The process of managing urban growth to prevent sprawl is known as what?

The process of managing urban growth to prevent sprawl is best described as Smart Growth. Smart Growth emphasizes creating environmentally sustainable and economically viable communities by promoting compact, walkable urban environments. This approach seeks to control urban expansion and reduce reliance on automobiles by enhancing public transportation, preserving open spaces, and fostering mixed-use development.

Smart Growth incorporates principles that aim to balance development with community needs while guiding growth in a way that minimizes negative impacts on the environment. This includes encouraging infill development—revitalizing existing urban areas instead of expanding outwards—which directly tackles the issues associated with urban sprawl, such as increased traffic congestion, loss of agricultural land, and the decline of inner-city neighborhoods.

The other options, while related to urban development, do not directly target the issue of sprawl in the same way. Sustainable Development encompasses a broader notion of meeting current needs without compromising future generations but isn't specific to managing urban growth. Urban Renewal focuses primarily on revamping existing urban areas often through redevelopment rather than managing growth. Land Use Planning involves the systematic assessment of land needs, but it does not inherently prioritize preventing sprawl. Thus, Smart Growth stands out as the concept specifically geared toward managing urban growth effectively to combat sprawl.