalent "cookie cutter" subdivision approach to residential development, has become a major tool of environmentally conscious land-use decision-makers. The premise of cluster development is simple: rather than being scattered about on roughly uniform lots, buildings on a given parcel of land are grouped together in a way that makes construction more efficient while preserving the land's aesthetic qualities and protecting environmentally sensitive areas. Although the concept has several historic precedents, it remains novel to many local officials, and many developers and builders seem wary of it. But cluster housing can provide residential developers with an ideal method of satisfying local growth management concerns while retaining the desired density and type of development on a given parcel. Roots in
