What is a SLUG? A term for rural sprawl

This image was recently posted on LinkedIn along with a discussion of the term SLUG, which stands for spread-out, low-density, unguided growth.

Urban designer Kevin Abbott found the term in the 2013 edition of Virginia McAlester’s A Field Guide to American Houses. Some say this is another term for sprawl. Abbott describes it as a precursor to sprawl. “They are those forerunners to suburban development, those semi-rural subdivisions that eventually turn into the urban interface (because we dare not call it suburban). These SLUG’s end up doing more damage to good sustainable urban growth due to their unplanned approach supported by a legal context of a thousand cuts.” 

This is development that I call rural sprawl. It is at the edge, or beyond the edge, of metro regions. It occurs as individual, or small groups, of houses. It is still drivable to places. If we are being honest, this living arrangement can be appealing to many people who work remotely, are retired, or have a job that requires a lot of driving anyway. 

SLUGs, however, don’t offer community and have many downsides. People who live in such houses have no access to anything without driving, so transportation expenses in time and money will be high. It’s not a healthy lifestyle unless you intentionally exercise daily. If you are a child in this environment or otherwise can’t drive, you have no independence and have little freedom.

SLUG development will occur, but communities should plan better options.