10 urbanization growing pains in portland,...

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10 Urbanization

CH

AP

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R Growing Pains in Portland,

Oregon

• Senate Bill 100 sets guidelines for land use in Oregon,

restricting development to urban areas and leaving

open areas largely untouched.

• In recent years, further measures have challenged

Senate Bill 100, arguing that it restricts landowners

from increasing the value of their property through

development.

Talk About It Should governments be able to limit

development on privately owned land if it means

protecting the environment? Why or why not?

Lesson 10.1 Land Use and Urbanization

For the first time in history, there are now more urban residents than rural residents.

Land Cover and Land Use

• Land cover: Vegetation and structures that cover land.

• Land use: Human activities that occur on land

• Humans change land cover, especially in urban areas. These changes have environmental and economic effects.


Urban and Rural Areas

• Rural: Any other type

of land use or land

cover (includes forests,

cropland, etc.)


• Urban: Land mostly

covered with buildings and

roads (includes suburbs)

Urbanization

•Occurs when people

move from rural areas

to cities

•Cities are not new, but

the enormous size of

today’s cities is. More

than 20 cities have at

least 10 million residents.


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The Rise of Cities

• Factors that contribute

to the rise of

urbanization include

population growth and

industrialization.

•Most cities are located

near a transportation

route such as a large

body of water, railroad,

or highway.


Did You Know? Since 1950, the world’s

urban population has more than quadrupled.

According to U.N. projections, it will double

again by 2050.

Chicago’s location on Lake Michigan helped it

grow into a large and prosperous city.

Environmental Costs of Urbanization


• Pollution: Increased waste, industrial byproducts, noise

pollution, light pollution

• Heat islands: Cities, several

degrees warmer than

surrounding areas, affect

local weather and

trap pollutants.

• Imported resources: Fossil

fuels are burned to import

food, water, fuel, and

raw materials.

Environmental Benefits of Urbanization

• Efficiency: Less fuel and resources

needed to distribute goods and

services to residents

•Universities and research centers:

Urban areas tend to foster education

and innovation.

• Land Preservation: Dense urban

centers leave room for agriculture,

wilderness, biodiversity, and privacy.

Lesson 10.1 Land Use and Urbanization Lesson 10.2 Sprawl

In 1950, 65% of the U.S. population lived in urban (including suburban) areas, while 35% lived rurally. In 2010, 89% was urban and only 11% rural.

Los Angeles, CA,

is one the most

sprawling U.S.

cities.

What Is Sprawl?

• The spread of low-density urban or suburban development outward from a dense urban core

•Often, growth of suburban areas outpaces population growth because suburbs allow more space per person than cities.

Lesson 10.2 Sprawl

Las Vegas, Nevada

Left: 1972;

Right: 2002

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Primary Contributors to Sprawl

• Population growth

• Increased per capita land consumption

• On average, these two factors are equally important, but one may be more important than another in a specific city.

Lesson 10.2 Sprawl

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Patterns of Sprawl

• Uncentered commercial strip development

• Low-density single-use residential development

• Scattered, or leapfrog, development

• Sparse street network

Lesson 10.2 Sprawl

Impacts of Sprawl

• Transportation: Little to no public transportation

• Pollution: Increased driving leads to pollution.

• Public health: May promote inactivity, and by extension obesity and high blood pressure

• Land Use: Less land left as open space, forests, and farms

• Economics: Wealth tending to concentrate in suburbs, leaving urban areas poor

Lesson 10.2 Sprawl

Did You Know? Every year, more than 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres) of rural land are converted to urban land in the United States.

Lesson 10.3 Sustainable Cities

More than 600 “new urbanist” communities are planned or in construction across North America.

City Planning and Zoning

• City planners attempt to design cities that both work well and look and feel appealing.

• Zoning: Classification of land areas for different types of development and land use • An area can be

mixed use or single use.

• Involves restrictions on the use of private land


Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs)

• A line drawn around a city to

separate urban areas from rural

areas, with limited permission

for development

• Advantages: Saves 20% in

infrastructure costs compared

with sprawl; decreases per capita

land use; promotes economic

development within the city

• Disadvantages: Does not

completely stop sprawl; limits

rights of private landowners


Smart Growth

• Focuses on economic and environmental approaches to avoiding sprawl

• Builds “up,” not “out”

•Maintains open spaces by redeveloping existing urban areas, waterfronts, and industrial sites


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“New Urbanism”

• Seeks to design neighborhoods that minimize the need to drive

•Requires good public transportation systems

• Sometimes impossible due to zoning restrictions


Did You Know? A 2004 study found that residents of sprawling areas were heavier on average for their height, and had increased instances of high blood pressure.

• Public transportation a key factor in the quality of urban life

• Buses, subways, trains more efficient, less polluting than cars

•Cities encourage mass transit with fuel taxes, vehicle taxes, rewarding carpoolers, and encouraging bicycle and bus use.

Transportation Options


Did You Know? Paris, France

removed 200,000 parking spaces

to encourage the use of public

transportation within the city.

Open Space • Provides greenery, beauty, freedom of movement,

recreation opportunities

• Includes parks, playgrounds, community gardens, greenways

•Regulates climate, produces oxygen, filters air and water, provides habitat


Did You Know? More than 24,000 km of abandoned public rail line in the U.S. have been converted to trails for walking, jogging, and biking.

Green Building Design

• The goals of a green

building are to save

energy and resources

without sacrificing

people’s comfort.

• Ashland High School

near Boston,

Massachusetts is a

sophisticated green

building that saves the

school system more

than $75,000 a year in

energy costs.


Urban Sustainability Successes

•Curitiba, Brazil

• Efficient bus network

• Recycling and environmental

education provided

•New York City

• Plan underway to reduce

greenhouse gas emissions,

improve public transit, plant

trees, clean up polluted sites,

and improve open space access


The tube at this Curitiba bus stop handles fare

collection for passengers boarding or exiting.

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