Excerpts from the report Summary: Great amounts of land were urbanized in the Western United States during 1950-60. Over 71 percent went to dense residential use, 13 percent to open residential use, and smaller percentages to commercial, industrial, recreational, and airport uses. Over 75 percent of the land urbanized had been in cropland and less than 20 percent in pasture and other grassland. Only in the Pacific Northwest were substantial acreages of forest land taken. Very little urbanization came from idle land--cropland apparently went directly into urban use. The coefficients developed in the study appear to provide a general basis for projecting urban land uses. The average relationship of 0.07 acre per capita could be useful as a general guide for planning large heterogeneous areas. More detailed analysis considering additional variables would be needed for detailed planning, and to take account of such factors as local regulations. topography, and stage of urbanization.
