urban land use planning and control

1. Urban Land-use PlanningUrban Land-use Planning
and Controland Control

2. LAND-USE PLANNINGLAND-USE PLANNING
 Land use planningLand use planning – determining the best– determining the best
present and future use of parcels of landpresent and future use of parcels of land

Encourages population growth and economicEncourages population growth and economic
development at expense of environmental anddevelopment at expense of environmental and
social consequencessocial consequences

3. LAND-USE PLANNINGLAND-USE PLANNING
 Poor planning leads to urban sprawlPoor planning leads to urban sprawl
 Property taxes fund communities – mustProperty taxes fund communities – must
raise money by promoting economicraise money by promoting economic
development to not raise taxes – leads todevelopment to not raise taxes – leads to
more sprawlmore sprawl

4. LAND-USE PLANNINGLAND-USE PLANNING
 ZoningZoning – parcels of land designated for– parcels of land designated for
specific usesspecific uses
 Problems:Problems:

Destruction of open spaceDestruction of open space

Favors business and wealthy over poor andFavors business and wealthy over poor and
environmentally sensitive areas (property taxes)environmentally sensitive areas (property taxes)

Discourages innovation – ex: prohibits mixed-useDiscourages innovation – ex: prohibits mixed-use
zoningzoning

5. Land use in the Town of SmithtownLand use in the Town of Smithtown

6. LAND-USE PLANNINGLAND-USE PLANNING
 Smart growthSmart growth – planning that uses zoning– planning that uses zoning
and other tools to:and other tools to:

Discourage urban sprawlDiscourage urban sprawl

Reduce car dependenceReduce car dependence

Protect ecologically sensitive areasProtect ecologically sensitive areas

Develop areas that are more enjoyable places toDevelop areas that are more enjoyable places to
live – ex: parkslive – ex: parks

Create mixed-use neighborhoods where peopleCreate mixed-use neighborhoods where people
can live, work and shop close to their homescan live, work and shop close to their homes

7. Fig. 23-16, p. 563
Solutions
Smart Growth Tools
Limits and Regulations
• Limit building permits
• Urban growth boundaries
• Greenbelts around cities
• Public review of new development
Protection
• Preserve existing open space
• Buy new open space
• Buy development rights that prohibit
certain types of development on land
parcels
Zoning
• Encourage mixed use
• Concentrate development along
mass transportation routes
• Promote high-density cluster
housing developments
Taxes
• Tax land, not buildings
• Tax land on value of actual use (such as
forest and agriculture) instead of
highest value as developed land
Tax Breaks
• For owners agreeing legally to not allow
certain types of development
(conservation easements)
• For cleaning up and developing
abandoned urban sites (brownfields)
Planning
• Ecological land-use planning
• Environmental impact analysis
• Integrated regional planning
• State and national planning Revitalization & New Growth
• Revitalize existing towns & cities
• Build well-planned new towns and
villages within cities

8. Vision Long IslandVision Long Island – working to create– working to create
smart growth communities on Long Islandsmart growth communities on Long Island

9. Case Study:Case Study:
Land-Use Planning in OregonLand-Use Planning in Oregon
 Oregon has a comprehensive land-useOregon has a comprehensive land-use
planning process:planning process:

Permanently zone all rural land as forest,Permanently zone all rural land as forest,
agriculture or urban landagriculture or urban land

Draw urban growth lines around each communityDraw urban growth lines around each community

Place control over land-use planning in StatePlace control over land-use planning in State
handshands

10. Cluster DevelopmentCluster Development
 Cluster developmentCluster development ––
high density housinghigh density housing
units concentrated onunits concentrated on
one portion of a parcel –one portion of a parcel –
rest of the land used forrest of the land used for
commonly shared opencommonly shared open
spacespace

11. The Ecocity ConceptThe Ecocity Concept
 EcocityEcocity oror green citygreen city – environmentally– environmentally
sustainable citysustainable city
 Principles of sustainability:Principles of sustainability:

Build cities for people not carsBuild cities for people not cars

Use renewable energy resourcesUse renewable energy resources

Use solar-power living machines and wetlandsUse solar-power living machines and wetlands
for waste water treatmentfor waste water treatment

Depend largely on recycled waterDepend largely on recycled water

Use energy and matter efficientlyUse energy and matter efficiently

12. The Ecocity ConceptThe Ecocity Concept

Prevent pollution and reduce wastePrevent pollution and reduce waste

Reuse and recycle at least 60% of municipalReuse and recycle at least 60% of municipal
solid wastesolid waste

Protect biodiversity by preserving, protectingProtect biodiversity by preserving, protecting
and restoring surrounding natural areasand restoring surrounding natural areas

Promote urban gardens and farmers marketsPromote urban gardens and farmers markets

Build communities that promote cultural andBuild communities that promote cultural and
economic diversityeconomic diversity

Use zoning and other tools to keep the humanUse zoning and other tools to keep the human
population at environmentally sustainable levelspopulation at environmentally sustainable levels

13. The Ecovillage MovementThe Ecovillage Movement
 Ecovillage movementEcovillage movement – in rural or– in rural or
suburban areas or neighborhoods withinsuburban areas or neighborhoods within
citiescities
•
Small pockets of sustainabilitySmall pockets of sustainability

14. Case Study: The Ecocity Concept inCase Study: The Ecocity Concept in
Curitiba, BrazilCuritiba, Brazil
 70% of people (2 million) use the bus system70% of people (2 million) use the bus system
 Only high-rise apartments allowed near busOnly high-rise apartments allowed near bus
routes – bottom 2 floors – storesroutes – bottom 2 floors – stores
 Bike paths throughout cityBike paths throughout city
 Cars banned from much of city’s downtownCars banned from much of city’s downtown

15. Case Study: The Ecocity Concept inCase Study: The Ecocity Concept in
Curitiba, BrazilCuritiba, Brazil
 This bus system movesThis bus system moves
many passengers basedmany passengers based
on infrastructure:on infrastructure:

Bus express lanesBus express lanes

Double and triple lengthDouble and triple length
busesbuses

Extra-wide doors - easyExtra-wide doors - easy
boardingboarding
 Green in other waysGreen in other ways
 People do not want toPeople do not want to
movemove Figure 23-1Figure 23-1