Unit 6: Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes

Central Place Theory

A theory asserting that market areas are centered around a central settlement providing exchange and services.

Threshold

The minimum number of people required to support a business.

Range

The maximum distance consumers are willing to travel to access a service.

Agglomeration

The clustering of similar business activities in a local area.

Urban Origins

Factors influencing urban development, primarily access to resources or transportation.

Clustered Rural Settlements

Communities where residential and farm structures are closely arranged together.

Concentric Zone Model

A model describing urban land use in concentric circles around a central business district.

Hoyt Sector Model

A model depicting urban structure as pie-shaped sectors extending from the center.

Multiple-Nuclei Model

A model representing urban landscape through neighborhoods and commercial corridors.

Galactic City Model

A model representing post-industrial cities with multiple, dispersed business districts.

Latin American City Model

A model depicting urban landscapes shaped by colonial rule in Latin America.

Suburbanization

The growth of areas on the urban fringe and the movement of populations from cities to suburbs.

Edge Cities

Suburban centers characterized by significant office and retail space, minimal city government.

Primate City

A city that is at least twice the population of the next largest city in the country.

Megacity

A metropolitan area with more than 10 million inhabitants.

Entrepôt

A port city where goods are imported and exported, typically without customs duties.

Gentrification

Economic reinvestment in urban areas leading to the displacement of lower-income residents.

Counterurbanization

The migration from urban areas to rural areas to escape urban challenges.

De Facto Segregation

Segregation that occurs without legal enforcement, often through social practices.

Redlining

The practice of denying mortgage loans or insurance in specific neighborhoods based on race.

Urban Sustainability

Balancing economic and environmental needs within urban settings.

Bid-Rent Curve

A graph showing the relationship between land prices and distance from the central business district.

Site and Situation

Site refers to the physical characteristics of a location, while situation deals with its context and connections.

Brownfield Remediation

The process of cleaning up hazardous contaminants from former industrial sites.

Traffic Patterns

The observed flow of vehicles and pedestrians, often prioritized over simple distance.

Public Services

Essential services provided by government, including transportation, utilities, and education.

Service Relocation

The movement of businesses from urban centers to suburban areas for economic reasons.

Cultural Districts

Areas identified by distinct cultural or ethnic populations, often with roots in segregation.

Urban Social Change

The transformation of neighborhood demographics over time due to migration and economic shifts.

Urban Economic Growth

Expansion in urban areas driven by infrastructure investments and service industry relocations.

Megalopolis

An extensive urban area formed from the merging of multiple cities.

Fall-Line Cities

Cities located upstream on coastal rivers where ocean-going ships can no longer navigate.

Gateway Cities

Cities that serve as entry points for immigrants, often with significant foreign populations.

Sector Model Features

Includes upper-class neighborhoods extending outward from the central business district along links of transportation.

Urban Periphery

The outer edges of a city where new developments like exurbs and suburbs occur.

Urban Infrastructure

The foundational facilities and services necessary for a city's function.

Housing Policies

Regulations and strategies governing residential areas, aimed at improving living conditions.

Public Health

The state of health within an urban population, significantly impacted by housing quality.

Local Government Challenges

The difficulties faced by city leaders in managing urban growth and providing services.

Environmental Impact

The effects of urban activities on the natural world, including pollution and land degradation.

Suburban Growth Regulations

Local laws intended to manage the expansion and density of suburban development.

Housing Affordability

The relative cost of housing in relation to income, impacting access to quality living spaces.

Land Tenure

The legal right to use or occupy a specific piece of land.

Mixed-Use Developments

Properties that combine residential, commercial, and sometimes industrial spaces.

Bid-Rent Theory

The theory that explains how land prices vary with distance from a central business district, influenced by accessibility and demand.

Resource Nodes

Places where towns were formed due to the availability of natural resources.

Micro Districts

Zones of uniform housing that provide worker housing near job sites to improve accessibility and reduce commuting times.

Suburban Sprawl

The expansion of housing, transportation, and commercial development to undeveloped land on the urban periphery.

Fall-line

A geographic boundary where rivers descend from higher elevations to lower ones, often leading to the development of cities due to the availability of water power and transportation.

Rank-Size Rule

A principle that states that in a country or region, the second largest city will be half the size of the largest, the third will be one-third the size, and so on.

Restrictive Covenants

Legal agreements that limit the use of property based on specified conditions, often used to maintain property values and neighborhood character. (often used for racial discrimination purposes)

Bond Levies

Taxes imposed by local governments to raise funds for public projects, such as schools and infrastructure.

Sub-Saharan African City Model

A framework that describes the urban structure of cities in Sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by a central business district, informal settlements, and residential areas reflecting socio-economic stratification.