SPRAWL IN THE HEARTLANDSPRAWL IN THE HEARTLAND

A Case Study of the Kansas City A Case Study of the Kansas City Missouri/Kansas Metropolitan Component Missouri/Kansas Metropolitan Component Economic AreaEconomic Area

UBIQUITOUS NATUREUBIQUITOUS NATURE►Sprawl - technically defined as "low-Sprawl - technically defined as "low-

density, automobile-dependent density, automobile-dependent development beyond the edge of development beyond the edge of service and employment areas" - is service and employment areas" - is ubiquitous and its effects are impacting ubiquitous and its effects are impacting the quality of life in every region of the quality of life in every region of America, in our large cities and small America, in our large cities and small towns. towns. Sierra ClubSierra Club

Imagery

Of

Sprawl

THE BASIC AREATHE BASIC AREA► 29th Largest Urban Area - 25th Largest SMA29th Largest Urban Area - 25th Largest SMA► MA Ranks 134th of 273 in Growth RateMA Ranks 134th of 273 in Growth Rate► 80 Percent Of All Workers Drive Alone To Work80 Percent Of All Workers Drive Alone To Work► Total Land Area Spreads 10 x Fastest Than Total Land Area Spreads 10 x Fastest Than

PopulationPopulation► It Has The 5th Greatest Rate of U.S. Sprawl It Has The 5th Greatest Rate of U.S. Sprawl

Among Metropolitan AreasAmong Metropolitan Areas► 150 Sq. Miles of Undeveloped Land in KC 150 Sq. Miles of Undeveloped Land in KC

AloneAlone

LIMITS OF SPRAWL IN 1999 LIMITS OF SPRAWL IN 1999

CURRENT POPULATIONCURRENT POPULATION

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Thousands

MA Rate of Growth 1990 – 2000 = 6.8 percent

CEA Rate 1990 – 2000 = 14.7 percent

MA Population Gain 1990 – 2000 = 198,000

URBAN CORE GROWTH URBAN CORE GROWTH

Pop = 441,259 @ 0.2 percent/year

Pop = 142654 @ -2.0 percent/year

Missouri PortionMissouri Portion

Kansas PortionKansas Portion

COMPONENT ECONOMIC COMPONENT ECONOMIC AREAAREA► 2 States2 States► 413 Local Municipal Government Units413 Local Municipal Government Units► 14 Counties14 Counties► 218 Townships218 Townships► 790+ Special Governmental Units790+ Special Governmental Units► 103 School Districts103 School Districts► And, ranked first in miles of road/per capita for the largest And, ranked first in miles of road/per capita for the largest

50 MA’s50 MA’s

URBAN FRINGE – BLDG URBAN FRINGE – BLDG PERMITS - 1997PERMITS - 1997

Residential Building Permits – MA Core Area

2,300

Residential Building Permits – Fringe Area (10 Counties)

7,300

BASIC FACTS – MA & CEABASIC FACTS – MA & CEA►Rate of spread 1985 – 1999Rate of spread 1985 – 1999

Metro Area = 56 %Metro Area = 56 % CEA = 70 %CEA = 70 % Population MA = 1.9 Million - rate = 6.8%Population MA = 1.9 Million - rate = 6.8% Population CEA = 2.274 Million - rate = Population CEA = 2.274 Million - rate =

8.2%8.2% CEA Area = 42 x 52 miles (2,184 sq. CEA Area = 42 x 52 miles (2,184 sq.

miles)miles)

EXAMPLE PLATTE COUNTYEXAMPLE PLATTE COUNTY► 1950 - 14,9731950 - 14,973► 1960 - 23,3501960 - 23,350► 1970 - 32,0811970 - 32,081► 1980 - 46,3411980 - 46,341► 1990 - 57,8671990 - 57,867► 1999 - 70,0681999 - 70,068

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 19990

20

40

60

80Thousands

THE FUEL - PEOPLETHE FUEL - PEOPLE

“Where Do These People Come From”

- Planner, Platte Co. MO

Another State………………. 53 percent

Same State. ……………….. 40 percent

Outside USA………………. 7 percent

RATE OF MIGRATIONRATE OF MIGRATION

ELEMENTS OF SPRAWLELEMENTS OF SPRAWL►AnnexationAnnexation►AirportAirport► Interstate HighwaysInterstate Highways►Rural Water/Sewer DistrictsRural Water/Sewer Districts►SchoolsSchools►Edge CityEdge City

AnnexationAnnexation

1964 KC Doubles Size

Annexes 122 sq. miles of new land; this includes the area around 16 free-standing suburbs and small towns

THE KCI AIRPORTTHE KCI AIRPORT

AIPORT DYNAMICSAIPORT DYNAMICS►20 Miles From Center City20 Miles From Center City►12,000 Acre Preservation Zone12,000 Acre Preservation Zone►Shifts Focus of Activity to the Shifts Focus of Activity to the

NorthlandNorthland►Boosts Growth Opportunity to the Boosts Growth Opportunity to the

FringeFringe►Creates Large-Lot Zoning SchemesCreates Large-Lot Zoning Schemes

INTERSTATE SYSTEMINTERSTATE SYSTEM► Interstate 435 Creates A Looped Link Interstate 435 Creates A Looped Link

To Form the Anchor For Two Major To Form the Anchor For Two Major Interstate SystemsInterstate Systems I-70 and I-35 and Reliever Rd. on 10 and I-70 and I-35 and Reliever Rd. on 10 and

5050

INFRASTRUCTURE - WATERINFRASTRUCTURE - WATER►During The Late 1960s, To Induce During The Late 1960s, To Induce

Growth In The Northland, KC Applies Growth In The Northland, KC Applies 200 Million In EPA Funds To Bring 200 Million In EPA Funds To Bring Water Service From The Core AreaWater Service From The Core Area

►Within 10 Years 18 Separate Rural Within 10 Years 18 Separate Rural Water District Are In Operation To Water District Are In Operation To Service Growth Attracted to the North Service Growth Attracted to the North and Westand West

SPRAWL ENGINE - WATERSPRAWL ENGINE - WATER

Rural water district #4 Increases its water service capacity by 800 percent to service fringe growth

INFRASTRUCTURE - SEWERINFRASTRUCTURE - SEWER►By 1980 Aggressive Sewer Extensions By 1980 Aggressive Sewer Extensions

From Growing SuburbsFrom Growing Suburbs►Absence Of Growth Management Plans Absence Of Growth Management Plans

Encourages Sewer Extensions Beyond Encourages Sewer Extensions Beyond TheThe

I-435 CorridorI-435 Corridor►Remote Subdivisions Allowed with Remote Subdivisions Allowed with

Packaged Sewer PlantsPackaged Sewer Plants

THE PUSH - SCHOOLSTHE PUSH - SCHOOLS►The KC Southland Schools Have Been The KC Southland Schools Have Been

Under Fire For More Than 15 YearsUnder Fire For More Than 15 Years►““More Young Couples Are Pushed Out More Young Couples Are Pushed Out

of KC Each Year By The Threat of of KC Each Year By The Threat of Children In School Than All The Other Children In School Than All The Other Factors Combined”Factors Combined” KC Missouri PlannerKC Missouri Planner

EDGECITIES – THE ANCHORSEDGECITIES – THE ANCHORS►Heartland Sprawl Is Built Around Two Heartland Sprawl Is Built Around Two

Developing Edge Cities, And A Third In Developing Edge Cities, And A Third In ProcessProcess

►Both Edges Are the Fastest Growing Both Edges Are the Fastest Growing Areas in The Central MidwestAreas in The Central Midwest

► Johnson County - Cities Form The Johnson County - Cities Form The Quintessential “Urban Core Flight” Quintessential “Urban Core Flight” Suburban ComplexSuburban Complex

EDGE CITIES – AGGRESIVE EDGE CITIES – AGGRESIVE SPRAWLSPRAWL

PLANNER’S ASSESSMENTPLANNER’S ASSESSMENT►The PullThe Pull

Multi-State, Overlapping, Uncoordinated Multi-State, Overlapping, Uncoordinated AreaArea

SchoolsSchools Shocking Misuse of Zoning and Subdivision Shocking Misuse of Zoning and Subdivision

Powers in Regional CommunitiesPowers in Regional Communities Aggressive Annexation and Utility ExtensionAggressive Annexation and Utility Extension AirportAirport

ASSESSMENT – THE PUSHASSESSMENT – THE PUSH►Lack Of Variety of Housing Types, Lack Of Variety of Housing Types,

Packages, and Plans In The Old MAPackages, and Plans In The Old MA►Rapidly Rising Land Costs In The MARapidly Rising Land Costs In The MA►SchoolsSchools►Paradoxically, Tighter – Restrictive Paradoxically, Tighter – Restrictive

Land Use Schemes And Density Land Use Schemes And Density DevelopmentsDevelopments

THE COUNTRYSIDE - THE COUNTRYSIDE - COLLISONCOLLISON

►One Planner – 515 Res. Building PermitsOne Planner – 515 Res. Building Permits►Five Acre Minimum Lots and ClimbingFive Acre Minimum Lots and Climbing►Growth Rates Create Many Problems Growth Rates Create Many Problems

For the Farming Community – But It For the Farming Community – But It Does Not Kill Them – Does Not Kill Them – Platte CountyPlatte County

►Keeping Up With Sprawl – You Cannot Keeping Up With Sprawl – You Cannot Kick Back For a Minute And Take A Kick Back For a Minute And Take A BreathBreath

COUNTRYSIDE - ASSESSMENTCOUNTRYSIDE - ASSESSMENT► No Chance To Be ProactiveNo Chance To Be Proactive► Consultants Are Fine – But They Are Not In Consultants Are Fine – But They Are Not In

The TrenchesThe Trenches► Code Enforcement – What A Joke!Code Enforcement – What A Joke!► ““Planning Life At The Fringe – You Go From Planning Life At The Fringe – You Go From

Floodplains to Hogs, From Conspicuous Floodplains to Hogs, From Conspicuous Consumption to Mobile Homes, And Then Consumption to Mobile Homes, And Then Return To Hear WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO Return To Hear WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO PAVE MY ROAD?PAVE MY ROAD?

PLANNER’S CONCLUSIONPLANNER’S CONCLUSION “ “Endless Interstates, Suburban Economic Endless Interstates, Suburban Economic

Opportunity, Cheap Land, Water, Sewer – Opportunity, Cheap Land, Water, Sewer – These Are the Necessary Conditions For These Are the Necessary Conditions For Sprawl. But They Are Not the Sufficient Sprawl. But They Are Not the Sufficient Conditions. To Complete The Picture You Conditions. To Complete The Picture You Must Have Attitude, Mistrust, Self-serving Must Have Attitude, Mistrust, Self-serving Gain, Cheap Money, And A Callous Disregard Gain, Cheap Money, And A Callous Disregard for the City That Made Sprawl Possible”for the City That Made Sprawl Possible”

…………………………KC Planner of 30 Years………………..KC Planner of 30 Years………………..

ATTITUDEATTITUDEDo You Favor Greenbelts Or Urban Growth Boundaries Do You Favor Greenbelts Or Urban Growth Boundaries To Contain Sprawl?To Contain Sprawl?57% Favor…………..33% Oppose57% Favor…………..33% Oppose

Would You Use Public Money To Acquire Land To Keep Would You Use Public Money To Acquire Land To Keep It Open?It Open?

44% Favor…………..49% Oppose44% Favor…………..49% OpposeWhich is More Important –Which is More Important –Do What You Want With Your Land – 69%Do What You Want With Your Land – 69%Let Government Regulate Land Use – 25%Let Government Regulate Land Use – 25%

Time/CNN Poll – January 20/21, 1999Time/CNN Poll – January 20/21, 1999

THE COST OF SPRAWLTHE COST OF SPRAWL► The haphazard and arbitrary scattering of structures The haphazard and arbitrary scattering of structures

across the landscape devastates rural areas in many across the landscape devastates rural areas in many ways: it homogenizes the countryside once dotted by ways: it homogenizes the countryside once dotted by forests, fields, farmland, and rivers, lakes and ponds; forests, fields, farmland, and rivers, lakes and ponds; it destroys the agricultural heritage of this country; it it destroys the agricultural heritage of this country; it upsets small-town life; and it changes the economic upsets small-town life; and it changes the economic and cultural character of these areas. and cultural character of these areas.

► Between 1970 and 1990, almost 20 million acres of Between 1970 and 1990, almost 20 million acres of rural land were developed nationwide. A total of rural land were developed nationwide. A total of 400,000 acres a year are chewed up to build 400,000 acres a year are chewed up to build residential and commercial centers……………….residential and commercial centers……………….Sierra Sierra ClubClub