Many land use laws were enacted to protect society at large from the decisions of a few. It is why a factory can't be build in a residential neighborhood, why a farmer can't build a shopping mall without proper zoning and why it is illegal to establish a toxic landfill without permission. Townships have the right, for instance, to determine that agriculture is a viable and important part of the community and that maintaining agricultural land uses does not take away the right of a landowner from using the property as it is master planned and zoned. Converting agricultural land to land that allows 1 to 3 acre lot development is the best way to accommodate growth. Scattering new residents in 1 to 3 acre lot subdivisions is the worst way to accommodate growth.
Clustering prevents sprawl.
Clustering can make suburban sprawl somewhat less damaging, but it does not make a turkey a dove. Clustering can preserve some natural features on a site once the more critical decision of changing the master plan to allow a subdivision has been made. Township master plans must satisfy market demand for large lot subdivisions. Current market forces alone should not drive long range master planning. Townships are in fact attracting growth by converting vast tracts of land to accommodate new subdivisions.