As governor of Maryland and through his subsequent advocacy, Parris Glendening transformed urban planning by pioneering the nation’s first comprehensive "Smart Growth" policy package in 1997. His approach completely shifted how states manage urban development by restricting state funding for infrastructure—like roads, schools, and sewers—to designated "Priority Funding Areas", thereby discouraging suburban sprawl and protecting rural open spaces. By steering investments back into existing cities and established communities, Glendening's policies revitalized downtown centers, preserved hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland, and established a national blueprint for sustainable, transit-oriented development. Following his time in office, he continued to shape American cities as the president of the Smart Growth America Leadership Institute and the Governors' Institute on Community Design, advising local and state leaders across the country on how to build economically vibrant, walkable neighborhoods.