What is

Land Use PLanning?

Urban Planning Chapter 2

Land use planning is the process of deciding what activity can occur on a particular property and how that activity impacts its surroundings.

Land is one of a city’s most important resources.

Everything that happens in a city happens on a

piece of land or property. Cities can guide and

coordinate how land is used in order to create

a healthy and productive environment for

residents. Issues like public health, safety and

economic growth are significantly affected by

the layout of a city.

Land use planning helps answer questions

like:

• Whatactivitiesshouldoccurinthecity?• Wherewillpeoplelive,work,andhavefun?• Howdoesspatiallayoutaffectacity’s

efficiency?

Land use plays an important role in deciding

what we want our city to look like in the

future, but it is also guided by historic trends

and present realities.

TYPES OF Land USE“Use” refers to the type of activity that occurs in a particular location.

Residential: single-family homes,

apartments, condos and assisted living centers.

Many different housing options exist, from a

one-story house to an apartment tower. Each

different type of housing gives a neighborhood

a unique appearance and feel.

CommeRCial: retail stores, offices, and

restaurants. Commercial uses offer services,

provide entertainment and create jobs.

institutional: museums, hospitals

and schools. Institutional uses attract

visitors, create jobs and provide cultural

opportunities.

industRial: manufacturing facilities,

warehouses, and storage. Industrial

uses also generate jobs and contribute to a

city’s economic base.

open spaCe: parks, plazas, and greenways.

Open space uses provide opportunity for

recreation and environmental enhancement.

infRastRuCtuRe: roads, sewers and utility

lines. Infrastructure is the backbone of a city;

it brings all other land uses together.

We all decide how space should be organized.

Our homes are organized for particular

activities like sleeping, eating, cooking, and

entertaining. In a house, related activities are

located close together. For example, a dining

room is usually placed next to the kitchen.

This same idea can be applied at a city wide

scale. For example, schools are usually located

within a residential neighborhood, and retail

is usually located along major streets.

Like a house, a city locates related activities near each other.

CITY LAYOUT

HOUSE LAYOUT

LiVing ROOM

OFFiCe

diningROOM

KiTCHen BedROOM

BedROOM

enTeRTainMenT

insTiTUTiOnaL

COMMeRCiaL

COMMeRCiaL

ResidenTiaL

ResidenTiaLindUsTRiaL

ZOningZoning is a set of city laws that govern where and how land use happens.

Zoning helps us decide:

• Use:whatkindofactivitytakesplace• Location:wheretheactivitytakesplace• Density:howmuchactivitytakesplace• DUration:howlongtheactivityisallowed Different uses permitted by the zoning process

include commercial, residential, industrial,

institutional, infrastructure, and open space.

Coordinating these uses is necessary to ensure

they are accessible to everyone in the community.

Land use planning separates incompatible uses,

such as factories and homes, and connects

related uses, like businesses and government

offices.

Zoning determines the most appropriate

location for different activities so they are

coordinated and efficient. The city’s planning

department manages a comprehensive map with

a land use assigned for every property in the

city.

Zoning also governs where certain land uses

or activities should be clustered together.

This concentration of activity is referred to as

density.

Density helps us understand the number of

people living or working in a given area and

the subsequent amount of stores or schools this

population can support.

Zoning also regulates duration. Duration

refers to the length of time a certain activity is

allowed. Residential and commercial uses tend

to be assigned on a more permanent and long

term basis. Other uses are less permanent,

like a farmer’s market or a parking lot. These

land uses can be assigned for a shorter period

of time, like a month or even a day.

iMPORTanCe OF Land UseLand use choices affect:

• Economicdevelopment• Cityservicedelivery• Transportationnetworks

Land use choices are important for economicdevelopment because they can help attract

investment and create jobs. Businesses often

thrive when they are placed close together

in dense areas. A city should also consider

the economic opportunities in relation to

its vacant land and buildings. For example,

Small lots can be combined to make space for

a large building, or they can provide space for

temporary markets or urban gardens. Each of

these uses contribute to the local economy.

Marvin Shaouni Photography

way s t o connec t:2929 RUSSELL ST. DETROIT 48207(313) 259-4407 OR (313) 962-0389

www.DETROITLOngTERm.cOmInfO@DETROITLOngTERm.cOm

facEbOOk.cOm/DETROITwORkSpROjEcT

TwITTER.cOm/DETROITLOngTERm

InSpIRIng cITIZEnS TO SHapE

Detroit’s Future!

Land use also affects delivery of city services. Services are in greater demand where there is

a higher density of people or buildings. Lower

density areas require all the same services, but

there are fewer people to pay for them, making

them more costly to provide. An efficient

services system should anticipate and respond

to changes in density and demand.

A city’s transportationnetwork determines how

people commute from their home to their

work, post-office, or grocery store. A good

transportation network helps to connect families

with schools, businesses with customers, and

factories with distribution routes.

After considering these issues, leaders and

residents can make informed and effective

decisions about how land is used. Good land

use planning opens up opportunities for a more

efficient and more prosperous city.

Marvin Shaouni Photography

Let’swORk

Let’swORk On IT.