SPRAWL: WHAT IS IT?

DEFINING IT

&

MEASURING IT

DENSITY: L.A. vs. N.Y

RESIDENTIAL USE

TRANSPORTATION: PRIVATE VS. PUBLIC

LAND USE FRAGMENTATION

TRAVEL COMPARISONS

Phoenix land use -1912

Phoenix land use - 1995

EL PASO-CD. JUAREZ

PEOPLE AND LAND

Figure 1: Increase in Population and Developed Land Area in Metropolitan Areas, 1970-1990 (Source: Surface Transportation Policy Project)

1982 and 1992

EL PASO (1988-1999)

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

POP CH LAND

Source: City of El Paso Planning Department

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

POP RESID NONRESID

DIMENSIONS OF SPRAWL Galster et al.

1. DENSITY2. CONTINUITY 3. CONCENTRATION4. COMPACTNESS 5. CENTRALITY 6. NUCLEARITY 7. DIVERSITY OF LAND USES8. PROXIMITY

OPERATIONALIZATION OF SPRAWL

MEASURING SPRAWL

YY S

YYi

s

diZi

)(

Where:di= dimension i of sprawlSy = standard deviation of dimension i Si = sprawl index Source: Galster et al.

ZnZiSi ...

(1)

(2)

LIMITATIONS OF GALSTER ET AL.

• All the dimensions of sprawl are given equal weight

• It is static in the sense that it gives a picture but it is silent about changes and the dynamic of change

• It requires a great deal of work to define the unit of analysis

Lopez & Hynes methodology

• According to the authors, density is the most important dimension of sprawl

• The authors use census tracks instead of the quarter mile square used by Galster et al.

• The authors classify three types of density tracks

• The authors use a cross-sectional study• Comparative static (two points in time) and

silent about dynamics

Lopez & Hynes Sprawl Index

50*)1100/%)%(( DSSiWhere: Si = sprawl index for metropolitan area iD%i = percentage of total population in high-density census track S%i = percentage of total population in low-density census trackIf 100 percent of the population live in low-density track then index = 100If 100 percent of the population live in high-density track then index = 0

THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Growth Management What are the aspects that GM regulates?

Growth Management What are the aspects that GM regulates?

Amount of Development:How much development

is allowed?

Amount of Development:How much development

is allowed?

Timing of development:When can development

take place?

Timing of development:When can development

take place?

Location of development:Where will development

be located?

Location of development:Where will development

be located?

Character of development:What type of development

is allowed ?

Character of development:What type of development

is allowed ?

•Density•ImpactsEnvironmentSocialEconomic•Internalizing Externalities by pricing “right” Public & quasi-public goods

•Continuous growth•Avoid leapfrog dev. •Establishing UGB

•Locating uses•Matching developmentwith infrastructure (CIP)•Finding a proper place for LULU’s

Design Building codes

POLICY APPROACHES

• Top-down (Portland)

• Incentive-based system (Maryland)

• Laissez-Faire Approach (Houston)

STALEY

• Legislative decision making

• Bureaucratic decision making

• Market decision making

KEY QUESTIONS

• Why do we attach a negative connotation to sprawl?

• When do we know that a city has become “too big”? What are the parameters to judge size?

• Can sprawl be reversed? What role should the market and government play?

• Is smart growth really the answer? • Where does the “happy median” lie? • What is the difference between growth

management and smart growth policies?

Class Questions• E. Harrison  • 1.  The readings state that Los Angeles was once targeted as the prime "sprawl"

example.  Recently, however, Atlanta has been named as the prime "sprawl" example.  Did Los Angeles do something to eliminate or reduce sprawl, or is Atlanta so much worse that planners now use it as the prime sprawl example?

•  • 2.  Given that sprawl is multi-dimemsional and planners have such a hard time

defining it, much less formulating strategies to reduce or eliminate it, is it possible to address each of the dimensions (density, continuity, concentration, compactness, centrality, nuclearity, diversity and proximity) seperately through zoning ordinances in an effort to control the multitude of consequences as a result of sprawl?

• B. Lucero • 1.  In the Samuel Staley article he seems to say that smart growth is cumbersome

and not as advantageous as one would imagine, but isn't the fact that it requires more citizen input what makes this more democratic and less market driven?

•  • 2.  In the Jerry Anthony article he mentions that one way to ensure that growth

management policies are not exclusive is to include specific provisions that would ensure that there are affordable housing aspects in the plan and that these measures are followed.  Is the limitation in the policy that it put environmental concerns over people in creating a livable community that managed growth?