This report presents findings from three diverse geographic areas of low−density 
residential development on agricultural land in Northeastern Illinois. By low−density housing built on farmland, we mean either one or a combination of two development patterns: (1) homes built on large lots − such as on one or more acres per dwelling unit − or (2) houses with smaller lots but located in developments that are scattered so that a half−mile or more of farmland separates one development from the other. With residential scatter it is likely that large distances separate the homes from schools, fire stations, rescue squads, grocery stores, pharmacies and other providers of essential services. In these three study sites, they looked for whether the distances generate fiscal costs and public safety risks that could be avoided or reduced in more compact development.
Fiscal Costs and Public Safety Risks of Low-Density Residential Development on Farmland
