Media authorities have predicted that the price of gasoline will hit ten dollars a gallon by the summer's end of 2008. This will open a new front on the battle against urban sprawl. As people can no longer afford a 45 minute commute to a single family dwelling on a one acre lot, they will look to live somewhere that it will not cost $18.00 each way to go to work in the city. Clashes are already starting between residents of older, low density neighborhoods and alliances of planners, politicians and real estate companies that see those neighborhoods as prime locations for higher density mixed use projects. The debate centers around what, exactly, is the best way to grow. Supporters of infill development like it because it involves redeveloping existing neighborhoods recycling land, reusing greyfield and often times rehabilitating brown fields. High-density land use in cities is one key to easing suburban sprawl, since it promotes more efficient use of land, energy and transportation. Opponents call infill “vertical sprawl” and argue that infill has many of the same problems as traditional sprawl. Traffic, parking and the cost of supporting new projects with schools, water and other municipal services are also characteristics of infill development. In addition, infill can raise land value around the project thus raising taxes on long-term residents and forcing those on fixed incomes out of their houses.

The trend toward infill development is in part a product of the “Smart Growth” movement that has gained currency among land use planners and environmentalists. Higher density, mixed use development built around mass transit hubs, they argue, is more environmentally sound than suburban sprawl and produces better quality of life.

Because it is cheaper to build on greenfield at the edge of the community in Florida , developers will always resist any effort to direct them toward infill development like urban growth boundaries. Developers are also suspicious of tools like transfer of development rights as an incentive to infill development. Communities are suspicious of infill because it can cause displacement, gentrification and promotes the abuse of eminent domain powers by politicians to benefit the developers who fund re-election efforts. Wherever they occur battles over vertical sprawl tend to pit neighborhood associations against developers and growth friendly politicians. Part of what forces these conflicts is a slow but steady resurgence of urban life over the last two decades. People have begun to realize that living far away from your job both has a personal life and a financial cost. However, current economic realities will accelerate this phenomenon. The resurgence of urban living has created strong housing market where none existed before. The increase in cost of gasoline to ten dollars a gallon will bring the decision down to a basic economics and the supply demand ratio.