story and setting

I saw a presentation this past weekend called "Rural/Urban/Suburban Fantasy" which discussed the location of modern fantasies. Questions included: "How do locale and setting shape fantasy?" and "Can you move a fantasy from locale to another?"

Leaving aside the whole point that the term Urban Fantasy was coined to differentiate a fantasy from Epic or High Fantasy...these questions were off-base.

This wasn't the first time I've seen setting emphasized. In some writing books on description (which shall remain nameless), I've read description should drive the story.

No. Both setting and description should serve the story, not drive the story. This means the story comes first and then you ask what setting and descriptions does this story need?

How about you? How do you come up with your settings?