Urban centers developed near waterways
because they needed a means of transportation, drinking water, and waste
disposal. They are still located on waterways but roads and railway systems
have allowed cities to develop off waterways.
Changes that have occurred
in cities include the use of water for industrial uses, the use of neighboring
farmland for housing and expanded development, the increase in migration
to cities by people from rural areas and by immigrants, and the development
of a more complex transportation system.
People move to suburbs because industrial
pollution and urban crowding turned the core of many cities into undesirable
living areas. Also, the development of automobiles and improved roadways
enabled people to travel more easily from their homes in suburbia to their
jobs in the city.
Farmers sell their land because
they are taxed on its commercial value rather than on its value as farmland.
This policy encourages development and forces people out of farming.
A megalopolis is the development of one
large urban area as the result of several cities growing together.
Land uses suitable for floodplains include
agriculture, recreation, and wildlife refuges.
Multiple land use occurs when two or more
uses of land occur at the same time. Yes, land can be used for multiple
purposes if they are not exclusionary or irreversible.
Recreation is a basic human need. Urban
dwellers especially value open space because it provides a place for recreation.
Urban planners are now beginning to realize the need for parks, urban recreation
centers, and open spaces.
An example of how recreation damages the
environment are areas which have been "loved to death." This
occurs when the pressure placed on the resources becomes so great that the
wilderness quality becomes tarnished. In addition, some forms of recreation,
such as off-road vehicles, may actually cause erosion and damage to the
ecosystem.
When land is used for recreational purposes instead of grazing
or development it is taxed at a lower rate and is therefore less profitable
to the community. In addition, when the land is used for recreation, no
one can make a profit through development or agriculture.
Urban related recreational uses include bowling centers, amusement
parks, theaters, play grounds, nature centers, and public swimming pools.
Conflicts over recreational land use develop because some activities
cannot occur in the same place at the same time. There is also a basic
conflict between those who prefer to use motorized vehicles and those who
prefer to use muscle power.
Development of a land-use plan includes gathering biological,
geological and sociological information, making projections about future
human needs, and developing mechanisms for implementing the plan.
Regional planning is more effective than local planning because
the political boundaries that encumber a local plan seldom reflect the geological
and biological data base needed for good planning.
Benefits of land-use planning include the protection of desirable
land by zoning, meeting the needs of many people in the community as opposed
to only a few, and the benefit derived by citizens when they participate
in community decision making.
Smart growth emphasizes the concept of developing "livable" cities
and towns. This includes the quality of the built environment and how well
we preserve the natural environment. Both affect our quality of life.
