Reading (Conservation Subdivision) Plans

Abstract

This article argues that literary theory, exemplified by an approach authored by Seymour Mandelbaum in 1990, when adapted assists in understanding the complex process of translating land-use bylaw into project design. Literary theory thus addresses the recent resurgence in planning interest in design. The technique is used to follow the implementation of one particular design idea (conservation subdivision design) as legislated in one particular place (Amherst, Massachusetts) and applied to one particular residential development. The substantive analysis demonstrates that conservation subdivision design, at least in this case, fails to achieve some of the theorized ideal goals, and instead achieves different outcomes. Sources for distortion are theorized, and the application of literary theory to planning process is discussed.