Urbanization and Sustainable Growth

1. Urbanization and Sustainable Growth

2. I. Urbanization • Urbanization= the movement of people from rural to urban areas • In 1950, 30% of the world’s population was urban, today it’s 49%. In the U.S., 79% of the population lives in urban areas.

3. I. Urbanization C. Urban areas grow in two ways – • Natural Increase – More births than deaths in cities • Immigration – Rural residents move to cities in search of jobs, food, housing, educational opportunities, better health care, entertainment, and freedom from religious, racial, and political conflicts.

4. I. Urbanization D. The size of today’s urban centers are unprecedented E. Today, 18 cities are home to more than 10 million residents (called mega-cities), 15 of them are in developing countries. F. Hypercities, with more than 20 million people, are the next step • So far, just Tokyo, Japan with 26.5 million • But by 2015, projections by the U.N. show Mumbai (India), Lagos (Nigeria), Dakar (Bangladesh), and Sao Paulo (Brazil) will all be hypercities

6. I. Urbanization G. Based on this data, Four major trends are apparent with current urban population dynamics: • Proportion of the global population living in urban areas is increasing. • Urban areas are expanding rapidly in number and size • Urban growth is much slower in developed countries than developing countries • Poverty is becoming increasingly urbanized, mostly in developing countries.

7. II. Urban and Suburban Sprawl • In the U.S. and other countries, urban sprawl – the growth of low density development on the edge of cities and towns, is eliminating surrounding agricultural and wild lands. • Six major factors promoted urban sprawl in the U.S. • Ample land was available for cities to expand outward.

8. II. Urban and Suburban Sprawl 2. Federal government loan guarantees for new single-family homes for WWII vets stimulated the development of the suburbs in the 1950s.

9. II. Urban and Suburban Sprawl 3. Low cost gas and federal and state funding of highways encouraged auto use and the development of outlying tracts of land. 4. Tax laws encourage home ownership 5. Most zoning laws favored large residential lots and separation of residential and commercial areas. 6. Most urban areas consist of multiple political jurisdictions which rarely work together to develop an overall plan to manage commercial growth.

10. II. Urban and Suburban Sprawl C. Basically sprawl is the result of affordable land, autos, cheap gas, and poor urban planning. D. Formal Definition of sprawl: 1) the spread of low-density urban or suburban development outward from an urban center • Physical spread of development is greater than the rate of population growth

11. People in suburbs take up more space Each person in a suburban region takes up an average of 11 times as much space as does a resident of the city proper

12. Several types of development lead to sprawl

13. II. Urban and Suburban Sprawl E. Issues associated with sprawl: 1) Transportation: people are forced to drive cars Pressure to own cars and drive greater distances Increases dependence on nonrenewable petroleum Lack of mass transit options More traffic accidents 2) Pollution from sprawl’s effects on transportation Carbon dioxide, nitrogen- and sulfur-containing air pollutants Motor oil and road salt from roads and parking lots

14. II. Urban and Suburban Sprawl 3) Health: promotes physical inactivity because driving cars replaces walking • Increases obesity and high blood pressure 4) Land use: less land is left as forests, fields, farmland, or ranchland • Loss of ecosystem services, recreation, aesthetic beauty, wildlife habitat 5) Economics: drains tax dollars from communities • For roads, water and sewer systems, electricity, police and fire services, schools in new developments

15. III. Planning to Reduce Sprawl A. City planning = the professional pursuit that attempts to design cities so as to maximize their efficiency, functionality, and beauty Planners advise policymakers on development options, transportation needs, public parks, etc. B. Daniel Burnham’s 1909 Plan of Chicago = the first thorough plan for an American city

16. C. ThePlan of Chicago 1. Expanded city parks, playgrounds 2. Streamlined traffic systems 3. Removed industry and railroads from Lake Michigan

17. III. Planning to Reduce Sprawl D. City planning grew throughout 20th century Expanding urban populations Decay of inner cities Wealthier residents fled to suburbs E. Regional planning = deals with same issues as city planning, but with broader geographic scales that must coordinate with multiple municipal governments

18. III. Planning to Reduce Sprawl F. Zoning= the practice of classifying areas for different types of development and land use Can restrict areas to a single use or can allow a combination of residential and commercial use G. Opponents say that zoning’s government restriction violates individual freedoms H. Proponents say government can set limits for the good of the community

19. I. Urban growth boundaries (UGBs) 1. Limits sprawl: keeps growth in existing urbanized areas Revitalize downtowns Protect farms, forests, and their industries Ensure urban dwellers some access to open space 2. May reduce infrastructure costs 3. Disadvantages: Increases housing prices within their boundaries (aka less supply) Restricts development outside UGB Increases the density of new housing inside the UGB Increasing pressure to expand boundaries

20. Oregon’s urban growth boundary

21. III. Planning to Reduce Sprawl J. Smart growth = urban growth boundaries and other land use policies to control growth K. Proponents promote: Healthy neighborhoods and communities Jobs and economic development Transportation options Environmental quality L. Building “up, not out” Focusing development in existing areas Favoring multistory shop-houses and high-rises

22. M. Principles of smart growth • Mixed land uses • Compact building design • Range of housing opportunities and choices • Walkable neighborhoods • Distinctive, attractive neighborhoods • Preserve open space • Develop existing communities • A variety of transportation choices • Predictable development decisions • Community collaboration in development decisions

23. N. New urbanism 1) New urbanism = neighborhoods are designed on a walkable scale Homes, businesses, and schools are close together 2) Functional neighborhoods in which most of a family’s needs can be met without the use of a car

24. O. New Urbanism in Austin 1. Mueller development in Austin – Mixed use, homes, retail, work places. Green design, green spaces, award winning.

25. P. Transit-oriented development 1. Transit-oriented development = communities arrayed around stops on a major rail transit line • People can travel by train and foot alone 2. Zoning rules must cooperate with new urbanism • Denser development must be allowed

26. IV. Mass transportation A. A key in improvement of quality of urban life B. Options include: Public buses Trains and subways Light rail = smaller rail systems powered by electricity C. Mass transit is cheaper, more energy efficient, and cleaner and eases traffic congestion

27. D. The most-used train systems in the U.S. are in the largest cities Carry more than 25% of each city’s daily commuters E. Most countries have bus systems more accessible than in the U.S. F. Light rail systems are rapidly increasing Train and bus systems

28. G. Problems with mass transport 1. Expensive to replace existing roads 2. Types of mass transit differ in their effectiveness • Depends on city size, size of the transit system H. Governments can encourage mass transit • Raise fuel taxes • Tax inefficient modes of transport • Reward carpoolers • Encourage bicycle use and bus ridership • Charge trucks for road damage • Stimulate investment in renewed urban centers

29. V. Parks and open spaces A. City dwellers want to escape from noise, commotion, and stress of urban life B. Natural lands, public parks, and open space provide greenery, scenic beauty, freedom, and recreation C. Protecting natural lands becomes more important with increased urbanization • Because urban dwellers become more isolated and disconnected with nature

30. D. City Parks idea originated in America in at the end of the 19th century 1. People wanted to make dirty, crowded cities more livable 2. Began in eastern cities 3. Lawns, groves, and curved pathways originated with European ideals City parks

31. E. Conflicts over park’s intended purposes arose 1. Rich citizens wanted aesthetic “pleasure grounds” Carriage rides 2. Poor citizens were interested in active recreation Ballgames V. Parks and open spaces

32. V. Parks and open spaces F. Frederick Law Olmsted – Founder of Landscape architecture. Designed many famous American Parks – Central Park, U.S. Capital grounds, Boston’s “Green Necklace” series of parks, Stanford University campus green spaces, Prospect Park in Brooklyn

33. G. Smaller public spaces are also important • Small spaces can make a big difference • Playgrounds, community gardens

34. V. Parks and open spaces H. Greenways= strips of land that connect parks or neighborhoods • Protect water quality • Boost property values • Corridors for wildlife movement I. Ecological restoration in cities • Enhances “naturalness” of cities • San Francisco’s Presidio area is being restored to native dune communities