Boomtime in Austin, Texas: Negotiated Growth Management

A new form of negotiated growth management has emerged recently in Austin, Texas. Unable to accommodate boomtime growth, Austin's conventional growth management policies have been circumvented by aggressive developer initiatives. This article describes the emergence of a new public-private growth strategy that relies on municipal utility districts negotiated as long-term contracts between developers and the city. The article details the benefits of that strategy to both parties and offers a critical assessment of the practice.