A comparative study of growth management effectiveness and urban sprawl in two thoroughbred landscapes in the U.S.

• Sprawl analysis for two similar communities.
• Longitudinal study from 1970 to 2010.
• Comparison of two thoroughbred horse industry communities.
• Growth management in Lexington, Kentucky and Ocala, Florida.
• Built street density analysis demonstrates new urban sprawl.

This study compares sprawl development over a 40-year period in Fayette County (Lexington) Kentucky and Marion County (Ocala) Florida, which are centers of the thoroughbred horse industry in the U.S.A. Both sites rely heavily on the local economic benefits of the thoroughbred industry, and have adopted growth management programs to steer development away from soils well-suited to the equine operations, which are highly sensitive to non-farming land uses. The research operationalizes sprawl through population density, housing unit density, roadway length density, and housing unit density measured against roadway density. Although both sites' new construction seems to have avoided prime areas well suited for thoroughbred farming operations, the analysis shows that Lexington has been able to maintain more compact housing development, and new roadways tend to fill with higher density housing. This may be a result of the locally-based growth management program, or a series of other factors, including political economy.