Sustainable Land Development Today - September 2007 - (Page 28)

LAND PLANNING infested, and it seems that the Carolinas are becoming prime locations for infestation. Scientists, politicians, and focus groups have named this phenomenon “sprawl.” Many, if not the majority of them, think that to control this breed, they must be gathered in tighter spaces they call this pattern “New Urbanism.” Is New Urbanism the Answer? Sprawl is a by-product of growth and choice. New Urbanism will have very little (or nothing at all) to do to influence the overall impact of sprawl. Put another way, if all of our cities were built to higher densities, they would still exist at the same distances apart. Highway miles, air travel, rail transit would be no different. Within the communities, in theory residents would live in harmony, strolling through tree-lined streets gathering at destinations just a five or ten minute walk away. Living, working and shopping at locations just minutes from their mandatory porch. Everyone essentially listening to the same tune, day after day, in densities guaranteed to make sure everyone will know each other’s “business.” Locals will shop at the same store where limited exposure will make discounts nearly impossible to stay in business (if they can actually survive without arterial road exposure), all get their hair done at the same place, eat at the same restaurants, etc. This design theory dates back to the days when women did not vote, where families owned but a single car (maybe). Transportation was scarce. Not everyone was happy back then, people struggled much more than today and life was much shorter. Where are all of these turn of the century neighborhoods? Many of these cities that have the identical pattern of New Urbanism today have become crime ridden slums that are a blemish on the American landscape. Think alleys are safe? Minneapolis, Minnesota recently tried to pass a law making it illegal to walk in an alley because they are per- ceived as being dangerous due to an increase in alley-based crimes. Sure there are many articles written of taking blighted locations in our cities and making them flourishing gentrified meccas for upscale urbanites. Where is one single article showing how the living standards of the poor who were displaced as their buildings were torn down were improved. What exactly happed to all those people? Certainly they would no longer be acceptable residents to these newly formed communities. Where are all the investigative reporters following the lives of the displaced? Where exactly do they go? The architectural and landscaping detail needed to successfully pull off the higher density New Urbanism far out-spends the savings in land (raw land costs per unit) to make it a viable (affordable) solution. The mass of rooftop and paved surfaces everywhere leaves very little green-space or “pervious surface.” This means as rain falls onto all that concrete and rooftop it runs off the land in massive volume creating terrible environmental impacts – yet it’s embraced by virtually every environmental organization! The fact is only a small portion of our population buy into the promises that New Urbanism makes, and fewer yet can afford it. New Urbanism is a solution to a select group that represents a small percentage of home buyers, and will remain so. New Urbanism is a design solution among many other possible solutions for a localized area (for some reason ignored by politicians, organizations, and focus groups), not something that can even remotely be viewed as a solution to mitigate sprawl. walk everywhere – every day. The car is not some evil contraption created by the Devil… it gives us our freedom that would have been unimaginable just a century ago. As fuel cost rise, we will simply buy much more efficient vehicles which will spur huge sales for the industry that makes them. Home heating and air conditioning costs will surely be a major factor, especially when we start plugging in our vehicles to the already loaded electrical grids in the next decade. This will require more innovation with new products and solutions. All the solutions must be priced so that not just the restaurant owner, but also the restaurant workers can afford them. Space is not an evil thing, we can deliver solutions that provide the space that the typical home buyer (or renter) desires by using new and efficient designs in our homes and neighborhoods. Transportation systems need to be expanded to keep up with growth with practical solutions that people will actually use. Instead of pointing to the car as the root of all evil, we need to thank our lucky stars we were not born a century ago, where traveling from Detroit to Chicago was a huge event for most, not an afternoon drive that could be taken on a whim. Will the vehicle companies respond? If they want business they will. In theory, more and more people will be working at home, but the reality is that employers like to know that employees are spending their time working, instead of mowing the lawn or watching soap operas. There is one thing for sure, the same ‘ol, same ‘ol won’t cut it anymore. SLDT About the author: Rick Harrison is president and lead planning consultant of Rick Harrison Site Design, a national consulting firm based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The firm has provided cutting-edge designs for over 550 neighborhoods in 42 states and seven countries. He is the author of “The Fall of Sprawl: Sustainable Neighborhood Design in 21st Century Suburbia” that is due to be released this fall. Rick can be reached at 763-595-0055 or contacted through www.rhsdplanning.com. If New Urbanism is Not a Solution, What is? Today we need to create design solutions that offer far more efficient traffic systems with better flow, as well as safe pedestrian systems designed to encourage taking a stroll instead of a drive. We do need to recognize that we live in a weather chamber where it will not be practical to 28 September 2007 Sustainable Land Development Today http://www.rhsdplanning.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Land Development Today - September 2007

Sustainable Land Development Today - September 2007 Contents Our Voice: Teaching and Learning Your Voice: Reader Response Editorial Board A 52-Mile Taking Fiber to the Front Doors of America Educators Incorporating Sustainability Land Planning: The Truth about Sprawl Irrigation: Communication Key Wastewater: Many Challenges Determine Sewer Options Regulation: Changing by State, Region, and Municipality Risk Management: Construction Defect Claims Recommended Reading Products/Services Showcase Advertiser Index Calendar Classifieds The Last Word

Sustainable Land Development Today - September 2007

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