Addressing Growth and Addressing Growth and Sprawl: Sprawl:

Educational Tools Educational Tools and Resourcesand ResourcesPrepared for the:Prepared for the:National Public Policy Education ConferenceNational Public Policy Education ConferenceSeptember 21-24, 2003September 21-24, 2003Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City, Utah

Stephan J. Goetz, Ph.D.Stephan J. Goetz, Ph.D.Director, The Northeast Regional Center for Director, The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development and Professor of Agricultural Rural Development and Professor of Agricultural and Regional Economics, Penn State Universityand Regional Economics, Penn State University

Presentation based on:Presentation based on:“Ten Things Members of “Ten Things Members of Every Community (in the Every Community (in the Northeast US) Need to Northeast US) Need to Know About Land Use…”Know About Land Use…”

Edited by Stephan J. Goetz and Tim Edited by Stephan J. Goetz and Tim Kelsey, June 2003Kelsey, June 2003

Available on The Northeast Center’s Available on The Northeast Center’s website www.cas.nercrd.psu.eduwebsite www.cas.nercrd.psu.edu

1.1. No other region of the country No other region of the country faces greater pressure on its faces greater pressure on its land base than the Northeast land base than the Northeast US.US.

(The Northeast Center)(The Northeast Center) The region has 22% of the population, but only 6.7% of The region has 22% of the population, but only 6.7% of the nation’s land area. Choose a comparable fact for the nation’s land area. Choose a comparable fact for your region (e.g., availability of water in the West).your region (e.g., availability of water in the West).

0 20 40 60

Northeast

Midwest

South

West

Measures of Urbanization, 1982-97,by US Region (adapted from Fulton et al. 2001)

Urban land change Population change Ratio

2. Once traffic gridlock occurs in a 2. Once traffic gridlock occurs in a community, it is almost always too community, it is almost always too late to do anything about it.late to do anything about it. (Brookings)(Brookings)

And, traffic gridlock is growing across the nationAnd, traffic gridlock is growing across the nation Most cities cannot sprawl their way out of Most cities cannot sprawl their way out of

congestioncongestion The following examples are for cities in the North-The following examples are for cities in the North-

east, but congestion cost patterns are similar east, but congestion cost patterns are similar elsewhere in the USelsewhere in the US

Mobility Data for Baltimore, MD, 1982-2000

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1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

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Mobility Data for Boston, MA, 1982-2000

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1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

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Mobility Data for Hartford-Middletown, CT 1982-2000

1540

1560

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1720

1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

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Mobility Data for Washington DC-MD-VA, 1982-2000

3200

3250

3300

3350

3400

3450

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1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

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Congestion Cost

Density

3. Planning is usually the only way in which unpleasant surprises related to land use can be avoided. (M. Dougherty)

Planning:Planning: an an orderlyorderly, , openopen approach to approach to determining determining local needslocal needs and and wantswants, , describing a describing a visionvision of community’s of community’s desired futuredesired future, setting , setting goalsgoals, , prioritiespriorities, , and taking and taking actionaction..

Zoning, capital improvements, and Zoning, capital improvements, and sub-division ordinances guide land use sub-division ordinances guide land use decisions.decisions.

Source: T. Wilson and G. Blonde, Lay of the LandLand Use Education Program, 2002, U. of Wisconsin

an attempt to replace market forces or an attempt to replace market forces or stop growth altogetherstop growth altogether

– It is to manage future community It is to manage future community developmentdevelopment

a magic bullet, or a tool of immediate a magic bullet, or a tool of immediate changechange

– It is a tool to foster long-term impactsIt is a tool to foster long-term impacts static or only done oncestatic or only done once the same as zoningthe same as zoning

Planning is Planning is notnot……

Source: T. Wilson and G. Blonde, Lay of the LandLand Use Education Program, 2002, U. of Wisconsin

Questions behind planning…Questions behind planning…

Is there something in your community that Is there something in your community that you want to: you want to:

change?change? preserve?preserve? create?create?

Source: T. Wilson and G. Blonde, Lay of the LandLand Use Education Program, 2002, U. of Wisconsin

The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development

A good plan can…A good plan can…

Control taxes and preserve or protect: Control taxes and preserve or protect: farmland, private property rights, the farmland, private property rights, the environment, etc.environment, etc.

Guide and promote developmentGuide and promote development Lead to consistent decision making over Lead to consistent decision making over

timetime Most importantly: achieve your desired Most importantly: achieve your desired

“vision” – what you want for the future“vision” – what you want for the future

Source: T. Wilson and G. Blonde, Lay of the LandLand Use Education Program, 2002, U. of Wisconsin

Planning involves four basic Planning involves four basic questions for the community…questions for the community…

1.1. Where is it now? Where is it now? 2.2. How did it get there?How did it get there?3.3. Where does it want to be? Where does it want to be? 4.4. How does it get there?How does it get there?

Source: T. Wilson and G. Blonde, Lay of the LandLand Use Education Program, 2002, U. of Wisconsin

Question: Are communities that Question: Are communities that plan more highly “developed”?plan more highly “developed”?

4. The smaller the unit of local government, the greater the potential local control of land use and planning... (Stanley Lemback)

But, the fewer the resources available for planning, and the greater the staffing problemsUnder Under home rulehome rule,, there are thousands of there are thousands of units of local government (townships, units of local government (townships, municipalities, etc.)municipalities, etc.)Local officials often serve on part-time, Local officials often serve on part-time, volunteer basis; turnover is highvolunteer basis; turnover is highThus, dealing with complex land use trade-Thus, dealing with complex land use trade-offs can be a serious challenge in areas with offs can be a serious challenge in areas with home rulehome rule

5. Generally speaking, the nation’s food supply is at this time not threatened by land conversion to new housing development. (Heimlich and Anderson)

Exceptions…

6. Compared to previous economic expansions, and given the amount of population growth during the last decade, developers are currently undersupplying new stocks of housing. (The Northeast Center) 1970s 1980s

1990s Population growth (mn.) 23.2 22.7 32.7 New housing units (mn.) 17.5 14.8 13.3 New Homes (per 100 popl.) 75 65 41

But these homes are being build on larger lots

Housing affordability is a Housing affordability is a growing concern, especially in growing concern, especially in the Northeastthe Northeast

Housing affordability is a key Housing affordability is a key measure of measure of economic well-beingeconomic well-being Gentrification is believed to be a Gentrification is believed to be a growing growing problemproblem As population density rises, housing As population density rises, housing

affordability tends to declineaffordability tends to decline Or, in areas with lower density, Or, in areas with lower density, housing housing affordability is higheraffordability is higher

7. There is no clear-cut relationship between land preservation efforts and the supply of housing. (Brookings) We also know little about the long-term effectiveness of farmland preservation programs. (L. Lynch)

8. Conventional cost of community services studies need to be used with caution – and they are often misused. (T. Kelsey)

Median COCS per dollar of revenue raised

Commercial/Industrial $0.27Farm/Forest $0.36Residential $1.15

Source: J. Freedgood, 2002 (AFT)

9. Some individuals claim that residential development is always beneficial to a community because of the increased tax dollars it brings; others claim costs of residential development are always negative because new school expenses offset any potential tax benefits.

Neither assertion (stereotype) is in fact accurate. (T. Kelsey)

10. Property rights are granted to individuals by the community in which they reside. (D. Bromley)

Additional resourcesAdditional resources

The Future of Agriculture in Your The Future of Agriculture in Your Community Community (T. Kelsey, T. Collins, K. Brasier)(T. Kelsey, T. Collins, K. Brasier)

GIS and Your Community GIS and Your Community (O. Tunceli, T. (O. Tunceli, T. Collins, S. Goetz)Collins, S. Goetz)

Extension Land Use Programming Extension Land Use Programming Workshop Proceedings, May 2003Workshop Proceedings, May 2003(S. Goetz and T. Kelsey)(S. Goetz and T. Kelsey)

Land Use/Land Cover Mapping CapabilityLand Use/Land Cover Mapping Capability Land Use Web Resources Land Use Web Resources (T. Collins, P. (T. Collins, P.

Marshall)Marshall)