Several CURE board members have expertise in planning or are developers who have witnessed the consequences of unchecked sprawl. Increasingly, the face of rural California is changing due to rising land prices and the reduction of agriculture. Small towns or municipalities are faced with the complex issues of infrastructure development and planning and often do not have the tools for addressing these issues.

California law requires general plan updates on a periodic basis and smaller towns with minimal resources are grappling with the process now. CURE is working with one such rural town, Calexico, to address its growth demands. Calexico is a poor border community that traditionally depended on agricultural jobs to spur its economy. In the past decade, it has experienced unprcedented growth due to California's booming construciton industry, the development of several Wal-Marts, and an upcoming planned casino. These developments substantially tax Calexico's undersized infrastructure and general fund, and theraten to change the traditional values and lifestyle of a small community.

CURE has been working with the City to ensure that its impact fee proposals are in sync with what is needed to support increased development. CURE is also promoting historic preservation of older buildings that reflect its 100-year history and culture, and encourages more infill development rather than increased sprawl.