Community leaders want community development and growth, but without adverse effects on the environment or quality of life. This common goal generally supports the concept of sustainability and recognizes the need for planned development. In the southern Appalachian region, many communities are actively engaged in a dialog about the future. Rapid change within the region is making people anxious to know how change is affecting them and whether the change is a benefit or threat to their quality of life. In response to these concerns, a workshop was organized in July of 1997 to explore measures of change and community development. The Community Sustainability Indicators Workshop was held at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina. The primary purpose was to determine the community development indicators that were meaningful to the people of the region.