LandChapter 14, Section 2: Urban Land Use

Standards: SEV1c, 5d

The movement of people from rural areas to cities.

Mostly caused by people searching for jobs

What is urbanization?

Urban areas that grow quickly:◦ Not enough infrastructure

to support so many people Traffic jams b/c not enough

roads Overcrowded schools b/c not

enough school buildings Overflowing or

malfunctioning sewer systems

◦ Too many people can cause living conditions for all to deteriorate- called urban crisis.

Fast Growth vs. Slow Growth

Shanty town on the outskirts of Hong Kong

Urban areas that grow slowly:◦ Roads & public

transportation are built to handle growth.

◦ Traffic flows easily.◦ Green spaces &

recreational areas are planned. Green spaces provide

temperature moderation for the city, a place for rainwater to seep into soil (instead of flooding) and a place to relax.

Fast Growth vs. Slow Growth

Areas on the outskirts of a city.

People usually commute into city via car or public transportation.

When city expands to countryside its called urban sprawl.

What are the suburbs?

1. Marginal Land Use

Land that is not suitable for building◦ Mountain sides◦ Coastal areas

If city is poorly planned for future growth then suburbs may expand into marginal lands.◦ Ex: Los Angeles was built in a

valley. As population grew, people moved up the side of mountains to build homes. Homes subject to landslides.

What are problems associated with urban sprawl?

2. Heat Island Effect Cities are warmer than rural

areas Roads/buildings trap and

store more heat than vegetation.

Can alter local weather patterns◦ Hot air in city rises, cools,

causes rain◦ If fewer green spaces to

absorb rainfall then have more flooding

Heat leads to human health problems- heat stroke

Urban Heat Islands on The Weather Channel - YouTube

What are problems associated with urban sprawl?

Land-use planning- determining in advance how land will be used◦ Where will houses go?◦ Where will businesses

be located?◦ What areas should be

protected for recreation & wildlife?

◦ Where will our water come from?

How SHOULD cities be planned?

Mass Transit systems◦ Buses◦ Trains (NY subway,

MARTA, Maglevs) Using mass transit

◦ Saves energy◦ Reduces traffic◦ Reduces air pollution◦ Decreases land

covered by road/parking lot b/c can be built above/below ground.

Maglevs are magnetic levitation trains. Use magnets to start, stop, propel the train.

Maglev train video clip- The Futures Channel

How SHOULD cities be planned?

Open Spaces (aka greenbelts)◦ Land within urban area

set aside for scenic & recreational enjoyment. Ex: parks, gardens, bike

trails, hiking trails

◦ Important for Pollution filtration CO2 removal Temperature control Absorbing water from

rainstorm runoff Exercise & relaxation

How SHOULD cities be planned?

Transforming 22 miles of old railroad track into space for walking, biking, recreation.

First part is complete. Government trying to

raise money for entire project

BeltLine Provides New Life to Railroad Tracks in Atlanta - NYTimes.com

Atlanta’s Beltline Project

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)- computerized system for storing, manipulating, & viewing geographic data.

Allows planner to see layers of information so can see what is present and what could be added/altered to an area.

What tools are used by land use planners to plan development?

Land-Use planning is difficult to follow through with b/c◦ Government

requires environmental impact reports of any building projects

◦ Citizens have right to comment on reports

◦ Many disagreements over plans

What are the problems associated with land-use planning?

Describe the urban crisis & explain how people are addressing it.

Explain how urban areas create heat islands.

Explain how open spaces provide environmental benefits to urban areas.

Describe how a GIS system can be used as a land use planning tool.

You should be able to…