Suburban Nation

ESSENTIAL QUESTION
How does Urban Sprawl affect people and
the planet?

What is Urban Sprawl?

The rapid and poorly planned spread of
cities and suburbs

Vocabulary
1. Metropolitan Area: A major population
acenter made up of a large city and the
smaller suburbs and towns around it
2. Suburb: a developed area at the edge of a
city that is mainly homes
3. Urban: City
4. Rural: Country

Suburban Sprawl
The Components of Sprawl
The Effects of Sprawl
Ways to Combat Sprawl

5 Components of Sprawl
Housing Subdivisions
Shopping Malls
Office Parks
Civic Institutions
Roadways

What is Distinct about

Traditional Neighborhoods
Neighborhood
Center
5 minute Walk
Street Network

Narrow Streets
Mixed Use
Zoning
Special Sites
for Special
Buildings

Transportation Mess

Congested Traffic

Collector Roads
Single Use Zoning
Useless Open Spaces
Cul-de-sacs
Interesting Intersections

The case for Urban Growth

1. Homes are needed
2. Develop empty rural land outside of a
city
3. Homes tend to be cheaper
4. Jobs are created

The Case Against Urban Growth

1. Damage to the Environment
2. Rural land is not emptyPlants and
animals live there
3. Traffic Jams
4. Air Pollution

Ways to Combat Urban Sprawl

1. Public Transportation
2. Mixed Use Development
3. Infill
4. Smart Growth

Public Transportation: a public transportation

system for moving passengers

Mixed Use Development: different uses

contained within the same physical structure .

Infill: is the reuse of land in an

urban environment

During

After

Smart Growth: building urban, suburban and rural

communities with housing and transportation
choices near jobs, shops and schools.

Exit Ticket
Today we talked about 4 strategies to help
with Urban Sprawl. In your opinion, which
is the most effective?
3 sentences
Use the same sheet of paper as your warmup

The American Dream

Segregation by Income
Gated Communities
Lack of mix of housing types
Lack of Fronts and Backs

 2 Illegal types of 2 Forgotten Rules

of Affordable
Affordable
Housing
Housing
Living above the
Store
Granny Flats

Dont Experiment
on the Poor
Limit the
Concentration of
Housing Projects

Physical Creation Of
Society

Communal Space
Time for Community
Pedestrian Life
Wide Streets
Speed

Wastefulness
Crime

Suburban Sprawl
The Components of Sprawl
The Effects of Sprawl
Ways to Combat Sprawl

Sprawl and the Developer

Influence of Market Experts
Traditional vs. Conventional Design
Struggles with the Homebuilders

Victims of Sprawl

Cul-De-Sac Kids and Bored Teenagers

Soccer Moms
Weary commuters
Bankrupt Municipalities
The Immobile Poor

The City and the Region

we shall solve the city problem by
leaving the city. Henry Ford 1922 (p.135)
Good Suburbs
Suburbs that Help Cities
Eight Steps to Regional Planning

Eight Steps to Regional

Planning

Admit Growth will occur

Establish a permanent Countryside Preserve
Establish a temporary Countryside Reserve
Designate the corridors
Establish Priority Development Sectors
Establish a proactive permitting process
Designate all other types of development as
districts

The Inner City

The Amenity Package

Civic Decorum
Physical Health
Retail Management
Marketing
Investment Security

DESIGN YOUR
OWN CITY

Constrictions
A highway 2 miles
Within growth ring of
west of proposed site
a medium sized city
A river cutting through
site in the southeastern corner
Densely forested area
on the river bank

You Will Need:

500 homes
Schools
Public Transit
Business District
Retail Shops
Civic Buildings

Community Centers
City Services

Remember the
importance of
COMMUNITY!

Suburban Sprawl
The Components of Sprawl
The Effects of Sprawl
Ways to Combat Sprawl

Ways to Combat Sprawl

At the Local Level
At the State Level
At the Federal Level

At the Local Level

Importance of Community on Political
Agenda
Change Current Regulations
Become Pro-Active
Think Globally, Act Locally, Plan
Regionally
Practice What you Preach

Change Current Regulations

Encourage Public Transit

Walkable Neighborhoods
Maintain Natural Areas
Mix of houses, shops, workplace, recreation areas
Sidewalks
Narrow Streets
Parking
Public Playgrounds

At the State Level

Transportation
Department of Transportation
Public Transportation

Affordable Housing

At the Federal Level

Taxes
Gasoline tax towards public transportation
Tax policies changed to encourage renovation
as much as construction

Schools
Balanced resources for schools