The resulting "Comprehensive Master Plan" pulled no punches about what was required: "Laurel has no choice between growth and non-growth. It does have a choice, an important choice, between planned and unplanned development. But the cycle of accelerated population increase is already upon the community. The choice must be made now. The Comprehensive Master Plan offers one alternative. No choice is really a choice for unplanned sprawl-scattered subdivisions, badly located streets, inadequate recreation facilities. … The plan can be filed in a drawer or it can become the guide to building a New City of Laurel. … The ultimate decision on what kind of city Laurel will make of itself, or allow outside forces to make of it, rests with the people of the community. … The people of Laurel will ultimately make the decision whether they want a planned community or, through apathy, choose to allow urban sprawl to engulf them."