Across the United States there is a continuous expansion of population away from our traditional urban center cities. As people have occupied housing in these former open spaces, industrial parks and commercial centers have soon followed. While local planning boards have been able, in most cases, to handle residential and industrial growth, they are rarely able to handle extensive retail growth. Indeed, when a mall developer - complete with a multitalented staff and reams of plans - comes before a small town planning board, there is inevitable shock and a great deal of fear. In our experience, few small towns are ever prepared for the changes that follow.