The growth and expansion of our communities have changed patterns of retail development over the last several decades. Traditional stores that once were located downtown have given way to big-box stores that are sprawling at the urban fringe. In response to sprawl, a variety of planning initiatives have appeared under the rubric of Smart Growth. While we could evaluate communities using qualitative criteria, we can also examine their growth in a quantitative manner. By examining changes in the amount of development, we can see where and how much growth is occurring. As this pattern changes over space and time, the analytical capabilities of a technology called Geographic Information Systems (GIS) becomes quite useful.