National spotlight shines on Md. gov.

Maryland Gov. Parris Glen-dening is fast becoming to smart growth what Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson is to welfare reform and New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is to zero-tolerance policing -- a national authority on a national issue.

His prominence and leadership on growth issues is increasingly putting Glendening on the national political map, a place where few Maryland governors since the late Spiro T. Agnew have tread.

In recent months, dozens of states, municipalities, national preservationists and land-use groups have bombarded Annapolis with requests for information and for the governor to talk about smart growth and suburban sprawl.

"We turn …