Measuring Effects of Sprawl

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Measuring Effects of Sprawl

• Michael Jacinto
• 09 May 1999

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Michael Jacinto

• SFSU senior, Urban Studies / German.
• Attended the Humboldt University in Berlin,
  Germany.
• Planning summer internship in Cincinnati, OH in
  community development.
• The purpose of the following research to measure
  the effects of sprawl caused by suburban
  development.

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Literature Review

• Barnett, Johnathan The Fractured Metropolis.
  Harper Collins, 1996.
• Lang, Peter Suburban Discipline. Princeton Arch.
  Press, 1997.
• Calthorpe, Peter The Next American Metropolis.
  Princeton Arch. Press, 1993.
• Kunstler, James The Geography of Nowhere.
  Touchstone Books, 1994.
• Langdon, Philip Reshaping the American Suburb.
  Univ. of Mass. Press, 1997.

• Congress for New Urbanism, www.cnu.org
• American Planning Assoc, www.mnapa.com
• Greenbelt Alliance, www.rahul.net/gba
• Planners Web, www.plannersweb.com
• Sprawlbusters, www.sprawl-busters.com

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Research ProblemMeasuring effects of sprawl

• What are the current effects of sprawl?
• Form and configuration of suburbs.
• Ecological, economical, sociological effects.
• Ostracism, especially for teenagers.
• What are the solutions to sprawl?
• New Urbanism Approach.
• Government Funding for open space preservation.
• Examples of new developments
• Disneys Celebration
• Seaside, FL.

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How Do You Define Sprawl?

• Noted policy analyst Anthony Downs, identified
  ten "traits" associated with sprawl
• unlimited outward extension,
• low-density residential and commercial
  settlements
• leapfrog development
• fragmentation of powers over land use among many
  small localities
• dominance of transportation by private automotive
  vehicles
• no centralized planning or control of land-uses
• widespread strip commercial development
• great fiscal disparities among localities
• segregation of types of land uses in different
  zones
• reliance mainly on the trickle-down or filtering
  process to provide housing to low-income
  households

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Washingtons response

• Livability Goals
• Green spaces, clean air and clean water, sustain
  wildlife, and provide families with places to
  walk, play and relax.
• Ease traffic congestion, strengthening existing
  transportation systems, and expand use of
  alternative transportation.
• Restore a sense of community by fostering citizen
  and private sector involvement.
• Develop regional growth strategies and address
  common.
• Enhance economic competitiveness promote
  cutting-edge industries.
• Fiscal Year 2000 Funding
• Better America Bonds9.5 billion. Tax credits
  totaling more than 700 mill. over 5 years.
• Regional Connections Initiative HUD to provide
  50mill in matching funds to design pursue
  smarter growth strategies

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Results from prior research

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Research Objectives and Hypotheses

• Research Objectives
• To examine the effects of sprawl on peoples
  sense of place, community, and environment.
• To evaluate the ecological effects of sprawling
  development.
• To research the social factors relating to sprawl
• Research Hypotheses
• Citizens lack a connection to their communities
  due to a deficient infrastructure.
• Market trends have not allowed for any
  alternative developments.
• Current social ills, once thought of as
  Inner-city problems stem from, and are present
  in, sprawling suburbs.

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Research Methods

• Survey Instrument (Mailed)
• Telephone Surveys
• Case Studies
• Archival Research
• Participant Observation

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The Survey Instrument

• 1,850 surveys to be mailed to residents of
  Fremont, California.
• Sample amounts to 1 of population.
• Survey consists of 50 questions 20 Likert scale,
  20 opinion, 10 open-ended.
• Surveys are confidential.

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The Telephone Interview

• 200 residents selected randomly by CATI system.
• Telephone interviews consist of scaled down
  questions from mail survey (15).
• Target population Antioch, CA.
• Average length of interview 15 minutes.

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Case Studies

• Examine master plans for the following cities
• Los Angeles
• San Francisco
• Portland
• Minneapolis / St. Paul
• St. Louis

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Archival Research

• Statistical analysis of US census data.
• Longitudinal Studies for the San Francisco
  Metropolitan Statistical Area.
• Consulted ABAGs Bay Area Alliance for
  Sustainable Development Survey.
• Beyond Sprawl New patterns of growth to fit the
  new California (BofA study)

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Participant Observation

• Community Development Design Center
  Cincinnati, OH.
• Focus Neighborhood community development and
  renewal.
• Purpose Inner-city suburbs (ex. Over the Rhine)
  as areas to carefully renew and revitalize.
• Modus Special attention given to existing
  social/economic standing, seek to preserve and
  improve environment, not to gentrify.

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danke schoen